ARTICLE I.  Name and Purposes

1.   The Club shall be known as the Rockwell Collins Model Aviators (RCMA).

2.   The purposes of the Club are to:

a.    Foster and advance interest and fellowship of its members in the hobby/sport of building and flying radio control, miniature aircraft.

b.   Encourage an interest in the building and flying of radio control miniature aircraft.

c.    Encourage interest in the hobby/sport in non-members, especially youth.

d.   Provide a meeting place and a flying site or sites for members.

e.   Encourage participation in the activities of the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

f.    Encourage activities in the Club consistent with the aims and ideals of the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

ARTICLE II.  Charter

The Club shall be required to be an Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) chartered club. The AMA Charter provides the Club, members, spectators, and the flying site owner with liability and medical insurance. The flying site owner must be named as "additional insured" on the AMA charter and current insurance certificate.

The Club shall renew its AMA charter each year. Submission of AMA charter renewal forms is the responsibility of the Secretary-Treasurer. The AMA requires the charter renewal forms be received no later than March 31 of each year in order to continue seamless insurance coverage.

ARTICLE III.  Office and Term

1.   The address of the registered office and the name of the registered agent shall be that of the President of the Club.

2.   The term of existence of the Club shall be in perpetuity, except as provided under Article XX, Dissolution of the Club.

ARTICLE IV.  Board of Directors

1.   The Board of Directors shall consist of the duly elected officers of the Club as listed in Article X, Section 1 and each may exercise voting privileges.

2.   All meetings of the Board of Directors will be open to any and all members in good standing, but only the Board members listed in Article X Section I may exercise voting privileges.

3.   Whenever possible, announcements regarding the time and place of such meetings of the Board of Directors will be made known to the membership in advance during any regular monthly meeting.  If the Club chooses to publish a Newsletter, announcements of such meetings will not be required to be published in the Newsletter.

 

ARTICLE V.  Membership

1.   Membership in the Club shall be open to the following, upon application and payment of dues, who are interested in radio control aircraft and who are members in good standing of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).

a.    Current Rockwell Collins employee/spouse

b.   Retired Rockwell Collins employee/spouse

c.    Current Rockwell Collins contract worker

d.   Co-op student

2.   Membership Categories:

a.    A General Member is entitled to all rights and privileges, without limitations.

b.   A Family Member is a member of the immediate family of a General Member who shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of a General Member, at reduced dues, providing that he/she holds a current AMA license.

c.    An Honorary Member is a designation bestowed upon a person by the membership who has distinguished himself or herself in service to the Club or to the hobby of radio control model aeronautics. The Club may consider such designation upon the recommendation of a General Member. Honorary Members shall have no voting privileges and will hold such designation at the pleasure of the membership.  Such members may use the Club flying field, but only as a guest of a General Member, providing the Honorary Member holds a current AMA license (and FCC license, if necessary).[1]

3.   Requirements of all Members:

a.    It will be incumbent upon any officer of the Club, and especially the Safety Coordinator, to disallow any person not holding a valid AMA license to utilize the RCMA flying field in any capacity other than that of a spectator.

b.   Each member shall be responsible for the care and protection of Club property and shall also be responsible, while involved in Club activities, to conduct themselves in a manner reflecting positively on the Club and the hobby of radio control aircraft.

c.    Each member shall be responsible for the proper enforcement of all Club and AMA regulations while involved in Club activities (i.e., using the RCMA flying field).

d.   To the best of his/her ability, every member is encouraged to support Club activities and to participate in the administration of Club functions such as contests, static displays, or any other activity dedicated to the promotion of radio controlled model aircraft.

e.   Any non-member who possesses a valid AMA license may utilize the RCMA flying field, but only with the acknowledgement and approval of the Safety Coordinator, a duly appointed Flight Instructor, or an elected Club Officer, who must be in attendance at the flying field during the use of the flying field by the non-member.

4.   Any member may be removed by the membership whenever in their judgment a member has violated conditions of membership, provided the same requirements and procedures required to amend the By-Laws are followed in taking such action.

5.   Each paid member shall receive a membership card that identifies him/her as a RCMA member for the current year. Production and distribution of membership cards shall be the responsibility of the Secretary. All RCMA members, by the end of the March meeting, will receive a membership card by the end of the April meeting. Those who either renew or join after the March meeting will receive their membership cards in a timely manner.

 
ARTICLE VI.  Dues

1.   The amount of the Club’s annual dues shall be set by the Board of Directors, then subsequently announced to the membership at least two weeks prior to the next regularly scheduled Club meeting, at which time the dues structure will be presented for a vote of the membership.  Ratification of the proposed dues will be by a simple majority vote of the membership present at the regular monthly meeting immediately following its publication.

2.   Definition of Active Member.  An active member is defined as any member who has paid the current annual dues and dues for the previous year.

3.   Definition of New Member.  A new member is defined as any person who has:

a.    Never paid dues to the Club; or

b.   Any former member of the Club who has allowed at least one calendar year to elapse in their membership before rejoining.

4.   Dues for an active member shall be paid annually before or upon the date of the February monthly meeting. Dues remitted by active members after the February meeting date will be assessed a delinquency fee of $5. Delinquent members will be automatically removed from membership until they apply for reinstatement by providing full payment of the current year’s dues plus the $5 delinquency charge, regardless of the date the reinstatement occurs during that calendar year.

5.   New members joining the Club between January 1 and September 14 of a calendar year shall be assessed full annual dues for the current year.  New members joining (and active members who are renewing their current membership) between September 15 and December 31 shall be assessed full annual dues, but these dues shall cover the remaining months of the current year, and expire on December 31 of the following year.

6.   Definition of a First Family Member. A first family member is defined as a full-dues paying member.

7.   Definition of a Subsequent Family Member. A subsequent family member is defined as any immediate family relative or spouse who lives at the same address as the first family member. The annual dues required for a subsequent family member shall be $10.

8.   All dues collected shall be entered in the books of the Club for general use and are not refundable.

ARTICLE VII.  Meetings

1.   Annual. The annual meeting of the Club’s membership shall be held in the month of January on the day to coincide with the regular monthly meeting. The Club’s Officers elected at the previous monthly meeting are automatically installed and will conduct this meeting.

2.   Budget Meeting. A special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held annually for the purpose of adopting an annual budget for the Club. This meeting shall occur any time prior to the last day of February.

NOTE:  Timing of this meeting is critical if the Club intends to request ANY funding from the Company[2] through the Rockwell Collins Clubs and Leagues Board (RCCLB).  The RCCLB solicits annual budget requests from each active Club wishing to receive Company funding for the coming Fiscal Year.  The Club’s budget request to the Company through the RCCLB includes an annual operating budget as well as any special requests for funding.  The RCCLB must have budget requests from each Club in-hand early in the year (no later than the end of February of the current year) in order to participate in the Company annual budgeting process, to secure the requested funds.  Failure to submit the Club’s budget request to the RCCLB in a timely manner will cause the club to forego any Company funding for that Fiscal Year’s budget process (i.e. failure to submit the FY’10 budget request to the RCCLB during the early ’09 Company budget planning cycle will cause the Club to lose any available Company funds for FY’10).

The proposed annual budget will be communicated to the membership at the regular March meeting.

3.   Regular. There shall be regular monthly meetings of the membership at a time and place as determined by the Board of Directors. Regular meetings may be omitted as determined by the Board of Directors, providing not more than three consecutive months pass without holding a regular meeting.

4.   Special. A special meeting of the membership shall be called by the Board of Directors at any time ten (10) or more members in good standing request such a meeting.

5.   Board. The Board of Directors shall meet from time to time as they deem necessary to conduct Club affairs or as requested by a minimum of five (5) members during a regular monthly meeting.

6.   Voting. Each member shall be entitled to one vote at all meetings of members and must be present and voting in person, except as otherwise provided by these by-laws. All questions shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the members entitled to vote and present in person, except those specific issues otherwise provided for in these by-laws.

ARTICLE VIII.  Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Club shall begin on the first day of January and end on the thirty-first day of December of each year.

ARTICLE IX.  Election of Officers

1.   Election of Club Officers shall be conducted annually at the regular December monthly meeting.

2.   Nominations from the membership for elected officers may be submitted to any current elected officer between the October through November meetings.

3.   Election Ballots will be distributed to the Club membership at least three weeks prior to the regular December meeting.  These ballots must be returned to the Vice President no later than the regular December meeting. Results of the election shall be counted by the officers and made public at the RCMA club meeting in December.

ARTICLE X.  Selection and Removal of Club Officers

1.   Except as otherwise provided by law, the business affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Board of Directors whose membership is as follows:

a.    President

b.   Vice President

c.    Secretary

d.   Treasurer

e.   Safety Coordinator

f.    Immediate Past President[3]

2.   The elected officers of the Club shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Safety Coordinator, each of whom shall be elected by the membership to hold office until his/her successor shall have been chosen and shall have been qualified.

3.   The membership may elect such other officers as it may deem necessary for the transaction of the business of the Club, each of whom shall have such authority, shall perform such duties and shall hold office for such term as may be prescribed by the membership from time to time.

4.   Vacancies in the elected officers may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining Board of Directors, and any person so elected shall hold office until his successor is elected by the membership at the next general election.

5.   The Board of Directors may designate a Chief Flight Instructor and such other officials as it may deem necessary for the transaction of activities of the Club, each of whom shall have such authority, shall perform such duties, and shall hold office for such term as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.

6.   Any elected officer may be removed from office any time they fail to meet the requirements of office, fail to observe or abide by the club's bylaws, and established policies, or lose the confidence of the membership. An officer may be removed by the membership voting at a meeting, providing the membership, including the officer in question, has been fully informed at least three days prior to the meeting.  Removal shall require at least a 2/3 vote of the eligible voting membership of the Club.

ARTICLE XI.  Duties of Club Officers

1.   President. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club and shall have general supervision of its affairs. He/she shall preside at all meetings of the membership and the Board of Directors and shall in case of his/her absence and the absence of the Vice President, appoint another officer to perform and discharge the duties of the President at the regular monthly meeting he/she cannot attend. He/she shall also carry out the policies established by the Board of Directors. In questions of procedure during meetings of the membership or the Board of Directors, the President shall follow Robert’s Rules of Order.  The President shall act as the official Club spokesman; appoint committees (including the nomination committee); and sit on any and all committees so appointed.  The President shall be the Club’s representative to the RCCLB.  The President shall be responsible for submitting the Club’s annual budget request (if the Club wishes to participate) to the Rockwell Collins Clubs and Leagues Board prior to the submittal deadline of the RCCLB.

2.   Vice President. The Vice President shall perform and discharge the duties of the President in case of his/her absence. He/she shall also perform such other duties as the Board of Directors or President may prescribe.

3.   Secretary:

a.    The Secretary shall give notice of all meetings, or cause same to be done, where notice may be required. He/she shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings; conduct Club correspondence; and shall perform the duties incidental to the office of the Secretary and such other duties as the Board of Directors or President may prescribe.

b.   The Secretary shall maintain a current and ongoing record of Club members, which shall include members’ AMA status.

c.    The Secretary shall be responsible for introducing new member(s) to the Club membership at the next monthly meeting when the new member is present.

d.   The Secretary is responsible for providing new members with the following items:

                                 i.    The Club’s By-Laws

                               ii.    Membership Card

                              iii.    The Flying Rules for Members

                              iv.    The Club’s rules for Visitors at the Flying Field

                                v.    A Club roster

e.   The Secretary shall notify the RCCLB of any changes to the Club officer point of contact information.

f.    The Secretary shall insure that the AMA and the RCCLB have current copies of the Club By-Laws on file.

4.   Treasurer:

a.    The Treasurer shall be the principal financial officer of the Club and shall render an accurate account of the financial condition of the Club at all regular meetings of the membership.  He/she shall collect all dues, assessments, and amounts owing to the Club and deposit same to a bank account(s) in the Club’s name. He/she shall discharge all financial obligations of the Club as approved by the Board of Directors or Club membership. He/she shall provide budgeting information at the annual budget meeting.

5.   The Secretary shall insure that the AMA and the RCCLB have current copies of the Club By-Laws on file.

6.   Safety Coordinator: The Safety Coordinator shall develop, promote, and encourage a climate of safety awareness within the Club.  He/she shall be responsible for the general safety of practices at the flying site(s) and enforce the AMA Safety Code along with all Club rules and sanctions. He/she shall also inform the members of any changes in the Flying Rules and act as a communications liaison between the Club and AMA Headquarters to ensure timely distribution of safety related material.  The Safety Coordinator must have email access.

ARTICLE XII.  Committees

The Board of Directors, by resolution, may create such special or standing committees as they deem advisable.

ARTICLE XIII.  Newsletter

1.   If the Club chooses to publish a Newsletter, it shall be published monthly and e-mailed to each member in good standing at least five (5) days before the annual and regular monthly meetings.  If the Board of Directors chooses to omit any regular monthly meeting, then the Newsletter, too, may be omitted.

2.   The purpose of the Newsletter is to provide newsworthy information to all Club members concerning its members, radio control and model aviation, and events and activities of the Club.  The newsletter shall include minutes of the previous Club meetings, listings of upcoming events, and other articles and features judged to be of interest to Club members.

3.   The position of Newsletter Editor shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XIV.  Amendments

The Constitution and By-Laws of the Club may be amended or repealed at any annual or regular monthly meeting of the membership by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership in attendance, providing that the proposed amendment or repeal has been published at least once preceding the meeting for the adoption and presented to the membership at the prior regular meeting.

ARTICLE XV.  Rules of the RCMA Flying Field

1.   Rules governing the conduct of club members, guests, and visitors to the flying field shall be adopted or revised by a majority vote of the membership present at any annual or regular monthly meeting.

2.   The Safety Coordinator, if present, shall be responsible for providing visitors with the Club’s rules for guests and visitors. In the absence of the Safety Coordinator, members shall take the initiative to provide visitors with these Club rules.

ARTICLE XVI.  The Budget

1.   The Club Treasurer will be caused to prepare and submit an annual budget for the ensuing year. He/she will present the budget to the Board of Directors at the annual budget meeting. This budget shall show estimations of the future expenditures anticipated by the Club. The items addressed by the budget shall be, but not limited to, typical income and expense categories, plus cash balances and club assets.

2.   All Club funds shall be kept in a checking account and/or interest-bearing account.

ARTICLE XVII.  Authorization of Club Expenditures

All expenditures from RCMA funds must be approved in advance by majority vote of members present at a regular meeting, with the following exceptions:

1.   Recurring, routine expenditures as designated by the Club. These include newsletter production, equipment rental fees, utilities, etc. The Secretary-Treasurer has standing authorization to make these expenditures up to the amount budgeted per year.

2.   In certain cases elected officers may authorize spending RCMA funds as deemed necessary and timely up to and including $300.00 per month.  This provision is intended to allow expenditures for emergency or time-critical opportunities that must be handled expeditiously.

ARTICLE XVIII.  Liquidation of Club Assets

Any liquidation of Club assets must be approved by a simple majority vote of the members present at a regular meeting. The Club membership shall be notified of the intent to liquidate the Club’s assets at least one month prior to the meeting where the vote to liquidate assets is held.

 

ARTICLE XIX.  Dissolution of the Club

The Club may be dissolved by the same procedure as required for a change of the By-Laws. In this event, the Secretary-Treasurer shall, within 30 days of the effective date of dissolution:

1.   Cancel all ongoing obligations (utilities, rentals, etc.).

2.   Liquidate Club assets by a means designed to obtain fair market value and equal access to all Club members (example: public auction).

3.   To the extent possible, pay all outstanding debts from available funds after liquidation of assets.

4.   If any funds remain after payment of debts, these funds shall be disbursed to the Rockwell Collins Clubs and Leagues Board.

Provide written notice to the Rockwell Collins Clubs and Leagues Board of the Dissolution of the Club.

ARTICLE XX.  Effectivity

These By-Laws shall become effective after being accepted per Article XIV, and upon being subsequently submitted to and approved by the Rockwell Collins Clubs and Leagues Board.