MINUTES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING - SA MODEL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION,
HELD AT ACUITY ON WEDNESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2001
PRESENT Bob Skinner Chairman, Aerobatics,
Secretary
Johan Ehlers Vice chairman, Scale
Ian Edwards Large aircraft & Scale Aerobatics
John Godwin Communications & SAMAA News
Bruno Schroeven Display co-ordinator
Lesley Roberts Treasurer
Russell van der Westhuizen Pylon Racing
Dave Armitage Sunday/fun flying, proficiencies
Joe Coetzer Soaring
APOLOGY Graham Swallow Control
line
Chris Hamman (Cape Town)
WELCOME Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Distributed via e-mail to committee. JC did not receive. BS to check. Minutes approved without alteration.
FINANCES
LR produced financial statement. All in order.
CONSTITUTION
JC presented latest improvement/installment of Constitution. Discussion regarding more power/finances to multi-disciplinary provincial associations. All committee members to read/study latest amendments for comment at October meeting.
SAFETY Problem with full-sizes heli’s at NERF. Tend to use club runways after/during training. Vaal RF conducted safety forum. B/Stormers may need similar event. Proposal awaited on establishment of flight training academy. New FAI pylon course specs leading to unsatisfactory performance.
ADMINISTRATION
All in hand. Letter of condolences to M Quesnel. Letter received from J Cameron – recovery of costs on Pereira case now in progress.
NATIONALS
Only offer to date from CRF Bloemfontein. Offer accepted for Aerobatics and Scale only, due to track record of both events, overlapping interest, and time constraints. L Scale Aerobatics and Pylon agreed to investigate combination of two disciplines for separate Nats.
SAMAA News.
Closing date for next issue=20 OCTOBER! All to respond with articles.
DISPLAYS.
Hatfield Christian College display on 15th September. Approval given for Naboomspruit display.
AEROBATICS
Small entry at Gauteng event (White Hills). All in hand for GAA Gauteng Champs, end September. Invitations for SA Masters sent shortly, after qualifiers are known. Reasonable activity ion E Cape and W Cape, regular events in Free State. Some activity in N Prov and Mpumalanga. F3A team placed middle of field (15/38) at W/C. Individual placings were 34, 48, 52/103. Very good organisation.
LARGE AIRCRAFT AND SCALE AEROBATICS
19 Aug had poor weather but good participation. Event of 9 Sept could see new fliers. TOC arrangements in hand. S News article by N Wright. Big Plane Day at RMAC had moderate attendance.
FUN FLYING & PROFICIENCY
Results of testing "at" KMAC, St Blaize, RAM processed, but patches not sent yet. Fun Fly results all in, and 21 fliers invited to LOMAC, last weekend in October. Welkom site deteriorating and not suitable. Unhappiness from one W Cape participant who did not qualify.
SOARING
MGA meeting on 29 August. T Austin resigned as F3J chair, D Greer accepted position. G2K growing remarkably. No winches considered, but perhaps hand-tow (in addition to bungee). HLG event on 9 Sept at Midrand. Rosendal event successful. Plans for slope X-country event at Ladybrand. Increased activity in KZN. W/C in Czech had difficult conditions. Team realised 6 winches are necessary in future. Team to practice at sea-level. Lack of experience with new model aircraft. Small in comparison to others. Placed 33, 43, 50/67. Team 15/24. New MGA chat group. J Monk aerodynamic lecture video completed. General video in progress. Gliding Masters possibly late 2002.
HELICOPTERS
No formal report.
SCALE
Third round S/S in Sept. Bloemfontein confirmed as venue for Scale Masters 2002 (15th Anniversary). Several requests for rules.
CONTROL LINE
No report.
PYLON RACING
RMAC meet postponed to early October. Natal interest reasonable. W/C was well run. Windy/turbulent conditions. Many mechanical problems, possibly dirty fuel. Personal best times by both SA fliers. Placings of 28, 41/41, with team placing 13/16. New world record by Chris Callow (AUS), also new world champion.
COMMUNICATIONS.
Sections on Web page for gliding, scale, heli’s and large scale. Need more links from other disciplines. Much interest generated by Local Dealer adverts (more than 50-% of visits).
GENERAL
• Indoor R/C and F/F event in Sundome, last weekend in January 2002.
• In addition to PR, we need merchandising manager (t-shirts, stickers, pins, badges, etc.) Margie Stockwell?
• JG to investigate farming out of SAMA admin. Obtain costs to see if feasible. Concern about losing personal touch with members (like previous Aero Club handling of SAMAA admin).
• Hitec receiver tests indicate wrong set-up. Re-tuning produces satisfactory performance. Factual letter to manufacturer after obtaining correct facts.
• Swartkop Scale reports in international magazines very good.
• Pageant 2003 – propose last day of Swartkop Scale.
NEXT MEETING – WEDNESDAY 3 OCTOBER 2001
AT ACUITY, CEDARWOOD OFFICE PARK, WOODMEAD – 19:30 FOR 19:45