Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the more frequently asked questions concerning our hobby and our club. Additional information can be found in some of the other pages on this site.

Q: How many members do you have in your club?

A: Last year (2021) we dropped to about 105 due to the temporary loss of our field. For 2022 we hope to add to that number since we are now firming up our new field for the next few years. Hopefully our membership will return to previous levels of between 120 and 150.

Q: What do I have to do to join your club?

A: Fill in an application form which you can find under the Membership tab on the Menu Bar and follow the instructions. The membership Officer will mail you a card once he has verified that you are a current MAAC member.

Q: I keep hearing about MAAC. What is it?

A: MAAC is an acronym for the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada. It is the governing body which oversees all aspects of model aeronautics. Among other things, it provides you with $5,000,000.00 worth of liability insurance in the event that your model aircraft injures someone. In order to fly any aircraft at our field, membership in MAAC is mandatory.

Q: How do I join MAAC?

A: Visit the MAAC website. From there you can join on line.

Q. Is there any discount if I join the club late in the year or just for the summer?

A: If you join after August 1st., the fees are one half of the annual rate, but as a new member, you still must pay the full initiation fees. If you join after September 1st. as a new student, then you can pay the full annual amount plus full initiation fees at that time, but the fees would cover the following year also. There is no special rate just for the summer.

Q: Who has to pay the initiation fees?

A: First time Open and Senior members have to pay the fees. Junior members under 16 are exempt. If you are returning to the club after an absence of a few years, you are also exempt if we are able to find your name in our records.

Q: When does the flying season begin?

A: Some members fly all season as long as the weather is not too cold and the wind not too strong. The majority of members prefer the warmer weather, so most of us fly from about April until October (give or take a few weeks) again, weather permitting.

Q: I don't know how to fly a model airplane. Can someone teach me?

A: Yes, we offer free instruction to new students. This year (2020) training will take place Wednesday evenings 5:00 pm til dusk and Saturday mornings 9:00 am til 12:00 pm usually beginning in late April or early May. Training continues all summer until about mid-September, weather and daylight permitting. Our instructors are all club members, highly experienced pilots who volunteer their time to teach new student pilots the basic skills required to enable them to fly on their own. The best way to learn to fly is to show up as much as possible. At any given time there may be many students or none at all, and one or more instructors.

Q. Can I pay an instructor to teach me?

A. No. We do not charge anyone for instruction. The instructors train purely for the enjoyment of doing so and for the satisfaction they get in seeing a student graduate. A coffee now and again is certainly appreciated.

Q. What kind of plane should I buy?

A. You should start off with a trainer type aircraft with a high-wing and tricycle landing gear in what is commonly known as a 40 to 60 size. Visit one of the hobby shops in the area that specializes in RC flying and listen to their advice. You can build your first model from a kit or you can start with an ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) aircraft.

Q. How long will a plane fly for?

A. Most flights last for 10 to 15 minutes, but that depends on the size of the fuel tank. When you are learning to fly, 10 minutes at a time is usually long enough. After that you usually become overwhelmed and tend to make mistakes. Your transmitter can control the plane for a distance of about one mile. However, the limiting factor is how far you can clearly see the plane and judge its altitude and direction.

Q. How far away and how high can you fly?

A. The instruction manuals say that the range of the transmitter is about one kilometer in the air. However, your plane would be out of sight by that time. You are normally limited to just how far you can see your plane clearly and how you can determine its attitude and direction.

Q. What is a buddy box and do I need one?

A. A buddy box is a dummy transmitter which is connected to a master transmitter by a trainer cord. The instructor uses the master transmitter while you use the buddy box. The instructor has the initial control of your model. When you are ready, the instructor gives you control and you fly the plane using the buddy box. When you get into trouble, the instructor takes immediate control and hopefully saves your plane from disaster. All training is now conducted using buddy boxes or, in some cases, using your own transmitter if it is adaptable for use as a trainer.

Q. I just finished building a kit. How do I know if it will fly okay?

A. You must have your plane checked out by an experienced pilot or an instructor before it can be flown. First-time builders will usually have some deficiencies that need attention. If you hope to fly your new creation on your first trip to the field, I suggest you bring it to one of our meetings so it can be checked out there. Defects can then be attended to ahead of time and you won't be disappointed on your first trip.

Q. Is a computer flight simulator a good investment?

A. Flight simulators are a great learning tool. They are very realistic and will give you a head start on developing your flying skills. They can also come in handy later on for comparing flight characteristics of different planes or trying a new manoeuvre on the simulator before trying it in the air. If you already have one, great. But if not, you might want to forgo it for now and use the funds for your new hobby.