How much does your club membership cost on top of your adult 33 pounds BMFA membership?

[kc]

I am against joining fees and voted against them at the AGM, however one 'justification' was that there are some dubious characters around who don't rejoin but just sneak into the field and fly - even if caught out they reckon to just pay up and they are no worse off. Now if they havent paid by 1st Feb they incurr a new joining fee so this deters them -in theory.

[John Privett]

Our club fees are £10 a year, and free for juniors. And we give a £3 renewal discount for existing members renewing. I guess that's kind of like having a joining fee, but stated in an alternative way!

I'm intrigued at why Gonzo's club would charge more for members with BMFA through another club. I've never heard of a club charging a different membership fee depending on where the member gets their BMFA membership from.

I wouldn't want to charge different membership fees, but if I had to then I'd charge more for members whose BMFA membership is through the club as they cost the club slightly more in posting them their BMFA cards.

[GONZO]

Can't remember the reason given for the difference. But, its not the public reason given that's of interest, its the hidden one and only other people know that. I still have some membership forms from several years back and I can confirm that members with BMFA through other clubs were charged more. The trend over a period of years was for this amount to increase each year. The last year I have info for is 2014 when it was £14 more. Don't know what the situation is now as I'm no longer a member.

Just looked up when this different fee came in, it was £1. 4 years later it  had climbed to £14.

Edited By GONZO on 03/11/2016 09:31:05

[Cuban8]

I wonder how many of our clubs give a senior citizens (OAPs to you and me!) discount? My club scrapped it many years ago as it was felt to be unfair and really not necessary.

Edited By Cuban8 on 03/11/2016 09:46:49

[kc]

Of course I don't know why Gonzo's club charged more if the BMFA was not through thier club, but I know why my club considered it too...........the reason is the secretary knows all those who pay through him are genuine BMFA members but he has to examine the actual certificate of those who pay elsewhere to be sure they are insured. This takes time ( the certificates come a bit late ) and there is a posibility that people are flying uninsured. So secretaries may prefer to 'force' people to pay the BMFA thro them by surcharging. Frankly it is fair enough to deter people being BMFA Country Members ( not affiliated to any club) but a bit unfair to members of two clubs.

[Cuban8]

Not really an issue now as any members BMFA status can be instantly checked via the BMFA club portal. I suppose about 10% of our club members get their BMFA through other clubs or for some reason prefer to remain a country member.

I know that they'd never fly uninsured, but checking via the club portal is so easy and quick and ensures that mistakes through forgetting or whatever, don't slip through.

Edited By Cuban8 on 03/11/2016 11:30:32

[The real Ron Truth]

£18 all in a year , simple.

no joining fees.

[Cuban8]

Posted by The real Ron Truth on 03/11/2016 17:44:35:

£18 all in a year , simple.

no joining fees.

Presumably that's without BMFA - very inexpensive though, what do you get for your eighteen quid?

[The real Ron Truth]

Posted by Cuban8 on 03/11/2016 18:38:13:

Posted by The real Ron Truth on 03/11/2016 17:44:35:

£18 all in a year , simple.

no joining fees.

Presumably that's without BMFA - very inexpensive though, what do you get for your eighteen quid?

£18 gets you access to 4 flying sites. 3 slopes and a flat field . 24/7 access, no restrictions.

BMFA membership is advisory not obligatory . Electric only. BLISS!!!

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Sounded like a bargain until that last condition.

[Cuban8]

Posted by The real Ron Truth on 04/11/2016 15:30:14:

Posted by Cuban8 on 03/11/2016 18:38:13:

Posted by The real Ron Truth on 03/11/2016 17:44:35:

£18 all in a year , simple.

no joining fees.

Presumably that's without BMFA - very inexpensive though, what do you get for your eighteen quid?

£18 gets you access to 4 flying sites. 3 slopes and a flat field . 24/7 access, no restrictions.

BMFA membership is advisory not obligatory . Electric only. BLISS!!!

I guess no rents of several thousand pounds either

[Old Geezer]

Being well blessed with years I qualify for our club's discounted subscription applicable to it's aged members of £42. Full members pay £70.

Oh, it's the Central Model Flying Club, flying from a field in South Shropshire.

[John Tee]

£29 +BMFA. pretty good going by some subs

John

[Brian Cooper]

£46 + BMFA with a £40 joining fee for adults. . No joining fee for juniors.

The Club strip is situated at the far end of a sports facility (field) which caters for several other outdoor sports, but ours is located so we don't fly overfly any of the other activities. We have a tarmac car park and our strip is accessed via a lockable gate.

The pilot box is north facing (so no Sun in eyes) and the grass strip is nicely maintained. Also, we have picnic tables and start-up benches. Additionally, we also have proper toilets and a licenced bar about 150 yards away.

B.C. . . (Wellingborough).

[Rich too]

Nothing, I'm a country flyer. Perhaps, we should add that option to the poll...

[The real Ron Truth]

Posted by Cuban8 on 04/11/2016 18:00:23:

Posted by The real Ron Truth on 04/11/2016 15:30:14:

Posted by Cuban8 on 03/11/2016 18:38:13:

Posted by The real Ron Truth on 03/11/2016 17:44:35:

£18 all in a year , simple.

no joining fees.

Presumably that's without BMFA - very inexpensive though, what do you get for your eighteen quid?

£18 gets you access to 4 flying sites. 3 slopes and a flat field . 24/7 access, no restrictions.

BMFA membership is advisory not obligatory . Electric only. BLISS!!!

I guess no rents of several thousand pounds either

No your right. The farmer won't take more than £500 a year from us even though we offer much more.

[Peter Roberts]

 

Interesting discussion. What's clear is the passion everyone feels about their club which is really important. There is also a huge variety in number of fields, premises, facilities and availability.

We have a lovely club with 40+ members and sometimes a waiting list for a single mown field just out of town but a good flying arc facing North with an east west strip of 80 x 20 m with flared corners (haven't the space for two strips).We have reasonable relationships with a farmer who demands 000's in rent, grows stuff around us and drives his heavy tractors along a soft access road to the strip. Of course it would be nice to have a Tarmac runway, better access road and clubhouse but we don't have the money and the farmer wouldn't allow it - hate to think what he would want for rent.

We also have planning permission which cost a lot of time effort and fees over the years. We have a new sit on mower after years of a hand petrol mower. With a relatively small club we do charge a one off small joining fee which has been important to help us save for the lumps of expense that come our way (new mower, fees, she'd etc). Cost of membership is in the middle range of the survey which we think is a bargain for a hobby where we have availability for 3 afternoons during the week until dusk and Saturdays and Sunday's during the day. Electric only on a Sunday and after 7pm. Most members prefer to pay their BMFA subs through the club and we reduce fees for juniors and families.

We are lucky to have an obstruction free grass strip with no animals as there is little space in our locality for strip with good flying space away from neighbours or residences. We welcome all types of flyers but are mostly fixed wing with a few quads and helicopters. We rely on one or two members as teachers but have ages from 8 to 80 and welcome all experiences.

 

Edited By Peter Roberts on 07/11/2016 10:35:57

[Dave Bran]

Three Clubs, two Associations, various charges, quite a wide range. One has no "Seniors" option, only Adult and Juniors, another has relatively generous discount for "Seniors". Cheapest £18, Dearest £75.

Edited By Dave Bran on 28/11/2016 13:42:22

[simpson j]

Hi. £11

[Shane Sunday]

175+ BMFA. private property on an old ww2 airfield under lock n key although a portaloo wouldnt go amis

[Cuban8]

Re the 'seniors rate'............my club discontinued the reduced rate for over 65s many years ago, as it was felt that it was unnecessary given that most of the retired flyers used the facilities far more (during the week) than those still working and who were limited to weekends only. The change was accepted without any negative comments from those affected IIRC.

If anyone genuinely has financial difficulties and finds it a stretch to pay their subs, then we'll arrange something until their situation improves. So far that has never arisen.

[Basa]

I have been flying for some 18 yrs usually from council council owned fields , In the early days glow powered a/c and in later years electric . I do not fly near people or property and am insured . The only complaint I have had was noise related when using glow power , in the last 13 yrs or so using electric power I personally have not had any complaints , but have had many compliments from all ages and gender from the public . I also slope soar from my local cliffs over looking the sea , occasionally sharing the lift with hang gliders and of course giving each other good understanding of separation whilst flying . The only cost to me over the years has been for insurance.

[ben goodfellow 1]

club a ..£ 13 ....club b £23 ..... club c £10 a month. all plus bmfa . and when joining b has £10 fee and c has £30 fee

[Nigel Grant 1]

Down here in Canterbury, New Zealand our club fee is made up of $80 sub and another $70 to the national body. That's 44.60 and 39.00 of your pounds. For that you get a mown strip in a farm paddock with a good pit area all fenced off from livestock. There's also an adjacent paddock where guys still fly FF and there is a strong Tomboy interest group. I've enjoyed reading this thread following the different view points.

Unlike some of the other clubs described who mention North facing flight boxes, ours faces South, but we don't get the sun in our eyes either.

[David Davis]

58.50€ or about £48.95 at Berry Marche Modelisme (B2M) in central France including the contribution to the French equivalent of the BMFA. We have a club hut with battery powered lighting, running water, a Calor gas cooker and fridge for social evenings and a WC. We also have a tarmac runway with a "mown" glider-landing strip alongside. Unfortunately we also have a fair number of moles on the field so be careful if you miss the tarmac because unless you have 4" wheels on your model, the mole hills are bound to rip your undercarriage out!