75^th celebrations
There have been some great events held as part of the MAAAs 75^th anniversary celebration.
Below are links with articles and photos looking at some of the functions held.
SSME All Things modelling: 75th MAAA Anniversary Special (heyzine.com)
Concorde Model Flying club: https://www.facebook.com/ConcordeMFC
South Burnett Model Club: Model Club Celebrates Anniversary - southburnett.com.au
East Coast Radio Controlled Flyers & Phoenix Flyers: Phoenix Flyers of Launceston Inc.
I am sure there are more events so please send in details for inclusion in the next communication.  We are aware that some clubs have postponed events due to weather and we are keen to see photos and stories of your celebrations.

Free Flight seeks Contest Director
The AFFS is seeking expressions of interest for suitable candidates to work in the role of Contest Director at the 2023 AFFS championships to be held at Narrandera in April 2023.
The suitable candidate should:
Be across all aspects FAI free flight competitions.
Be across all the current FAI rules.
Be very familiar with the current generation of FF models, allowing accurate processing if needed.
In exchange for your time the AFFS is willing to subsidise travel and accommodation. Please register your expression of interest for consideration with the AFFS Secretary, Shannon Tolmie, by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Aeromodelling history for sale
We received an email last week alerting us that the first petrol powered model aircraft engine in Australia had been listed on Ebay. The 10cc Brown Junior model aircraft engine is a piece of Australian aeromodelling history as it is the first petrol powered model aircraft engine in Australia.
 
It's 88 years old - having been manufactured in 1935 - and still has great compression and the ignition points are in good condition.
 
Brown Junior model engines were the first successful petrol powered engines to be used in model aircraft worldwide.
 You can view the listing at the below link, but be aware bidding ends this Thursday:
 

The best point of contact for the MAAA is through the Federal Secretary.  
Got a story to share?  Send an email.  Got an event coming up?  Send an email.  
 

75^th celebrations
Congratulations to all those clubs who have already run a 75^th celebration event.  There has been some great projects undertaken, from pilots dinners to gliders staying aloft for 75 minutes.  Stickers to celebrate the 75^th have been ordered and are expected to arrive next few weeks – these will be dispatched asap.  Pins have also been ordered and will be sent out next month, as they take a little longer to manufacture.
We have set the cut off date for events for the end of the year, so you still have time to plan something to encourage new members while celebrating the old.  Email Rhyll for a copy of the form if you don’t already have it.

Keith Quigg appointed as MAAA Member Services Officer 

Under the Proposed Changes to Executive Structure document, a Member Services Position was flagged as a necessary step forward for the MAAA structure.
Keith Quigg has been approached about taking on the position and is happy with the appointment. 
You can contact Keith by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

2022 MAAA Conference:
The outcomes from the 2022 Conference are now on the MAAA website, along with the Presidents and Treasurer’s reports.  The financial reports have been completed - along with the Auditors report - and these were accepted at the Council meeting.
Your Council members have voted to continue to meet in person, and the next conference will be held in Melbourne 20-21 May 2023.

Reminders
If you have had a change in your club can you please advise the State Association and the MAAA so we can send correspondence to your current executives.  This will also let us update the MAAA website so we can direct any enquiries to the right people
If you applying to become a Heavy Model Inspector make sure your applications has supporting material against the selections criteria outlined in the MOP.
We have also been asked to remind all members all communication for CASA must go via your State Association and the MAAA.  Going around may well result in delays with your applications

NSIG/SIG list:
We are trying to complete a detailed and correct list of NSIGs’ (National Special Interest Groups) and SIG’s (Special Interest Group). We currently have the following:

• AFFS
• ASAA
• LSF
• CL
• AEFA
• SAM1788
• PJAA
• AMPRA
• SCALE
• APA
• VJAA

If there are some we are missing, or you have lists of the committee for the above, please let Rhyll know.
 

Until next time, happy flying! 
Tim Nolan, MAAA President

Hello all – time for another update as we prepare for the run down to the end of the year.

Before we get started, if you want to view the photos in this email click at the very and select 'download images' - otherwise they will not display. 
 

CIAM and National Special Interest Groups (NSIG’s)
Joe Finocchiaro from Victoria will be taking on the role of our CIAM delegate for Australia.  He brings a passion and commitment to the position to advocate on behalf of disciplines for Australia.  In line with this we are doing a check of all the NSIG’s and SIG’s that they are still functioning and representative of their members.  This is being done to address concerns that some have become too narrow and are no longer inclusive of all aspect of the discipline they proport to represent.
 

This kind of photo could see you walk away with $3500 in prizes in CASA's The Sky is the Limit photo comp. Pic taken by the Forbes Advertiser at West Wyalong. 

Mop re-writes & Heavy Model Inspectors:

There have been a few incidents recently that emphasise significant systems failures around Giant Models. 

We need to ensure that the people conducting the Inspections are competent and take the position seriously.

If we are to be taken seriously and enjoy the ability to fly these larger aircraft then we need to ensure we can learn from each experience.

Heavy Model inspector applications:
We have had a few applications come in of late regarding Heavy Model Inspectors.  This MOP is also scheduled for review – as mentioned earlier – however some clarity may be helpful when putting in an application. 
The inspector form alone is NOT enough.  We need evidence – normally provided in the form of an aeromodelling resume – of current expertise, skill level and proof of scratch building experience. I know this may seem like a painful exercise but we need to maintain a standard across the board. 

 Setting an ‘across the board’ standard relates not just to our Heavy Model Inspectors but also to our instructors when assessing Silver/Gold wings etc. 

Complaints:
All complaints should be dealt with at club level and reviewed by the Ordinary Member.  All States have civil dispute resolution process’s and I recommend that these are the best mechanism to deal with matters. 
 

Communication with CASA:
Mitch, MAAA Safety Officer, has flagged some likely changes in CASA structure and the way they interact with the MAAA.
Previously, some clubs have dealt with CASA directly when seeking clarification on policy, procedures etc. 
We have been asked to ensure all members of the MAAA communicate through the MAAA to CASA, rather than directly.
All communication to CASA should first go through your State, who will have most of the answers.  Any other enquiries can go to the MAAA via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
 
International travel:
With international competition now possible – yay! – we are seeing members heading out to represent both the MAAA and Australia in different countries/events.  MAAA membership includes travel insurance, but for document tracking we need to be aware who is going where. 
If you intend to travel as an MAAA member and therefore be covered by the insurance, please notify us BEFORE you head off. 
 
Team selections:
A note to all the NSIG’s that are looking to select teams for upcoming World Championships.  Please ensure you are following the team selection process outlined in Mop 024 to ensure your selection process is open and transparent.
 
Events:
There are a few big events coming up.  If you have some spare time try and visit a club putting on a show or display – a little bit of support goes a long way.
 

• South West Associated Radio Modellers Society Inc (SWARMS in WA) Fun Fly 2022 is coinciding with the MAAA 75th Anniversary. The Fun Fly will take place September 24 & 25. All welcome. More information contact Andrew McAuley on 0418 674 986
• Manning Model Aero Club Fun Fly:  Held on Racecourse Rd Wingham.  Open to all MAAA members.  Food/drinks/bbq available.  All day nonstop flying fun. For more information contact Neil Waterhouse 0410 567 222.
• Shepparton Valley Radio Flyers 39^th Mammoth Scale Fly in.  September 17 & 18. See the largest scale model aircraft in Australia.  Flying from 10am.  For more information contact Brendon Edwards on 0429 341 243.

Drone Nationals:
I attended the Australian Drone Nationals, held at the ADFA in Canberra from the 19-21 August.  The event attracted 72 pilots for racing and 10 pilots for the freestyle event.
All the racing was live streamed over the internet as well as large screens displaying live race feeds so that the visitors could experience the racing up close.
If you have never been or seen this racing it is something you need to do, while it may not be your cup of tea the speed and ability of the pilots needs to be seen.
To look at photographs etc www.facebook.com/audronenationals/

Show respect:
Just a note to remind everyone to be kind to one another.  This is a sport we are all passionate about, but the success of the industry relies on us all being in it together.  Please remember the MAAA is run by volunteers who are doing the best they can for the sport we all love.  Likewise, your club executive, state members and all general members are doing their best
 
Until next time, safe flying – Tim

MAAA update

This is my first email in what will become a monthly update – a chance to catch up on what has been happening within the MAAA and further afield and so you can put faces to names for those of us on the Executive.

Firstly, if you would like to view the photos in this email go to the very top and click the little box that says "download pictures".  It will be located next to a little information symbol. 

Please feel free to get back to us with feedback, ideas for the MAAA, upcoming events or anything else that is relevant.

Membership cards & new system: 

You should by now have received a new, electronic membership card. All in all the rollout has been a huge success, with only a handful of members experiencing download problems. Just to re-cap, the reason we have switched from the traditional cards is not cost based but rather practicality; the old database has well and truly passed its use by date and is no longer supported. In September we will launch a new membership system application that will be accessed by mobile phone, tablet or computer. The new app will become a membership ‘one stop shop’ so to speak. Not only will it have a copy of your current card (electronically), it will include wings, club details, heavy and giant model details will be recorded in the database, and much more. There will be tabs for upcoming events, insurance and also the ability to fill in different forms – for example, the issue of wings, Heavy and Giant models – all from the one system.

I know some of you like the traditional membership cards, but you have your club and state members to help with the transition. We are also working on some “how-to” videos ahead of the launch so that there will be clear, no nonsense directions on how to work things.

We are considering running a few membership-application “how-to’s” as well – where a member of the MAAA Federal team will visit your state/club to walk you through the set up and how best to utilize the system. If this is something you or your club might be interested in, please reach out.

Inglewood & CASA: 

You may have heard that a recent event at Inglewood QLD was the first audit CASA has ever conducted on a flying display. There are a number of learnings coming out of the audit, and we are currently actioning the items identified by CASA. One of the identified issues is that our MOP’s are in urgent need of a review, updating and in some cases relevancy.

MOP rewrites: Inglewood’s audit leads straight into MOP rewrites. Many of you will know the majority of MOPs haven’t been reviewed in over a decade and at the very least, technology in aeromodelling has come a long way since then.

The MAAA MOPs are in desperate need of a re-fresh, and this has been flagged by CASA. We need to bring ourselves in line with International Standards and Regulatory requirements to stay compliant.

Area Approvals and Public Displays, followed by Heavy / Giant Models, are the first MOPs scheduled for an update. A small working group will be established to review the MOPs and fine tune them before publication. A complete list of MAAA MOPs can be found on the MAAA website in the meantime. If you would like to be involved in the review and have some skills in specific areas then contact your State Association.

Club Assistance Scheme (CAS): 

Each year, the MAAA uses membership funds for a variety of reasons. One of these is to assist clubs with projects or the purchase of capital equipment– it might be a new mower, gravel for a driveway or a roof on a meeting shed.

In the last financial year approx 17 different clubs from across Australia received a combination of Club Assistance Scheme and MAAA Natural Disaster funding totaling in excess of $50,000. 

Next year’s Club Assistance Scheme will open early in the new year - all the details and selection criteria will be contained in the pack.

New MAAA Federal Secretary: 

Rhyll McCormack has been selected to replace our interim Federal Secretary, Greg Petherick. Many of you will know Greg stepped in to help us out and has been doing an amazing job, but unfortunately his full time job prevents him from staying in the position much as we would love him to.

Rhyll hails from Victoria and comes from a media background, having spent 15 years as a journalist before moving into a similar position as ours with an organisation called the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria (MCAV). Rhyll has a lot of experience in communication and admin and is keen to hit the floor running. She has already been to Brisbane to meet with some of the Executive and is keen to get out and about across Victoria in the next few months. I know you will all make her feel very welcome.

Greg will continue to be on hand to help out as Rhyll learns the ropes. You can contact her via the Federal secretary email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. She will also have the MAAA phone by the time you receive this email. The number is 0408 657 657.

I encourage you to first contact your State Secretary as they have most of the answers.
 

Area Approvals– check when yours expires:

IT IS THE CLUBS RESPONSIBILITY TO APPLY FOR A NEW INSTRUMENT THROUGH THE STATE ASSOCIATION AND MAAA PRIOR TO EXPIRY.

Most clubs have an instrument from CASA for their location and if these expire it will result in the suspension of the club activities.  It may also result in an investigation by CASA.

All applications for renewal or implementation of new instruments should be initiated with a minimum of 3 months lead time, through the State Association, and MUST include:

·        CASA FORM - https://www.casa.gov.au/model-aircraft-flight-authorisation-area-approval

·        Updated Club Risk Assessment (on the correct form)

·        Stakeholder Engagement - 50km radius of site

·        Updated Club Rules/Procedures with version tracking

·        Site Location (maps of the area)

·        Evidence of landowner permission (including any overflight properties)

·        And if completing Model Aircraft Displays;

·        Display Procedures.

Any questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - if a detailed reply is required it will generally be within 7 days, if not sooner.

Happy flying

Tim Nolan
MAAA President