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Simi Valley Flyers Incorporated
Club Bylaws

SECTION I        NAME
The name of the Club shall be “Simi Valley Flyers”.

SECTION I
The purpose of the Club is to:

• Promote model aviation in general
• Promote youth education through model aviation
• Promote safe flying
• Promote good fellowship and community relations

SECTION I        ELIGIBILITY
All persons shall be eligible for membership, and shall agree to abide by the Club’s bylaws, Flight Safety Rules and Regulations, and those of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).

SECTION II      LIMITATIONS
The membership of the Club shall be limited to 150 active members excluding honorary members.

SECTION III     CLASSES OF MEMBERS
The Club shall have the following classes of members:

Full Member – eighteen (18) years of age or older as of January 1st. Member has full voting rights and privileges.
Dues: Full Member rate plus AMA membership.

Junior Member – Is younger than eighteen (18) years old as of January 1st. Junior members are ineligible to vote. Applications for junior memberships must include written permission by the applicant’s parents or legal guardian.
Dues: Junior Member rate plus AMA membership.

Dependent Junior Member - Is younger than eighteen (18) years old as of January 1st and has a parent, grand parent, or a guardian that is either a Full Member or a Senior Member with current membership. Dependent junior members are ineligible to vote. Applications for dependent junior memberships must include written permission by the applicant’s parents or legal guardian.
Dues: Dependent Junior Member rate plus AMA membership.

Student Member – Is eighteen (18) years of age or older as of January 1st and is attending and undergraduate school or an institute of higher education on a full time basis as determined by that institution. Member has full voting rights and privileges.
Dues: Student Member Rate plus AMA membership.

Probationary Member – A new member is not eligible for elected office; however they may serve the Club as an appointed position. A new member remains on probation for a period of one calendar year from the time of application. Member has full voting rights at Club meetings.
Dues: Full Member rate plus AMA membership.

Spouse Member – Is a husband or wife of a member.

Honorary Member – a person who upon the recommendation of the nominating committee, and by a majority vote by ballot of the members in attendance at the annual meeting, honorary life membership to the Club may be conferred upon any member that has maintained a Club membership for a minimum of twenty-five (25) consecutive years. An honorary member shall have none of the obligations of membership but shall be entitled to all privileges except that of holding office.

SECTION IV     REQUIREMENTS

1. Members will be required to hold and maintain a license issued by the AMA. All first-time flying member applicants, as well as present flying members seeking membership renewal, must show proof of membership in the AMA. Non-flying members do not require an AMA membership.
   
2. All members agree to abide by the Bylaws, Flight Safety Rules and Regulations, and those of the AMA.
   
3. All members are required to pay their required dues before January 1st. Members that allow the dues to lapse for a period exceeding 90 days shall be required to reapply for membership in the Club. Members failing to renew membership and are required to re-apply for membership may appeal to the Board of Directors. Shown good cause the Board, at its discretion may waive the re-application requirement. Late fees will still apply.
   
4. Members are not permitted to duplicate the key with the intent to distribute the copy to non-members. A key will be presented to a junior member’s parent or legal guardian. Any member who is found to have provided a key to a non-member is subject to expulsion from the Club.
   
5. Before joining the Club, new members shall be introduced in person by their sponsor. The membership, by a majority vote of the members at a regular Club meeting, shall approve any application for membership.
   
6. Any member receiving a Grievance as stated in Article VI, who is involved in rules violations, or who has key information regarding a rule violation and withholds it from the Board of Directors, can at the Board of Directors discretion be placed on probation for one (1) year regardless of his or her tenure in the Club.

SECTION V      DUES
Runway assessment – members or re-applying members are required to pay a one-time runway assessment fee based on the following schedule:

Full Members                                $150.00
Junior Members                            $38.00
Dependent Junior Members        No Assessment
Student Members                          $75.00
Spouse Members                          No Assessment
Probationary Member                   Assessment consistent with appropriate membership class

Badge and Key – All non-junior members will be issued a key to access the field. All members will receive a club identification badge. A key will be issued to a parent or legal guardian of a junior member and a dependent junior member.  The fee for these items is $10.00

Annual Dues - Dues will be prorated for members joining mid year. The dues will be prorated by dividing the remaining calendar months in the year by the appropriate dues amount.

Full Member                                  $60.00
Junior Member                              $15.00
Student Member                           $30.00
Dependent Junior Members        None
Spouse Member                           $30.00
Probationary Member                   Dues consistent with appropriate membership class.

Late Fees – A late payment fee of $10.00 per month, to a maximum of 3 Month ($30.00) will be assessed if dues are not paid by January 1st of the current year. In the interim he/she shall not have club privileges of any kind. After 3 months Section IV shall apply.

SECTION VI        RESIGNATION
Any member may resign at any time with no refund or prorating of dues or runway fees.

SECTION VII       TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
The Board of Directors, by affirmative vote of a majority vote of all of the members of the Board, may terminate the membership of a member for cause after an appropriate hearing and by a majority vote of those present at any Regular Meeting.

SECTION VIII       TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Simi Valley Flyers is not transferable or assignable.

SECTION IV         BYLAWS
All new members shall be provided with a set of current Bylaws, and Flight Safety Rules and Regulations. Current members may obtain the Bylaws, and Flight Safety Rules and Regulations upon request.

ARTICLE IV      MEETINGS OF MEMBERS

SECTION I           ANNUAL MEETING
An annual meeting of the members shall be held on the 2nd Sunday in the month of December for the purpose of electing officers.

SECTION II          SPECIAL MEETINGS
The President, Board of Directors, or not less than ten (10) members may call a special meeting of the members, provided the membership is notified at 3 days in advance of the time and place of the meeting.

SECTION III          REGULAR MEETINGS
A regular meeting of the members shall be held on the 4th Friday of each month with the exception of December. The meetings shall commence at 7:30 PM. The nomination of new officers shall take place at the November meeting.

SECTION IV         VOTING
All matters submitted for vote at a meeting of the members shall require an affirmative vote of the members present, unless otherwise stated. Voting may be done verbally or by a show of hands except in the election of the Board, where voting shall be done by secret ballot.

ARTICLE V BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION I           GENERAL POWERS
The affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Board of Directors, which shall consist of six (6) members.

SECTION II           QUALIFICATIONS
Directors shall be members of the club. All directors must be eighteen (18) years of age or older. Probationary Members are ineligible for office.

SECTION III           REGULAR MEETINGS
The Board of Directors shall meet on the second Tuesday of the month. The meeting will commence at 7:30 PM.

SECTION IV           QUORUM
A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business meeting of the Board. But if less than a majority is present, a majority of the Directors present may vote to adjourn the meeting.

SECTION V             COMPENSATION
Directors as such shall not receive any compensation or stated salaries for their services; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the Club in any other capacity and receiving compensation. In recognition of their effort, the Club waives annual membership dues for those members who participate as Directors. The waiver is based on a “one year served – one year waived” basis. The waiver is effective after the first term of office and continues as long as that individual continues to serve on the Board.

ARTICLE VI OFFICERS

SECTION I            OFFICERS
The Officers of the Club shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Safety Officer, Membership Chairman and Newsletter Editor. These officers shall constitute the Board of Directors. Officers cannot hold more than one office concurrently.

SECTION II            ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE
The membership on a yearly basis shall elect the Board from the membership. See Article IV Section 1. The term of office is one (1) year.

SECTION III           REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Any officer, elected or appointed may be removed by the Board whenever in their judgment; the best interest of the club would be served.

SECTION IV           VACANCIES
The Board, for the un-expired portion of the term, may fill a vacancy in any office.

SECTION V            PRESIDENT
The President shall be the principal executive officer of the corporation and shall, in general, supervise and control all of the business affairs of the corporation in conjunction with the other members of the Board. The President shall preside at all meetings of the members and of the Board; he may appoint any committee to serve the corporation as needed. The President shall cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie and vote in all elections. The President shall appoint a committee to audit the clubs finances in November. The President shall appoint chairmen to all committees. The President is authorized to spend up to $200 per month with out approval. When possible make reports for the newsletter.

SECTION VI          VICE-PRESIDENT
In the absence of the president, or in the event of the President’s inability or refusal to act, the Vice-president shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subjected to all the restrictions upon the president. The Vice-president shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to the Vice-president by the President. When possible make reports for the newsletter.

SECTION VII         SECRETARY
The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the members and of the Board of Directors in the books provided for that purpose and be custodian for the corporate records. The Secretary is responsible for keeping and maintaining the bylaws in order and up to date. Present the minutes of all board meetings at the next general membership meeting. Present the minutes of the prior general meeting for approval by the membership at the next general meeting. Keep a register of post office addresses for each member, which will be supplied to the Secretary by the Membership Chairman. And in general perform all the duties assigned to the Secretary by the president or by the Board. When possible make reports for the newsletter.

SECTION VIII         TREASURER
The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds of the corporation; receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the corporation from any source whatsoever and deposit such monies in the name of the corporation in a federally insured bank account; and in general perform all the duties incident to the office of the treasurer and such other duties as is assigned to the Treasurer by the President. All expenditures in excess of $300 must be approved by the board and the general membership by a majority of those present at any general meeting. Corporation expenditures of greater than $300.00 shall require the signature of both the president and the Treasurer on all checks or drafts or for the payment of money in the name of the corporation, and shall be issued by the Treasurer. When possible make reports for the newsletter.

SECTION IV           MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN
The Membership Chairman issues membership packets to all new members. The packets are to include: copy of Bylaws, Flight Safety Rules and Regulations, Board of Director contact list, membership badge, Membership application which includes a signed agreement to abide by all rules and regulations of the Club and of the AMA. Collects and remits dues to the Treasurer. The Membership Chairman will present a key to new members only after they receive approval from the Safety Officer or the Safety Officer’s designee and then only after completing a check-out flight and safety orientation. Prepares and maintains a roster of all club members. The membership chairman prepares annual lists for the Academy of Model Aeronautics in cooperation with the secretary.

SECTION X            SAFETY OFFICER
The Safety Officer shall preside over all flying activities; shall have the power to restrict any person or aircraft from flying at any time for safety reasons only. Any decision to restrict a person must be documented and submitted to the Board and to the Secretary. The flying restriction will only apply to safety related concerns. The safety restriction may be lifted by the safety officer if the Safety Officer feels the issue has been resolved. Ignoring an order by the safety officer will result in immediate suspension of flight privileges. Any suspension will remain in effect until lifted by the Board. Any “failure to comply” must be reported by the Safety Officer to the Board, in writing, within three (3) days. The Board will hold a special meeting to address the incident. The safety officer shall designate a person(s) to act in his absence to enforce club Flight Safety Regulations and those of the AMA for all club activities and special events. If the Safety Officer has not appointed a designee, any Board member shall assume the duties of acting Safety Officer.

SECTION XI            NEWSLETTER EDITOR
The Newsletter Editor prepares a Club newsletter each month. The newsletter will typically include a president’s message, articles from other Board members, member articles, articles of interest, technical tips, calendar of events and the minutes of the last general meeting. The Newsletter editor may edit any article for content or length, with significant changes being discussed with the author. The Newsletter Editor in conjunction with the Membership Chairman and the Club webmaster is responsible to see that the newsletter is delivered to each club member. The method of delivery may be by posting the newsletter on the Club website, emailing the newsletter, hand delivery or U.S. mail.

ARTICLE VII      CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

SECTION I             CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
All members of the Club are expected to act in a sportsman like manner. Any person threatening violence or use of language that is generally considered offensive will not be tolerated. Any member acting to the contrary is subject to disciplinary action by the Board. Any member that observes such behavior is encouraged to report the incident.

ARTICLE VIII FLIGHT SAFETY RULES

SECTION I              GOVERNING RULES
Flight operations at the Simi Valley Flyers site are governed by the document entitled “Simi Valley Flyers Flight Safety Rules and Regulations”. In addition to rules mandated in the Flight Safety Rules and Regulations, all applicable rules of the Academy of Model Aeronautics must be observed.

SECTION II             INSURANCE COVERAGE
Members are cautioned that violation of these rules may invalidate your AMA insurance coverage.

SECTION III             MEMBER RESPONSIBILITY
Any member who observes a violation of any of these rules must notify the Safety Officer or a member of the Board.

SECTION IV            SAFETY OFFICER
Any member who disregards any safety related request by the Safety Officer or the safety officer’s designee is subject to immediate suspension. Any member who willfully disregards a rule that could cause injury or damage to any person or property is subject to immediate suspension by any member of the Board of Directors. The Safety Officer or the Safety Officer’s designee may impose a temporary rule will remain in effect until the next regular membership meeting.

SECTION V            AMENDMENT OF FLIGHT SAFETY RULES
The Flight Safety Rules and Regulations may be amended by a majority vote of members present at any regular meeting and only if the proposed change has been presented in writing at the previous regular meeting. Any changes to the flight safety rules will be posted at the flying site and included in the next Club newsletter.

ARTICLE IX GUESTS

SECTION I             PURPOSE
The Club encourages members to bring guests to our field and encourage their continued participation with our club. The purpose of the guest privilege is to allow potential members to fly at our field and meet our members.

SECTION II            MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
All guests must be under the direct supervision of a sponsoring club member and must comply with all the club’s rules and regulations.

SECTION III           LIMITATIONS
The guest privilege is limited to three (3) sessions during any calendar year. All guests are required to show proof of current AMA coverage. The sole exception to these limitations is for persons participating in the Club’s Introductory Pilot Program; only under the supervision of a designated AMA Introductory Pilot Program Instructor.

ARTICLE X FIELD ACCESS

SECTION I             PARK ACCESS
Our field is located in Oak County Park. The access to our field is by way of the park’s entrance. Access to the field is subject to the permission of the park’s operator or designee. The park is generally open with the exception of some holidays. Members may access the flying site only when the park is open. If the park is closed then the flying site shall be considered closed. All members are required to show proper Simi Valley Flyers ID badges for access to the park. Any member who is unable to display their badge is subject to the park’s regular admission fee.

SECTION II             FIELD ACCESS
All members must have a valid ID badge or temporary receipt in their immediate possession in order to fly. All members flying at the field must both sign-in and out of the flight log located in the frequency control box. Junior members and dependent junior members must be under the direct supervision of their legal guardian or a non-junior member when using the field.

SECTION III           RAIN CLOSURE
In the event of rain, the field will be closed. This is for safety reasons, to prevent damage to the access road and to prevent the deposit of debris in the park’s parking area. During a closure, the entrance to the field will be chained closed. When conditions improve the site will reopen. The opening and closing of the flying site entrance will be coordinated by the Board or its designee and/or the park’s designated employees only.

ARTICLE XI GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

SECTION I             PURPOSE
The grievance procedure provides a mechanism to enforce existing safety rules by providing a progressive disciplinary system when needed. Although most complaints can be resolved informally, if a complaint is serious or cannot be resolved informally, the matter should be referred to the Board of Directors by means of a Grievance Form to be filled out and turned into the Board. In addition to the Complainant, at least one witness is also required to sign the Grievance form. Any grievance that is determined valid by the Board will be recorded by the Secretary. While grievances will be permanently recorded by the Secretary, only incidents that occur within a two-year time period will be considered when determining disciplinary action. Disciplinary actions are prescribed in Section II.

Any member receiving a Grievance, who directs retaliation action against the person filing said Grievance, will be subject to immediate expulsion from the club. This is to include threats, intimidation, physical harm, intentional equipment damage, or any other action to be deemed retaliatory by the Board of Directors. Expulsion of a member will be administered by the Board. Any expulsion requires a 2/3-majority vote by all Board members.

SECTION II            BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors shall use its judgment in carrying out action on the following:

A) A Grievance Form will be filled out and turned into the President.

B) FIRST VIOLATION

1. Viewpoints of both the complainant and accused will be considered.
2. Complainant’s name will be disclosed.
3. A verbal reprimand will be given to the accused by the Board of Directors, and will be recorded by the Secretary.

C) SECOND VIOLATION

1. Complainant’s name will be disclosed.
2. The accused has the right to a written rebuttal, to be reviewed by the Board of Directors.
3. If the Board so decides, the flying privileges of the accused will be suspended thirty (30) days. Written notice of this shall be issued and a copy published in the Club newsletter.

D) THIRD VIOLATION

1. The Board of Directors will notify the accused in writing and the Club members via the Club newsletter that the Club will vote on the expulsion of the accused at the next meeting.
2. Said expulsion shall last for a one-year minimum (longer if deemed necessary by the Board of Directors).
3. A member may be expelled from the Club only upon a 2/3-majority vote of the membership present at the meeting.
4. Voting will be done by secret ballot at a regular monthly meeting.
5. The expelled members may reapply for membership after the expiration of the expulsion time period.

ARTICLE XII CONTRACTS AND GIFTS

SECTION I            CONTRACTS
The Board may authorize any officer of the corporation to enter into any contract on behalf of the corporation. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

SECTION II            GIFTS
The Board or its designee may accept on behalf of the corporation any gifts or contributions.

ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

SECTION I              AMENDMENTS
The Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of Club by a majority vote of members present and only if the amendment has been presented in writing at the previous regular meeting.

Member Copy

Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

I have read and understand the Simi Valley Flyer’s Club Bylaws and Flight Safety Rules and Regulations. In addition, I have read and understand the Current Official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code. I agree to follow all rules and regulations as prescribed by those documents.

Note: Junior members and dependent junior members require a parent or legal guardian’s consent and signature. By signing for a junior member or a dependent junior members you agree that you have read and understand the rules and regulations contained in documents referred to above.

Parent or Legal Guardian (Please circle)

This Copy Must Be Signed and Returned to the Club Secretary

Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

I have read and understand the Simi Valley Flyer’s Club Bylaws and Flight Safety Rules and Regulations. In addition, I have read and understand the Current Official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code. I agree to follow all rules and regulations as prescribed by those documents.

Note: Junior members and dependent junior members require a parent or legal guardian’s consent and signature. By signing for a junior member or a dependent junior members you agree that you have read and understand the rules and regulations contained in documents referred to above.

Parent or Legal Guardian (Please circle)

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