The following are excerpts from an email from MAAA Secretary containing a message from MAAA President, Tim Nolan
Hello and welcome to the first communication back for 2023. Hopefully you all managed to get some flying in over the Christmas break while also spending time with your family and friends.
We are straight back into it here at the MAAA, with lots of big things planned for 2023 so let’s get cracking.
CASA Update:
We are having regular meetings with CASA (RPAS Manager and Team Leaders) to discuss issues with the MAAA and CASA. These have been very productive and help to provide some clarity around expectations.
The next meeting is scheduled for March 2023. If you have any items you would like us to raise with CASA, send them to the MAAA Secretary.
Conference 2023:
A reminder that the MAAA Annual Conference will be held at the Mantra in Tullamarine on May 20 & 21. Any agenda items (Submitted by the member State associations) must be in a format of a motion with supporting arguments and any cost implication as per the Statement of Rules.
At the 2023 Annual Conference the position of Vice President will be up for election. Nomination forms must be in 12 weeks before the Conference. Nomination forms are available here and anyone is welcome to put forward an application.
F3A Location change
The venue for the 2023 FAI F3A World Championships has been moved to Warwick Aerodrome, Southeast QLD, with the event still going ahead in August this year. The committee for the event is as follows:
- Chairman: Simon Atkinson
- Contest Director: Brian Dooley
- Secretary: James McAllen
- Treasurer: Peter Readett
- Facilities Manager: Tyson Dodd
- MAAA Representative: Michael Hobson
Member Jungle update:
The migration of all MAAA members to the new ‘Member Jungle‘ membership platform is in its final stages of preparation and Go Live is currently set as 24th February.
Before the data is migrated it is important you ensure your information on the existing MAAA database is up to date. Incorrect information may cause delays to the renewal of your membership.
Please check with your club Registrar/Secretary to ensure your personal contact information on the MAAA database is correct and encourage everyone in your State and club to do the same.
You will see communications from Greg Petherick and Dave Lewis shortly going out to help club registrars with the change across to member jungle.
All pensioner numbers have now been removed from the old system and will not be recorded by the MAAA in any form going forward to protect member identity.
Area Approvals update:
From January 1 2023, the MAAA will pay for all Area Approvals and Public Display Applications. This will save clubs on average $320 per application. If your club Area Approval is due for renewal shortly, I encourage you to start the renewal process a few months before your instrument expires. A renewal is a much simpler process than a fresh application.
In other Area Approvals news, the MAAA, in partnership with AVCRM, are proud to announce a brand-new online Area Approvals system. Designed to streamline the application process, the new system will provide a one stop shop for approvals that is easy to use, intuitive and quick.
Mitch Bannink, Safety Officer, has started the training with members – both at State and club level. I would encourage you to reach out to Mitch and arrange some training for your State. It would be beneficial if you had one of two people who could become subject matter experts so that you don’t have a single point of failure. One of the major advantages with this system is a more uniform approach with templates to help with risk assessments.
Click the link below to read the full story.
Club Assistance Scheme (CAS):
The MAAA Exec recently agreed to raise the CAS funding amount to $7000 + GST per club, meaning an additional $2000 per club will be available. Forms are available here and we would encourage you to circulate this information as widely as possible.
Applications close on March 31 and will require State endorsement.
This is a great opportunity to kick start some projects at your clubs, and the MAAA Executive will be recommending support for those that have a clear interest in membership growth. Think outside the box for ideas – we want clubs that are proactive and more importantly, fun!
Drone news:
Anyone that flies drones will know the rules surrounding legal operation are many! However, there are a number of CASA verified drone safety apps that use location based maps to show where you can and can’t fly your drone according to aviation legislation.
There are apps for android, iphone and also computer/web based programs.
Click the link below to view a list of CASA verified programs:
Drone safety apps | Civil Aviation Safety Authority (casa.gov.au)
Remember, if you are flying FPV you must have a spotter who maintains visual line of site with your drone in accordance with the MAAA FPV Instrument. Details available on our website.
Speaking of drones, a new pathway for flying your drone beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) outside of controlled airspace is on the horizon. A tailored exam is currently being developed and this is proposed to be an alternative to the current requirement to pass the instrument rating exam – an exam originally designed for full-sized pilots.
Lastly, did you know CASA provides resources for teachers/educators who would like to fly their drone with children under 16? If you know of a school looking for projects for term 1, tell them to head to this link for some inspiration:
MOP Re-writes:
A number of our MOPs need to be reviewed – the first one will be MOP001. This document tells us what is an incident/accident and when/why they should be reported.
Other MOPs currently being reviewed include:
- MOP15 – Heavy Model Aircraft Inspection
- MOP41 – Member Protection Policy
- MOP003 – Application for Overseas Visitor Funding
Member stories:
We know that nothing compares to reading a good story and we are on the hunt for some tales from across the country. Please email Rhyll if your club has a good news story, a fantastic member who deserves a shout out or a tiny toddler learning to fly. We want to update our website with stories you find interesting, but need you to send them in. If you can’t put it together don’t worry, Rhyll will do that for you. Just send in your contact details and she will be in touch.
On that note, click the link below to read our first member story! Introducing Howard Field from Gunnedah District Aeromodellers Association. Howard turns 97 this month, and we believe was the oldest flying member of the MAAA.
Member Stories – Model Aeronautical Association of Australia (maaa.asn.au)
That is enough from me for one month!
Tim Nolan, President MAAA