Welcome back, everyone! Let’s take a moment to talk about events.
The vast majority of our events are what are known as Class C or "non-rule book" events. A warbird gathering, jet fly-in, or even a club picnic are all examples of events that can be sanctioned under the Class C umbrella.
The Class C event sanction gives you a 100-mile circle of protection from similar events that are sanctioned on the same date(s). There are 300 clubs in District V, with 52 weekends each year to host events, so it’s inevitable that a conflict might occasionally occur. It’s not only up to the area coordinator and AMA Headquarters to prevent conflicting events; it’s also the clubs’ and contest directors’ (CDs’) responsibilities.
Why should conflicting events be avoided? The reason is simple. The more people you can draw to your event, the better it will be. For one, bigger events get better prize packages from sponsors. A sponsor wants the most bang for its buck, and having its donated prizes given away at an event with 70 people gets much more exposure than at an event with 10 or 15 pilots.
How about simple economics? If your club only attracts 10 people to an event because it’s the same weekend as the Southeastern Model Show, and you sell 10 hamburgers for a $2 profit, what happens if you do it the weekend before or after and 50 people buy burgers?
If an event conflict arises, it comes to me, and I might have to make the final decision on what is or is not considered a conflicting event—and whether one of the sanctions gets denied or even canceled after it’s approved. If there’s an International Miniature Aerobatics Club event and a jet event, I’ll probably look the other way, but any Class C event technically has a 100-mile protected radius.
I’ll ask you all nicely—please look out for conflicting events. If you have any questions about what might or might not be deemed a conflict, please reach out before you post the event on Facebook and print flyers, only to find that your sanction has been denied or canceled. Events that take place for three consecutive years on the same date(s) qualify for traditional status and have priority over first-time events.
Check with other clubs in the area and schedule events that all can attend so that everyone will have a better time. The sponsors will be happier, the clubs will each make more money from selling food and raffle tickets, and all club members will have an excuse to be out of the house.
I love attending events. I get to as many events as possible, and it’s the best part of the VP’s job, but making people mad is the worst part, so please don’t let it get all the way to my level for issues to be resolved.