Hello HMAC Members and fellow Aviation folk

The following information provides a brief update for members on important matters the committee wish to share following the Clubs AGM held earlier this month.

Club 2023-2024 Subscription Renewal is now due.

The subscription renewal rates for the coming year as submitted by committee following the AGM are:

Senior (Radio Control)                                   $210

Senior 70 years+ (Radio Control)                 $190

Senior Control Line & Free Flight                 $140

Junior (under 18 years)                                  $70

Family                                                                $220

Associate (all flying)                                        $80

Non-flying                                                         $25

In order to keep the increase in subscription rates to a minimum the committee have explored a number of budgeting options and are acting upon some of the proposed recommendations.  Further information and explanation will be provided in the upcoming March Flightlines Newsletter.

Note that the above rates include member affiliation to Model Flying NZ.  Members re-joining must have submitted their subs renewal before 1^st April 2023 to retain club privileges, flying rights and insurance coverage.

Please pay by Bank Funds Transfer to the following account: 03-0314-0215645-00. Please include your name details and subscription type. An email to the treasurer ( alan48linda47@gmail.com )  to let him know you have paid can also be helpful.

Club Nights reduced to FIVE meetings per year.

As part of the budgeting options put to the AGM, was the proposal to reduce the number of club nights to four general meetings per year plus the Annual General meeting. This option was also raised and accepted in response to reduced meeting attendance verses increased hall hireage.

Meetings for 2023 have subsequently been set as occurring on the 2^nd Wednesday of the months of May, July, September & December with the AGM in February 2024. All other meeting details remain unchanged.

March 2023 Flight Lines Newsletter.

Due to publishing constraints, the March issue of the HMAC Flight Lines Newsletter will be slightly delayed in it’s delivery and is currently expected to be made available from the 8^th of March.

Summary:

As commented, the above issues & more will be covered in greater depth in the upcoming March newsletter, however contact one of the committee members if you require further detail before then.

Kind regards

HMAC.

HMAC’s Reekers Flying Field is currently

“OPEN for Flying”

Covid19 restrictions no longer apply

Please note of the following guidelines when visiting the HMAC field no longer apply at the present time, this may change in the future.

We are keeping these available for future reference.

Please follow Covid Government guidelines when visiting the HMAC field plus follow our local requirements below.

Covid guidelines are here for your information

Health & Safety:

• Social Distancing rules apply. Maintain 1 metre separation.
• Anyone feeling unwell or with potential Covid-19 symptoms must stay away.
• You must be a current 2021-2022 member to resume flying.
• Everyone (includes visitors) must Scan the Covid Location Poster or fill out the Contact Tracing Register in the Letter Box upon arrival at the field. Please sanitise your hands immediately afterwards.
• Bring your own hand Sanitiser and Bacterial Wet Wipes etc to the field for your use.
• Bring a soapy water spray or similar for sanitising your planes and equipment (eg: Handy Andy, Dettol, dishwashing soap or similar in a spray bottle with cleaning rags/paper towels). Please take home all of your own rubbish and cleaning items.
• Take home “all” of your rubbish including paper towels, gloves, rags, food items and any potentially contaminated items.
• Sanitise hands before and after putting the fence “down or up” and when closing the road gate. Alternatively use gloves.
• Sanitise all public equipment before and after use: eg Club Chairs, Table Handles, Road Cones and any club equipment used from the shed.
• Do not touch other peoples aircraft or equipment unless asked to do so by the owner and sanitise hands immediately afterwards.
• Sanitise/clean your aircraft, Transmitter, Starting Equipment & Tools etc regularly if others are to handle these items.

Flying:

• Maintain 2 metre separation
• Use the starting poles or a model restraint for your aircraft when starting IC motors
• Main runway: Only three pilots to be flying at a time from the pilots box.
• Only fly whilst standing on the painted pavers or remain a minimum of 2m apart
• Electric and glider flying: may take place from the paddock on the north side of the car park. There is no restriction on number of pilots flying from here, however remain 2m apart.

Covid19 Reporting:

• In the unlikely event that you or anybody you come in contact with develops Covid-19

you must contact a member of the committee immediately to assist with contact tracing.

Dated 04/12/2021 – HMAC Committee

Air Traffic Control Zone Change

As mentioned in the presidents November 2016 bulletin report, the Hamilton Airport Air Traffic Control Zone boundaries have now changed. These boundary changes came into affect from Thursday 10^th Nov and will have a direct affect on HMAC activities.

The requirement for members to phone the Control Tower prior to and on completion of flying activities has now ceased (as from 10^th Nov). The signage on the field will be removed in due course.

Important issues to note that arise as a result of the boundary change:

• Full size aircraft will no longer be notified of our flying activity.
• Full size aircraft were usually over 1000ft passing over our field, this is no longer controlled by ATC and they may be lower.
• Full size aircraft can pass over our field as low as 500ft. This means that the separation between our model flying ceiling of 400ft and full size is only 100ft.
• Aircraft can now approach us from any direction (previously this was predominantly an east/west traffic pattern)

So what does this mean for us:

• The role of the observer will be far more critical in both identifying incoming aircraft and relaying information about it’s height and track.
• Our maximum 400 ft height limit will be closely monitored and must be strictly adhered to by all fliers.
• Pilots must have current wings badge (and for the model type they are flying) or be under supervision of a wings badge holder.

Note: Altitude recorders and live altitude telemetry systems are options available to assist learning to effectively estimate how high 400ft looks like.

Those are the key points, remember to play it safe and fly low or land whenever full size aircraft are in the area, we don’t want any accidents!