President's Message - Dave Bell

Welcome Welcome to the Meroke RC Website. We are an AMA Charted Gold Leader Club. Our Club consists of members who are dedicated to the hobby of RC flying. We have approximately 90 members, ranging in age from 12 years to over 80 years.

We hold meetings twice a month, on the first and third Thursday, starting promptly at 8:00PM. Each meeting consists of Club Business followed by a program for the members. We then have a social time where we share conversation amongst ourselves with coffee and cake.

Our program would normally be a show and tell where members would bring in projects they are working on or items related to the hobby that they find might be beneficial to the members. We also, for the first time last year, had outside people from the hobby invited to speak on topics such as engines, setting up aircraft for different types of flying, battery care and use in RC flying, building techniques on modern aircraft and World War II (Warbird) type aircraft, covering techniques, and a host of other interesting topics. We hope to be able to invite some of these people and others back again this year.

We will have a raffle at each meeting where members can win some very nice prizes. We welcome all newcomers to the hobby and offer an extensive Instructor Training program as well as a Building program where members learn the skills required to build their own airplane, either from a kit or as an ARF As a new member, you would be required to attend three meetings prior to being accepted as a member.

Our Dues for membership are $60.00 per year, paid each November 1 with a one time $50.00 initiation fee. The dues are calculated from the time of membership, so if a member joins in the middle of the year, the member would pay only from that point to the end of the year.

We fly at the Cedar Creek Aerodrome in Wantagh, New York. The Aerodrome is located in Cedar Creek Park on Merrick Road in Wantagh. Just follow the signs for the Aerodrome as you enter the park. All Nassau County residents are required to have a Nassau County Leisure Pass, a Nassau County Aerodrome Park Permit, and an AMA membership number. Outside of Nassau County, the fee is $40.00 in lieu of the Nassau County Leisure Pass, a Nassau County Aerodrome Park Permit, and an AMA membership number. We can assist you with obtaining the necessary permits required.

All new pilots start out with a Meroke Instructor and the use of the Club trainer if the new pilot does not have an airplane of their own. You will begin training as a Novice (Yellow Card) Pilot, go through your training, take an oral and practical (flying) exam with 2 Examiners when your Instructor feels you are ready to solo, and on successful completion your test, graduate to Senior (Blue Card) Pilot. We use the "Buddy Box" method of training where you will fly with your transmitter physically attached to a master transmitter controlled by your Instructor, enabling the Instructor to correct any flying deficiencies during the training process.

I hope this information has enabled you to better understand who the Merokes are and what we can offer you as a new Pilot to the hobby of RC flying.

We look forward to welcoming you as a new Member.