Club Heli Politics....Again!

[aamacgregor]

Perhaps this would be a bit overkill, but it would almost make me feel like getting a lawyer involved (unfair discrimination). It would perhaps burn some bridges, but it would hopefully also make them think twice about spreading the poison to other clubs. Not saying I'd do it, but I'd certainly feel like it. It's really upsetting when people try to ruin the hobby for others based on nothing other than their own sworded agenda that has no grounds.

The thing is, I can understand how some people could be "duped" into thinking that an electric heli is louder than a largish gasser plank as a result of some poisonous comment. The fact is, from a club members perspective, perhaps heli's do sound louder than planks, but that is not because they are louder, it is simply because they tend to be flown closer to the club. But I'm pretty sure that if you got the helicopter to follow the same flight path as the plank, that the heli would be quieter. The other thing is, if the heli is flown closer to the club, then surely it is further away from (and therefore even quieter to) places that would complain about noise polution? Meaning that as far as local residents are concerned, surely helicopters are not the problem?

Did anyone complain to the club about noise polution or was it just an item on mr planks sworded agenda? If there was a complaint, did they explicitly state helicopters? If not, what restrictions are being made on the planks?

[Guest]

A general enquiry came in that occasionally models can be heard. It was general knowledge the complaint as it were came in on a day EDF electric was been flown (no Helis present). A blanket Sunday ban came in. 4 months later after club investigations pinned on E helicopters. I flew my TDR and Trex 700 105 earlier last week with numerous fixed wing flyers. Firstly on landing they all applauded and on return commented that the TDR was not noisy and the blade noise the committee was concerned about was no issue so it shows it's been discussed more than we are aware. They all commented about a committee member been an issue. How silly this gets is a motion was put forward at a club to make it for 65+ flyers and ban Helis. It was rejected and very heated but shows what we are up against.

Maybe its time to get the E planks out. They forget we can fly planes too. Then they will ban 3d plane flying, lol

MJ

[pug907]

It seems to be the same attitude what ever the hobby/pastime. Bikes vs scooters(oh, and then there's 95% of the Harley boys), skiiers vs boarders. The Heli club near me has restrictions within the heli fraternity. Most are scale helis, so NO 3D is allowed in their rather large field. You are allowed to do gentle sport flying and inverted hovering and that's it!!! Anything else is classed as 3D! There are some of the guys up there that do little else but hover, every week, week in, week out, but if that's what they want to do, fine. Just let the non hoverers enjoy their flying.

The only solution is voting with your feet(god, I hate that phrase haha), and do what the others have suggested, find a friendly farmer. I'm waiting for a reply from a mate, about the huuuuge field next to his(he's got horses in his field, what a waste lol), after being kicked off our local community school field, due to noise complaints from the neighbours. We only fly electric helis and 2 or 3 of the guys have the eflite spitfire/hurricanes, yet the complaint was about heli AND plane noise?????? The planes are 8 bloody inches long???? How much noise can they make??
I think we've just got to get used to the arseholes in life, cos they ain't going anywhere, literally!!!

[George J]

To give you an idea what we've been up against the other club we had problems with received one noise complaint. The club uses two sites in the area and it was proven that it was a plane flying at the other site that could be heard at the other site by those that were there and everyone agreed it was the plane. So.......the club decides that all helis must be noise tested to BMFA guidelines before being allowed to fly!! All helis passed, the Logo I had at the time being the quietest at just over 70db, they also did some on site testing of various planes and heli with people dotted around the surrounding area to see which models sound travelled the farthest. Ironically the models that were loudest in this 'test' were the chairmans own design of electric plane! Had to laugh that day as all we'd heard up to that day was helis were the issue.
They put so many restrictions on helis it's almost impossible to fly there at all now though so madness prevailed there.

This new enquiry at our other club was said to be an EDF plane, it certainly wasn't a heli as neither Maj or I were there! They also fly control line on a Friday with unrestricted mufflers etc and these planes are so loud it makes yours ears bleed when nearby. Helis for sure will be targeted again, it's already happening.

[aamacgregor]

That is so sad that despite the evidence it's the heli's that get the boot. The sooner you find your own field (and potentially create a new heli only club - to prevent these guys from infiltrating it and eventually getting the heli's booted again) the better. It's a shame, because from what little experience I have of plank flyers (which isn't much to be honest), most seem to tolerate heli's without any real problems... it's the minority that ruin it.

[Tim Procter]

Such a shame these arseholes can't get on with heli flyers.

I know it's a 4 hour drive but you guys are welcome to fly at Stainburn any day of the week with nitro and electric.

It would be a treat to see you.

Free tea and coffee and choose the field you wish to fly in. We have 2,000 acres to fly on.

[Guest]

I will just say that actually at the field the mood is good and fixed wing and Helis mix well each enjoying the hobby. It is a predominant fixed wing club and we respect that and have worked our times around them. When we do cross over there is no problem. Sadly there is a member who constantly attacks us and others who aren't in the main circle and is ruffling many members. Its starting with the Helis then will spread.

The way forwards as others have said is find a private site. G and I will do that over the next few months and fortunately we have a exclusive members site of 10 picked Heli flyers to tide us over.

Nice 1 Tim sure when the weather picks up we will head North/South :-)

MJ

[George J]

Such a shame these arseholes can't get on with heli flyers.

I know it's a 4 hour drive but you guys are welcome to fly at Stainburn any day of the week with nitro and electric.

It would be a treat to see you.

Free tea and coffee and choose the field you wish to fly in. We have 2,000 acres to fly on.

Many thanks for the kind offer Tim, we will definitely be seeing you up at yours at some point, we have talked about it, just trying to sort the time will be the hurdle!

Will be going to see some farmer friends of my parents soon to see if I can't get something sorted for us on a more permanent basis.

[gazmk2]

That's a real shame to hear dude! The club I belonged to Last year (and will most likely rejoin next year) are predominantly fixed wing with only 3 or 4 heli flyers, one particular chap runs a hoooj great 700n that he is (or was at the time) spending ages just hovering on the patch setting it up etc. So instead of complaining and trying to ban helis for being noisy and hogging the patch the rest of the members just down tx and get the brews on while he flies his heli!!

With regards to electric helis being noisy I can honestly say that all the helis I have owned (blade 130x being the loudest) were a fair bit quieter than even my two bonkers little 3d foamies! (eflite inverza and edge 540qq)

As said before though, both fixed wing and heli flyers, we are all into the same hobby and really should just all get on!!

[KevDavies]

There were similar issues with me at My club. They had never seen a 450 doing 3d so when I tipped up with a 90 they started having kittens. Certain people started making it difficult for me. But me being the stubborn basrtool I am I dug my heels in and worked with the "problem members" to resolve the problems.

Long and short of it is now there is a dedicated heli pilot box, and if helis are flying we shut the field to fixed wing by means of placing a cone on the taxiway.
recently there was a noise complaint due to a senior member flying FPV over the local houses WELL INTO the no fly area! So noise regs were introduced, and im happy to say all the helis passed with loads of headroom. That cant be said for the fixed wings tho! Quite a few of them were wayyyy over the 82dB Limit.

Maj and George if your ever into gods own county of Cheshire, give me a bell your more than welcome at Crewe club. You get 5 free visits each before you need to join on the back of my membership, so that will cover you for a while!

Hope you get somewhere sorted tho guys, I know how crap it is flying on your own!

[mattscupoftea]

You may well find that if you were to find yourself a field and start up a mixed discipline club, you would end up getting quite a lot of the decent, rational pilots (heli or plane) from your old club quitting the political mess and joining yours and helping you cover costs. That way, not only will you have the pleasure of knowing that the old club has suffered a loss of membership (mwah ha haa) but more importantly you will be part of the solution - bringing flying clubs up to date, out of the middle ages, and making them friendly, inclusive places to be.

My suggestion comes from the inspiration of Brian (Brin on here) who took the initiative to set up a new, heli and plane FRIENDLY club due to nasty heli/plane political issues at his old, old-fashioned club. It took a little bit of work - he did quite a bit of footwork finding fields and door knocking until he found an ideal spot then spent some time setting up paperwork, insurance, rules and constitution etc (with lots of help from Stuart here) but within maybe four months of starting the mission a new club was born! We now have quite a thriving club with some plane only, some heli only and some mixed flyers in a gorgeous big private field and far less politics to deal with!

An idea - look for sites that have car boot sales on their land - there is a chance that the land owners have other fields, and the fact that they hold boot sales suggests that they are the sort of people that are happy to have things happen on their land. Also, have plenty of information regarding the hobby bearing in mind that most people don't know the first thing about R/C flying.

Good luck!

[dave j]

Here in Scarborough there are two flying clubs which are both anti helis so me and a friend of mine approached the local cricket club and got permission to fly on their practice field which is in the middle of nowhere with just a few houses around and the house owners don't mind us being there, we arnt a club just a heli flying group with no politics of a club needless to say no planks are allowed, when I want to fly my planks a fly in Leeds at a great club who do have heli members and we all get on great

[prostaljic]

Hi you guys I have just read thru all your post,s and do and kind of count my self lucky I run a what I call a meeting of guys on a sunday night indoors in holbeach who are mostley heli flyers up to 450 electric only, we have a great bunch of about 14 regulars and all get on very well we also have a field wich we can fly in when ever we wont what is situated just out side holbeach/ spalding CLUB politic,s are realy just a bind and cause more arguments that its worth and yes I also agree with you there is all ways one who will try to spoile it, you are better of with out them if that's how they wont to behave Reagards ANDREW

[fatboyrob]

we at phoenix rotors in nottingham are one of a the few sites that was set up for heli flyers it is a very friendly club because we realise that planks and helis dont mix. its sad to think but there is an us and them mentality. i truly believe most of the problem is because they carnt do what we do. we have people who have flown planes and gone over to helis that have been shuned by their old club for doing it.

[1chris]

We fly helicopters and fixed wing at the phoenix club in Lowestoft, all get on really well, quite amazing really