President:             Mike Close, PO Box 146, West Pennant Hills NSW 2125

     Telephone: 02 9872 6469    Fax: 02 9871 0408

Vice President:     Theo Merrifield, 25 Jecks St,   Rockingham WA  6168 

     Telephone – 08 9528 3124

Secretary:            Ivan Chiselett, 1 Watson Ave,  Mont Albert Nth Vic 3129

     Telephone 03 9897 1220  Fax (03) 9897 1445

     e-mail; secretary@maaa.asn.au 

Treasurer             Gary Anderson, PO Box 471 Devonport Tas. 7310

Technical Sec.     Fred Adler 18 Ivory St.    Noranda WA. 6062

                             e-mail; maaatechsec@touch88.com.au>

 

MAAA Internet:  http://www.maaa.asn.au

 

Manual of Procedures

The M.A.A.A. Manual of Procedures is on the M.A.A.A. web site. It is continually updated so please check the date of issue of any document you use to make sure you have the latest version.

 

Please note that recently two new documents were added to the MoP, these being;

MOP054 - “Australian Records Policy” and MOP055 - “Alcohol, Drugs & Illness Policy”.

 

In addition several documents were updated/amended, these being;

MOP028 – “Discipline of Affiliate Members”,

MOP045 – “Mobile Phones Policy” and

MOP076 to MOP082 – The forms used for the Flight Requirements of the M.A.A.A. Flight Proficiency Scheme.

 

Please check that you have the latest version of documents in the MoP.

 

 

Manual of Procedure Forms

It has been noticed that many members are using the “forms” that are contained within the Procedures rather than the original form. Please take the time to download the “original” form from the M.A.A.A. web site when you have the requirement to use an M.A.A.A. form. Please note that Heavy Model & Gas Turbine Model Permit forms are sequentially numbered number and carbon impregnated and not available from the web site. They must be obtained from you state association.

 

 

New M.A.A.A. Membership Cards

At the 2004 M.A.A.A. Council Conference it was agreed that a new format M.A.A.A. Membership card be implemented. The new style cards will start to be issued as current stock runs out. The new card is quite different to the current one in that it is twice as wide and folds to form a card of similar size to the current card. The card comes attached to an A4 sheet that provides the M.A.A.A. Safe Flying Code and insurance information. It has the space to allow the printing of additional information such as wings classifications and Inspector appointments.

 

Club Secretaries should be aware that members who join or renew in, or later than, June 1 2005 could have the new cards. It is expected that all cards issued for the 2005/06 membership year will be the new type.

 

Heavy Model & Gas Turbine Inspectors & FAI Observer Cards

With the introduction of the new M.A.A.A. membership card the separate Inspector and FAI Observer cards that have been issued in the past will be no longer be issued. M.A.A.A. Inspector and FAI Observer appointments will be noted on the new membership card. The new membership card will be the Inspectors & FAI Observers certificate of Authority.

 

The period of appointment for all Inspectors will also be brought into the same time period. Appointments will continue to be for a three-year period commencing on July 1 2005. New Inspectors will be appointed only for the remainder of the current three-year period.

 

Early in 2005 the State Associations will contact the inspectors affiliated with them and ask if they wish to apply for renewal. Failure to respond will be taken to mean that they do not wish to be considered to have their appointment renewed.

 

A member who is not financial the year prior to the start of the next period will not be sent a renewal notice and will therefore loose their status. If they subsequently rejoin at a latter date they will have to reapply to be an Inspector using the full procedure used in their State.

 

Hopeful the transition will go smoothly but no doubt there will a few hiccups. Please contact your State or M.A.A.A. Secretary if you have any concerns.

 

It is noted that currently many Inspectors are part way through their current three-year appointment. However to enable the appointments to all be brought into the same period all current appointments will be considered to terminate on June 30 2005. It is appreciated that many Inspectors will receive renewal advices even though they have only recently had their appointment renewed. You must respond to the new renewal request to have your appointment renewed to continue from 1^st July 2005. If you do not respond you will not be considered for re-appointment and not added to the M.A.A.A. database of Inspectors. In that case your Membership card will not have your Inspector classification printed.

 

The previously issued Inspector and FAI Observer cards will then no longer be recognised. The M.A.A.A. membership card is the only card that will be issued. Newly appointed Inspectors and FAI Observers will be issued replacement M.A.A.A. Membership cards with their new appointment printed on them.

 

Park Flyers – Make them Welcome

There have been reports of club members giving owners of “Park Flyer” the short shift when they turn up at our fields to have a go with their new model. Even if you do not think that they will join your club to fly their model, they are prospective members that obviously have an interest in model aviation. They will be influenced by your attitude. Why not take advantage of the M.A.A.A. Visitor Policy (MOP042 on the web site) and assist them to fly their model at your club. Chances are they may decide to join the club as once they have a lesson they will see the advantages of joining a club. People who purchase “Park Flyers” are prospective members, lets encourage them to join us rather than turning up our noses at them. Lets face it all of our clubs need new members.

 

27 MHz at M.A.A.A. Flying Fields.

The M.A.A.A. Council has decided that 27 MHz can be used at our flying fields but with strict requirements.  These are included in the policy document (MOP048), which is available in the Manual of Procedures area of the M.A.A.A. web site. 

 

This approval only applies to models that are electric powered weighing no more than 500g and having a power source of no more than 9 volts. The only approved model frequencies are those that are not used by CB radio.  These are Channel 1 (26.995 MHz), Channel 2 (27.045 MHz), Channel 3 (27.095 MHz), Channel 4 (27.145 MHz), Channel 5 (27.195 MHz).  However, Channel 6 (27.255 MHz) is not permitted because it is on a frequency used by CB radio. The radio equipment used shall be capable of inter-operating at 50kHz frequency spacing. All normal M.A.A.A. disciplines including club membership, flight line/ frequency control, and flying areas apply.  Acceptance of the use of 27 MHz is not automatic and clubs have final discretion as to whether to allow it at their flying fields. Clubs that agree to the use of 27 MHz are required to have a frequency control system.  A Silvertone© type system is preferred but, as there is no requirement for a bandwidth sensitive system, an alternative of a board with a peg for each frequency, which is removed and placed on the antenna of the transmitter when in use, would be acceptable.

 

The procedure also provides guidance that includes that interference could be present from CB radios and radio controlled toys on 27MHz, and that because of this Clubs who allow its use should review the operation of 27 MHz equipment from time to time

 

Household Insurance Policies.

The M.A.A.A. has received several queries from members asking why they cannot use their household policies, as they believe that they provide coverage for model aircraft activities. Whilst some household policies do cover our activities many do not. I have also been advised that one large company that currently does is actually changing their policy in August to exclude coverage of model aircraft with a wingspan of greater than 1.5 metres. The reason I know this is that my household policy is currently with this company and the broker has advised me of the impending change.

 

Many members have identified the fact that they consider the most important aspect of insurance to know that the person you are flying with is covered so that in the unfortunate situation where a large claim is made on a fellow club member everyone knows that there is adequate insurance cover. If we were to go down the path of allowing household insurance policies, who would look after the administration of it to ensure everyone has the appropriate cover. Just think of the problems associated with keeping track of whether a person’s policy covers all models, when it expires, is the policy current etc. I doubt if any club could get a volunteer to take on such an arduous responsibility.

 

Concessional Membership

This is the time of the year, after January 1, when we get people joining and asking about paying half fees for the period until June 30. A person that has not been an M.A.A.A. the previous year is entitled to half fees if joining after January 1st. Current M.A.A.A. Rules require that any person who was a member in the previous year shall pay a full years fee when joining after January 1st of the membership year.

 

Clubs should note that they will be charged a full M.A.A.A. fee for members who were affiliated in the previous year even if they have not collected it from the member.

 

Frequency Synthesized Radio Control Equipment.

Equipment of this type is now available in Australia and its use is likely to increase dramatically over a very short time. Transmitters of this type do not use a specific crystal to determine the operating frequency. The M.A.A.A. Frequency Sub-Committee has produced a policy/procedure (MOP053) to enable them to be safely used at our fields as well as how Testing Stations should certify them.  Any one involved with the use of these should get the full information from the Manual of Procedures part on the M.A.A.A. Web Site.  The key principle is that they should not be allowed to transmit until the specific frequency has been reserved on the keyboard, as is the case with a crystal controlled transmitter.  Because of the possibility of mistakes being made due to lack of familiarity with the new technology those who get this equipment have to be more than normally careful to ensure that they know what is required and then follow it.

 

Nominations for M.A.A.A. Treasurer and Vice President.

Nominations for these positions close on March 3^rd 2005. See M.A.A.A. Newsletter 6/2004 for details. It is available on the M.A.A.A. web site.