Summer Break

Dear Reader

Over the summer, association matters take a back seat for me. Whenever possible, meetings are scheduled for the dreary winter semester, administrative tasks are buried in mysterious piles of paper, and the bulletin board is creatively decorated with to-do notes. Much like in paleontology, important documents lie in layers on top of one another, revealing their age and origin. Anyone feeling a bit too guilty can simply pick up the oldest layer to see that everything has since been taken care of. The summer break also spares us from the never-ending saga of the club’s administration, where the wheel is constantly being reinvented. Model flying takes center stage again, and instead of heated discussions about bylaws and forms, the evening brings a glass of chilled rosé—or even two... And hardly anyone ever thinks about associations. Somewhere in the back of our minds, though—and this is surely a sign of aging or some other quirk—we have something like a killjoy who gleefully reminds us that, after all, we can’t do without an organization; heh! heh! heh! You might need a sports license, and you’ll definitely need insurance. You’re having problems with your airfield or want to know what’s happening in the Ticino model-aircraft scene this coming weekend, since you’ll happen to be there then, etc. The young model-aircraft association also has other important decisions coming up in the near future: for example, regarding association communications. Do we want to pay twice for the AeCS association newsletter, as envisioned by the Central Board: once for 24 francs as we do now, and a second time so that it also includes model aviation content—for example, with a model aviation insert and additional subscription fees? It’s clear to all of us that something needs to happen in the area of communication. Whether in the *Aero-Revue*, on beer coasters, or on other pieces of paper, our members need to be informed more directly. That’s a lot of work. Nothing can be printed anywhere unless it’s written first—every word and every sentence. Relying solely on the group chairperson to pass along information is no longer enough today—and not just during the summer break. On the other hand, you can’t put together a magazine with just association news—or at least not one that people will read—and while buying information in Germany isn’t a problem, it’s much easier to import it directly through local magazines there. Let’s talk first about the content this fall and then about the presentation. I wish you all a wonderful summer flying season and lots of great ideas.

Best regards

Emil Ch. Giezendanner