I wish you the best in your endevor but you wont get much more play that SH already does. Anyone searching control line finds SSW and SH at the top of the list. It only took 9 years to get there.
I sincerely believe Robert is right!
I belong to the Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club here in Tucson Arizona. We are I believe the oldest continuous AMA Sanctioned Club in the US.
Over the many years we have tried just about every possible stunt to increase mambership but it seems to stay pretty constant.
People come and people go, but it always seems to stay about the same total membership.
We've had a Web Site for many years and I seriously doubt if it has actually resulted in any new memberships, at least I know of none.
Most membership increases we've had have been the result of current CL fliers moving here to Tucson and joining the club that they already knew existed. There have been in the past a significant number of folks that have moved here from other parts of the country for the Modeling activity. Tucson is a popular retirement place and that may be as responsible for that as the modeling activity.
As for new CL folks beginning in CL, there have been a few that founds us at our flying field, but very few have actually become active members and stuck with the sport. Right now you could count those on one hand and have several fingers left over!
In the early days of VSC we got a lot of attention in the local radio and TV media but haven't had any for a long time.
In those early days one of our Members was Dan Gates. Dan still is an active member but retired from the media. He was an announcer at one of the local radio stations and MC'd a popular morning show with another gentleman. Because of Dan and his modeling activities we recieved a fair amount of publicity but it really didn't result in much new membership activity, only some spectators, which has probably helped with our relationship with the City Parks Department that supplies us with a terriffic flying facility. Publicity never hurts...unless of course it's the wrong kind. We've been very lucky in that regard and have been spared any serious mishaps over the years.
A lot of folks have worked very hard over the years to make the club what it is and a few have given time and effort way above and beyond most and continue to do so!
In the past we had several programs to reach out to local Schools and Scouting activities. We held flying activities with club supplied trainers and pilots. They were always pretty well attended and the kids always had fun but as far as I know the activities, did not result in one single new member or CL flier. The only young man that ever joined and stuck with it and became a very good stunt flier came to the flying field on his own volition one day and said he wanted to learn to fly stunt.
That's pretty much the story of membership as I see it! Fly, and if people see you doing it and want to join they will! Most, simply go on thier way with a smile and never look back!
Specific activities to increase membership have in my opinion never resulted in one single new member!
The Two Stunt Forums have probably advertised CL flying more than any other activity, and likely will continue to do so.
It's a very different world today folks, than the one most of us grew up in. I doubt that any of us are going to change that for the better!
I do agree with Dave T's suggestion above for an index of suppliers for modeling supplies etc. That might be very helpful for interested new participants and for that matter, some of us "Old" guys also!
Randy Cuberly
Topic: Active flying club membership? (Read 2452 times)