MAAA News Letter 0207

MODEL AERONAUTICAL

ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INC.

Newsletter

NO. 2/2007

Manual of Procedures

The Manual of Procedures is a “live” document and is continually being updated. Please check the M.A.A.A. web site form time to time to ensure that you are aware of the latest editions of the documents.

Please be aware that the M.A.A.A. has just released a policy, MOP063, Operation of Pulse Jets. This is now on the M.A.A.A. web site in the Manual of Procedures section.

The M.A.A.A. has introduced a new class of Large model. At present a heavy Model is one with a mass between 7 and 25Kgs. The new Giant class is a model with a mass of 25 to 50Kgs. All masses are without fuel but including all batteries.

To allow the introduction of the Giant Models the Manual of Procedures has been updated to allow their introduction. Document MOP015 has been renamed Large Model Aircraft Operation Procedure. It was formally known as the Heavy Model Aircraft Operation Procedure. The revised MOP015 now contains all of the information required for both Heavy Models, 7 to 25Kgs, and Giant Models, 25Kgs to 50Kgs.

To cater for the inspection of the new Giant class of model a Giant Model Inspector rating has also been created. The requirements for this position and how to apply is set down in the Manual of Procedures document MOP006. As can be appreciate, applicants for Giant Model Inspector positions will be required to have extensive experience in building and flying Large model aircraft.

If you are considering building a Giant Model aircraft make sure you read all the documents before starting any construction as there are pre-construction requirements in which a Giant Model Inspector is required to be involved. If you do not follow the procedures set down in the Manual of Procedures you will not get a permit to fly your model.

In short, if you are considering going down the Giant model path, do your homework by reading the Manual of Procedures before you start to ensure you know what is required.

The 60th Nationals were run in the Albury Wodonga over the period from late December to early January 2007. The championships were very well attended and I am sure everyone enjoyed themselves.

The 61^st Nationals will be held in Perth over the period December 29 2007 to January 4^th 2008. Why not start making plans to attend, Perth is a nice place to visit and there are some very cheap airfares about.

Due to the 61st Nationals being held in Perth over the December 2007/January 2008 period the M.A.A.A. Executive have directed that as these Nationals will be completed at least 6 months prior to the World Championships that they be included in the multi team trials for places in the 2008 team.

Therefore those vying for a place in the team for the 2008 Control Line World Championships are hereby advised that the 61^st National Championships to be held in Perth over the period December 29^th 2007 to January 4^th 2008 are included as a leg in the multi team trials.

All M.A.A.A. Affiliate members are eligible to represent Australia at World and Continental Championships. Team trials for places in the teams are conducted by the relevant National Special Interest Groups (NSIG) or M.A.A.A. Technical Subcommittee within the M.A.A.A. If you are interested you should make contact with the relevant NSIG for further information or contact your State Association Secretary for contact details of the SIG. The M.A.A.A. web site has links to NSIG’s.

The M.A.A.A. is the peak body for model aviation in Australia and is recognised as an Approved Aviation Administration Organization. The members of the M.A.A.A. are the State Associations. In most State Associations the Clubs are their members. The Club Members are therefore Affiliate Members of the M.A.A.A. and in most states are also Affiliate Members of the State Association.

The M.A.A.A. Council is effectively the Board of Directors of the M.A.A.A. This is made up of representatives of each State and Territory in Australia. As such, each state has three votes at Council meetings. All but NSW is represented by one State Association. NSW has three, one for each discipline, ie free flight, control line and radio control. Even though there are three associations in NSW that state is still only entitled to three votes at Council meetings.

The M.A.A.A. Council generally has one face-to-face meeting per year. At this meeting, call the Council Conference, general business is transacted such as accepting reports, appointment of sub committees etc. Policy for the next year is also set and positions on the M.A.A.A. Executive elected. The M.A.A.A. Council does, if business requires, have tele-conferences during the year.

An elected Executive administers the M.A.A.A on a day-to-day basis. The Executive consists of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Competition Rules Secretary. All positions are elected for three-year terms by the M.A.A.A. Council. The Secretary’s position is full time and a salary is paid. He works from his home office. The Treasurer is a part time position and an honorarium is paid. Positions are elected in rotation to assist in continuity of experience The Secretary is due for election in 2007. In 2008 the positions of Treasurer and Vice President are due for election. In 2009 the President and Technical Secretary are due for election.

Any financial Affiliate Member of the M.A.A.A. can nominate for the M.A.A.A. Executive positions. Nominations for the positions are called for in this Newsletter at the appropriate time.

The M.A.A.A. has established many Technical Sub-committees. Most facets and disciplines of our sport have a sub-committee. These are generally made up of a representative from each State Association. There are currently eighteen subcommittees. Some of these being, Flight Training, Heavy Models, Control Line, Old Timer Gas Turbines, Helicopter etc. Each sub-committee has a Chairman who is elected by the Council.

The relevant M.A.A.A. Sub-committees are responsible for the administration of rules that govern their activities and to provide advice to the Council and Executive. The sub-committees propose rules or changes. These are considered by the M.A.A.A. Council who then vote on their acceptance. The M.A.A.A. Secretary also uses the sub-committee chairmen for assistance in dealing with matters applicable to that facit of the sport. In general terms it could be considered that the sub committees are the “technical experts” in their field of expertise.

Whist some may think that it is the M.A.A.A. Council and/or the M.A.A.A. Executive that makes up the competition rules, in reality it is the Technical Sub-committees that actually draft the rules and the M.A.A.A. Council formally passes them.

The members of the sub-committees are normally nominated to the State Associations by the State Special Interest Groups. Generally each State Association has a recognised Special Interest Group for the various disciplines, such as aerobatics, scale, helicopter etc. There are also non-flight related sub committees such as education, frequency and historic.

Hopefully the above has given a bit of an insight into how the M.A.A.A. works. Naturally it is not perfect but in general terms the association functions very well with a relative low overhead cost.

The M.A.A.A. fees for the 2007/08 financial year will be set by the M.A.A.A. Council at their meeting to be held on the last weekend in May. Your State Association will be advised immediately the fees are set. State Association will advise their clubs as soon as possible after this date. Club Secretaries should contact their State Secretary if they have not been advised of the fees by June 6^thin order to give them time to get the fee structure out to their members in time to collect the fees prior to the start of the membership year July 1^st 2007.

Change of Addresses

Would members who change their address please advise their relevant State Association and not the M.A.A.A. Secretary. It is the State Association that send State Newsletters etc to each member and so they are the ones that require the correct member’s address.

There is also a VERY limited stock of FAI cloth patch and decals. These are of the old FAI logo. The FAI has recently updated their logo.

To obtain any of the above, please send a cheque or Money Order for the total amount of your order plus $1-00 for postage to the M.A.A.A. Secretary.

Note; Due to the very limited stock of the FAI badges, please e-mail the Secretary to reserve your selection of these.