Author: rocktdude

Despite dire predictions (and some handwringing), the weather was fair with mostly clear skies and a mild breeze throughout the day – great launching weather! Light crowds made for little to no waiting for pads. Maybe everyone who wasn’t there was waiting for ROCStock next month? Lots of great flights, some “less than optimal” flights (sorry YAM, we’ll miss you at the ROCStock Magnum drag races), some cert attempts (second time’s a charm for George), and even a Tripoli altitude record attempt (unfortunately, the second stage covered almost as much distance horizontally as it did vertically).

Improvements to the club’s infrastructure are really paying off. The wireless microphone system, along with mounting the PA speakers on the equipment trailer, minimize setup and teardown time at the range head. The organization of storage in the equipment trailer makes unloading and loading a breeze – as they say, a place for everything, and everything in its place. The not-so-new-anymore small trailer is easy to hook up and tow. Thanks to those that step up and haul it back and forth each month.

 
While it’s nice to have great equipment, it doesn’t get that way, nor stay that way, without a little TLC. It’s pretty disappointing to see the same few people at the Equipment Maintenance parties, like the one held the day after the launch. However, those who did show up were able to get everything shipshape for ROCStock XLI (41!) next month. See you then!

 
Overall attendance:
Flyers:  Not Enough or Just Right (depending)

Spectators:  Had a good time

Total flights: 119
A - 4

B – 1

C – 55

D – 1

E – 6

F – 4

G – 9

H – 19

I – 11

J – 6

K – 2

L – 1

Cert Attempts:

NAR:  L1 – 1

TRA:  L1 – 4,   L2 – 1

As previously announced, ROC is going to simplify Executive Memberships and starting in 2015, they will run January to December. There will be no pro-ration for partial years, as the fee is only $60 (cheapest date in town) for 16 launch days per year! Executive members will still pay the $5/day fee that gets passed directly to the BLM for any days that they fly. If you fly every day that ROC is on the lakebed, you will pay a total of $140 for a year of flying! That’s cheaper than coffee and helps to sustain the club by providing working cash to maintain the equipment.

Accompanying this change is a change in our membership card policy as well. If you join between Nov. 1st, 2014 and January 31st, 2015, you will receive a membership card in the mail in early February. If you join between February 1st and April 30th, you will receive a membership card in the mail in early May. If you join after April 30th, you will be able to pick up a “blank” 2015 membership card and write your name on it (we’ll provide the sharpie) at a launch. “Blank” cards will be pre-printed just like the regular cards except they will be blank where the name goes.

The new membership cards will feature a ROC design, your name pre-printed (if you join before April 30th), and you will get both a wallet card and a card that can be punched and hung around your neck. Everyone who joins will be eligible to pick up a fancy lanyard to hang their card from registration while supplies last. When we run out of lanyards, you can get a ROC sticker. If we run out of stickers, well, you’re just out of luck!

We hope that everyone understands that maintaining the membership rolls takes time away from the hobby for the person that fulfills that role for the club, so we’re trying to lessen the burden and simplify so that there’s more time for flying!