What is a club meeting for

[gary stenhouse]

After talking to the master mad dog and my stress over the meeting he pointed out was a load of trash anyway.

To be fair I must agree, why do we need a monthly meeting? Does it have to be all about flying or should it not be more focus on a social evening?

I don't go out much as I don't drink but I do like to get out for meal and have a good crack on, to chat about flying and life in general.

I did and still do have great motivation to fly and would say have made an impact on others to fly more by joining in the happy bus. Yet with all my efforts and spending a fortune to make it capable of carrying more passengers the troops have fallen.

The club has become far to focused on xc flying more than the purity of just flying. Many times xc could of been done but sometimes spending a few hours in the air and landing back by the van, perfect.

What is it we really want out a monthly meeting? A social event or a learning event?

Have some thoughts and let's start enjoying flying and the crack

Cheers Gary

[brian day]

I'm quite willing to do the talk in's again if there is an interest.
Personally I think maybe a short comittee meeting with minutes posted once a month.
A get together and talk in /lecture every other month and the normal callender items, jumble sale, quiz, prize giving etc as bigger events with food.

[AlastairW]

Mad Dog thinks the meetings are trash only because he can remember meetings when pteradactyls turned up for some flying tips!

If you abandon the monthly meeting you will lose the heart of the club.

It is a chance for new members to come along and meet club members in a pressure free environment, a chance for everyone to get together over a pint and have a bit gossip, and also a chance for talks / films / guest speakers to come along.

Dont give up on the meeting!

[bill-scott]

I don't know how to do one of those quote things but in my opinion Alistairs last post was word perfect OK we need a new venue the club has been nomadic in the past its inevetable whenever you have a free room someone can come along offering shiney coins to the landlord and take it away.
so yeah its a bit of a pain in the arse we just need it sorting out but without the monthly meetings you wouldnt have the club spirit or the comowadewee that's so tolked about

[MadDog]

My feelings about club meetings are well known…
Others have their opinions. Alastair, Bill,…
We live in a democratic country, we live and let live….and the realities of life vary with the viewer….
Guest speakers….who in their right minds would invite someone to speak at a club meeting when they could not be guaranteed an audience?
There were five people at the AGM….this last year but one….AGM mind you , not ordinary club meeting…it just beggars belief… attendances at club meetings in case you haven’t noticed, are a problem….Gossip? Pint?....Do it after you have been out flying….then you might be less inclined to come up with scatterbrained ideas that have no substance other than in the oxygen starved atmosphere of your run of the mill club meeting!
I’m not being facetious….Is this is how it is?,,,,
Or Is this is how it is?,,,,
Am I being delusional?
Let me offer up to you a hypothetical situation…..Both Gary, and Colin K resign tonight….
Is there a Messiah waiting out there among you lot who will step forward out of your pie in the sky world and make it all better?
Perhaps you are just like me….and you don’t really give it much thought, we all have busy lives, maybe its just this board….It seems to be a breeding ground for dinosaurs and Bolsheviks!
I just don’t have the answer….Sometimes I don’t even know the question!

[brian day]

Alistair, I remember you asking the same question during your term as Chairman and recieving the same style of answers.
So why do Chairmen ask the question?
Probably because they are there, every meeting, looking out at the dwildering audience, thinking, what can I do next,,,,,shite he's here, how can I shut him up, what a load of bo*****, lets get this over with and have a drink.

Yes I agree, the meetings are, could be, should be, the life blood of the club.

BUT!!!! in reality, people turn up, have a good gossip, sit down and talk in muffeled tones to one another through the meeting, but in reality boared out of their minds with the eternal drivel of the few, then cheer at the end, as it's time to get on with a good craick to develop the kamerwadereeee.

It's time to move on, change the format, drive the club onward, otherwise the pterodactyles that used to attend for flying tips will also be dead!

Change, unfortunately kills off those that don't adapt and move foreward, that's why there are no pterodactyles, just paragliders!

[gary stenhouse]

Given things some thought and how things have changed in the years of the club and club meetings. The Internet, has changed everything bend recognition and has abled all clu members access to the latest developments within the club and latest news. This is why in the last 4 years the club has not needed the meetings as much as it used too. We have online xc leagues picture forums videos we can share every thing you need to stay in touch.

This is the same in business my phones don't ring as much the post is getting smaller yet I am still doing as many estimates as usual, the reason why is email. The reason it is cheep efficient and quick, this is called progress and something you have to embrace wether you like it or not.

I think taken down the minutes and then getting them typed up photocopied and then brought in for each meeting is ludicrous, when we can post them or email them to 99 percent of the members at the push of a button.

I think that in the 21st century if you are a serious pilot and want to get flying as much as possible then the only way is to use the Internet to get the forecasts. You may think why should you and for those who think that will be the ones flying 10hours a year waiting for the hill to come to them not them going to the hill.

However I think we do need meetings but every month I am not sure, as what do they actualy bring other than the same old same old.

At the end of the day we could have sites page finances safety and pilot of the month without leaving the house and could equally have as much info this way by each person responsible righting up what ever coments necessary.

Cheers Gary

I have made a formal complaint with punch taverns and hope to get a positive result and reinstatement of the room.

[Dave Hume]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. In the old days we used to always have something happening at club meetings, speakers, quizzes video nights etc etc. The AGM and the auction take up two meetings, sometimes we didn't have anything at the midsummer meeting when a lot of people were on holiday so that left a total of nine meetings to come up with something. Surely that's not too earth shattering to think of nine things to do to get people back to club meetings.

We hardly have anything on these days other than the normal discussion and for some of us it's a long way to come just for that.

It's a backward argument to say it's not worth organising anything because nobody comes. To quote from Wayne's World 2 (or was it Field of Dreams?).......book them and they will come.

[gary stenhouse]

book what?
do you go to quizes? as i sure don't and making it a meeting worth coming too i am not sure.

xc talks always interesting but do other pilots realy want too listern to skygods?

our local airspace and how it may affest your xc flying?

lap dancers food and wine?

after a trip to the lakes, with maltby brian and stuart, we had such a laugh and all came to the same conclusion club meetings were more meaningfull, before internet mobile phonesetc the meeting was the lifeline to what was going on in the club and sites?.

the point is, you allready know what is going on, so why not have more social nights, pick a pub or resteraunt and just meet up for a good crack on?

you decide as untill we have a guarenteed venue this may be the only way?

cheers gary

[Chris L]

Surely that's not too earth shattering to think of nine things to do to get people back to club meetings.

Dave go on then organise it

[bill-scott]

I agree with Dave" book it and they will come"
but also advertise it shout it from the roof tops

I also agree with what Gary said the world was a better place before all this tinternet and mobile phone crap

[bill-scott]

I agree with Dave" book it and they will come"
but also advertise it shout it from the roof tops

[colin keightley]

People are very quick to shout their mouth off then leave it to someone else, hence if it wasnt for the fact that people where keeping their commitee role year after year we probably wouldnt have one as every time a position is vacated its like extracting teeth trying to fill it again.

[ron freeman]

For a long time now our club has had nothing sercure for a venue so its pretty pointless organising anything until this is solved...

If someone agrees to take on a committee postiton then they accept the work that comes with the post.. members should be allowed to give their views without being chastised for it.

Calling all members of our club ! lets try to find a suitable venue for our important meetings then make every effort to turn up to here the lastest gossip ! have some good crack and learn something.

[gary stenhouse]

Well said Colin you hit the nail on the head,

Why do we need such a fixed venue we don't have a fixed hill to fly on you go where the flow is after all. What is so wrong to have 3-4 formal meetings a year at a paid venue, for agm awards club auction and maybe the odd speaker.

The rest for me should be a monthly curry meet bar meal etc, at different venues where we can get a quiet pub with food that we can take over for the night.

Not everyone in the club took on the the responsibility with a choice, quite a few have had no option to take on such jobs.

There is a lot of folk in the club with a lot more flexible jobs to take on some of the roles yet are not willing.

I have spent five years getting others out flying with my enthusiasm I am not prepared to put the same energy into getting people to come to meetings.

I joined the club to fly as much as possible not to go to meetings?


Cheers Gary

[gary stenhouse]

Northumberland sites officer without where would we be and bob has not flown for over a year when others use the sites every week for a living.

Membership secretary probably the most demanding and thankless task and without Paul and Kay who else would take on this job.

Finances not an easy job and a lot more work than you think, thanks to Andrew for the support to keep us all in shape.

Chairman well not quite sure what he is supposed to do? In business it is to make difficult decisions that others would not take.

Competitions well could be a easier job if others pulled together to help out and give support.

Entertainment well this seems a job that is no longer there as there was no one taken the job.

Club secretary again a important job in order to keep people informed with what is happening in the club no new takers thanks to Colin .

Just a few of the jobs out there so do not be upset if you were not mentioned, but this was just a few of the jobs and problems we have.

Cheers Gary

[Neil]

ifancy january in the lion and lamb.

[gary stenhouse]

Makes great sense as quiet meeting any how and you get a great steak there

[John Wallis]

Even I'll come to that one

[ron freeman]

Gary, your comments are unfair & incorrect... Quote : 'when others use the sites every week for a living'

The School does not use Club sites every week for a living... The school has its own sites (several) which are used 90% of the time to train students that become members of registered clubs to the BHPA.. including ours.

Ron Freeman Northumbria Airsports.

[gary stenhouse]

A more famous quote

Not what we can do for you as a country but what you can do for the country.

My point is our main site are used for training purposes east hill west hill yavering bell money laws, are three top sites,

My point is you are the most vocal person to complain about the club and even boycotted the club meetings when it was not in the place of your choice. So it does not go unnoticed and you either support the club or not at all, as it seems all you ever do is moan, when you use a high percentage of club sites for soaring, then be more supportive instead of always being negative.

Cheers Gary

I believe gordy is northern sites officer to make sure everything is ok with sites?

[gordie]

I believe gordy is northern sites officer to make sure everything is ok with sites?

Yep have been the CSC northern sites officer for over ten years now and I always put the CSC and Pilots interests before my own schools requirments. An example of this is not using Souther due to the numbers limit which often leaves me in a position where I do not have a suitable teaching site. Also I actively feed all my clients into their local BHPA clubs at the point I sign them off.

[AlastairW]

I will go to the Lion and Lamb in January! Good food and good beer.

[colin keightley]

Think ive got my pc sorted now so will start putting up the minutes in reverse order. For those who dont know we dont have an entertainments secretary it was decided it would be left open for anyone to arrange something. So if you would like to arrange something for a club night then please feel free to do so and let me know so I can put it on the calender. Although at the moment its looking like if you do arrange something you may need to arrange a venue also. January meeting there is going to be a quiz organized by Ron Freeman I think. If this is still the case Ron please PM me.

[ron freeman]

like I said before, club members should have a point of view without being chastised if it differs from yours.. as for supporting the club I have done so for 35 years and will continue to do so even if you think meetings are a waste of time..

One final comment.. my school and the sites I use.. club or otherwise has nothing to do with the issues we are trying to resolve.. i.e finding a club venue and getting the club back on its feet.

Colin, Quiz is still on if we have a venue.

[Stuart Bertram]

......nothing to do with the issues we are trying to resolve.. i.e finding a club venue and getting the club back on its feet.

An interesting comment about the standing of the club.

As someone living just over the Northumbrian/Cumbrian border who only joined the club about 5 years ago but has been in the CSC for 11+ years, my impression is that for me the Northumbrian club is a very strong and dedicated group of people.

I joined originally to fly Cumrew and fly Cross Fell only and even after losing Cumrew Jill and I remain members due to the strength of the club.

I think that the forum is fantastic and is central to the club, giving me all the communication, contact and information that I ever need on what is going on.

I fly for fun and want to meet with like minded people which is why I am in the NHPC. Most people are not interested in a club for administrative reasons. Some people do like to be administrators but judging by how hard it is to fill the posts that is not our lot and so unless the meetings are something that interests them they will not see a benefit in going for goings sake as we are all so busy in our lives.

I find that I have a closer affinity and friendships with a much larger group of Northumbrian pilots than I have with those in the cumbrian club even though I live and fly there. This is because of the strength of the club, forum and general get out and fly attitude.

I am not saying this does not happen in the cumbrian club as I have a number of good friends there too it is just that the CSC forum is so hard to use and infrequently populated compared with the NHPC that I do not bother going on.

In the past, before the internet, there was a requirement to meet up regularly as it was the only way to keep the club together however with such an excellent forum I can keep in touch multiple times each day.

From my perspective the club is on its feet and jumping up and down but perhaps only for those online. Perhaps the real trick is to get more people in the club that we never hear from to use the forum.

Just my thoughts

Stuart

[ron freeman]

Hi Stuart, 'getting the club back on it feet' was more to the point of our club monthly meetings.. a new venue that won't stick us in the bar on the night of a meeting until this is sorted we can't expect members to turn up.

[John Wallis]

I don't know if anyone is listening here but I've offeredf to get the upstairs room of the "Fluid Bar" in Gallowgate Newcastle. There is parking directly opposite. Do the committee want me to sort this then you will have a venue.

By the way it's free to us.

[colin keightley]

John I would say get it as we dont have anything at the moment but obviously I dont know if gary has something in the pipeline.

[AlastairW]

Book it John!

And you never know, but you just might have managed to please everyone!