4 May, 1997 BY - LAWS OF THE NEW ZEALAND MODEL AERONAUTICAL ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED) Definitions: Save where the context otherwise requires, the following words shall have the meanings hereto assigned them. N.Z.M.A.A. means the New Zealand Model Aeronautical Association (Inc). Council means the Council of Management of the N.Z.M.A.A. New Zealand as defined by statute Month means Calendar Month Rules means the Constitution of the N.Z.M.A.A. By-Laws mean the Regulations hereinafter set forth and including the Flying Rules Closing Date in all circumstances, shall be the date on which any documents shall be received by the Secretary. SECTION A CLUBS AND LONE MEMBERS 1 Constitution A Club shall consist of not less than 5 financial members of whom at least two shall be seniors. 2 Objects The objects of a model aeroplane club shall be to promote, foster, encourage and control model aeronautics in its town or locality. 3 Members Association Classification: (i) A Senior member shall be a person 18 years of age or over as at the 1st April each year. (ii) A Junior member shall be a person under 18 years of age on the 1st April each year. (iii) Family membership is provided to members in an endeavour to encourage family participation in the sport of aeromodelling The criteria for family membership is as follows "Family membership includes husband, wife and their student children. Once the student reaches 18 years, the member must be reclassified as SENIOR FLYING and when no longer a student must pay the appropriate full fee". The following guide-lines are to be applied when an application is received for family membership. Senior membership: Where two people are living together at the same address in a Husband/Wife relationship. Junior membership: Any student child of the Senior Family Member. (a) Cessation Of Family Membership Family Membership shall automatically cease when one of the following occurs: a The Senior Members no longer have a family relationship as defined in (iii) above. b The child ceases to be a student. As it is not possible for the Secretary of the Association to determine if a family junior member is still a student when the members reaches the age of a Senior. All Juniors on reaching the age of 18 years will automatically be reclassified as a Senior Member in the next financial year and be listed as being required to pay a full Senior fee on the clubs membership list. In addition, if the member is the only one making up the family membership then the other member will also be reclassified as a Senior. It is therefore the clubs responsibility to check if the member is still able to comply with the family membership requirements and advise the Secretary when the member is re-affiliated. All such changes will be notified to the club on the bottom of the affiliation invoice sent to all clubs at the commencement of the new financial year. Club Membership: (i) To join a club and become a member a person shall be proposed and seconded by club members and shall sign an entrance form agreeing to abide by the rules of the club and the N.Z.M.A.A. The club committee shall have the power to accept or refuse membership at its discretion. (ii) Members shall pay club fees to become financial and enjoy club privileges. No member shall compete unless he is financial. (iii) Any financial member has the right to attend any meeting of his club, committee, technical committee, Provincial Association or of the Council of Management of the N.Z.M.A.A. provided always that these committees or Council shall always retain the right to hold their discussions and conduct their business in camera. (iv) A member wishing to resign must give written notice to the Club Secretary, otherwise he will be liable for fees. (v) Any member violating the rules of the club or acting in a manner prejudicial to the well being to the club, may be suspended by the Club Captain, and the case dealt with by the committee within one week of the alleged offence. The committee may further suspend or expel a member. The member or his representative shall have the right to be heard by the Committee.(see also provisions of Section C., Clause 2.) (vi) Members coming from one club to another must show that they have left their last club in good standing. (vii) A member of the N.Z.M.A.A. may belong to more than one representative club simultaneously. 4 Affiliation Every club shall affiliate direct with the N.Z.M.A.A. and hence automatically with the Provincial Association in whose territory it resides. 5 Affiliation Fees Each club shall be responsible for the payment of affiliation fees of its members. Should any such member's status change from Junior to Senior during the Association's financial year, no additional fee shall be charged, BUT for Record and all other purposes such member shall be classed as a Senior. New Members' fees must be paid immediately as such member may be penalised for record purposes. Hence no record can be granted to any member unless his name appears on the N.Z.M.A.A. Register. Renewal of Affiliation fees should be effected by 1st April each year to ensure continuity of affiliation for insurance and record purposes. 6 Registration Names and addresses of all club members and birth dates of Juniors must be forwarded to the N.Z.M.A.A. Additions and deletions must be reported as they occur and also change of status from Junior to Senior. 7 Fees Fees payable by members of a club to their own funds for the purposes of conducting their own affairs may be arranged in accordance with the wishes of members. 8 Officers Among its officers a club shall have a: ? Club Captain ? Honorary Secretary ? Honorary Treasurer ? Honorary Timekeepers ? Measurement Committee Officers whose duties closely approximate those named above may be substituted. One person may hold one or more of these positions. 9 Committee Club committees shall be elected from the membership of the Club and shall manage the affairs of the club and see that the objects of the club are carried out. The number comprising this committee shall be decided on at an annual general meeting of the club. 10 Measurement Committee A measurement committee consisting of at least 3 members shall be responsible for the accurate weighing and measuring of all models as required and shall record the characteristics and dimensions of these models for future checking if necessary. 11 Recording Officer The club Recording Officer should keep a record of all contest flights by club members. 12 Badge The club may have its own badge, but the use of the N.Z.M.A.A. badges is strongly recommended by the Council. 13 Flying Activities A club may organise its flying activities to suit local conditions but to have a record claim regarded as official by the N.Z.M.A.A. the conditions of the actual flight must conform with the Official Flying Rules of the N.Z.M.A.A. 14 Official Club Meeting A club meeting shall be deemed official if the Club Captain or President or their appointed deputy and 2 members are in attendance, provided that due notices of the meeting has been circulated amongst the members. 15 Club Records A list of record flights for the various classes should be established and maintained. 16 New Zealand and Provincial Association Records Claims for N.Z. records must be made on the official Record Claim Form supplied by the N.Z.M.A.A. AND FORWARDED to the Association within 10 days of the date of the flight concerned. 17 Protests The Club Captain shall be deemed local contest director. See Flying Rules. 18 Lone Members Lone Members may make arrangements with Clubs to fly at official club meetings for contests and record purposes. For Provincial Association Record Claims, clubs and lone Members will follow the instructions of their Provincial Association management Committee. 19 Right of Appeal Any member has the Right of Appeal to his Club Committee, or failing agreement, to his Provincial Association, and finally the Council. Any appeal to the Council shall be accompanied by a fee of $10 which shall be returned if the appeal is upheld. SECTION B PROVINCIAL ASSOCIATIONS 1 Constitution (See Rules 'Provincial Associations') 2 Functions (See Rules 'Provisional Associations') 3 Funds The funds shall be placed with a recognised banking institution. The banking account shall be operated by the Treasurer and any one of two other members of the Management Committee. 4 Management i The Management of the Provincial Association shall be in the hands of a Management Committee which shall consist of an Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Recording Officer and 4 other members. This committee shall elect its own Chairman. The committee shall fill vacancies which may occur in the list of officers during the year and persons so elected shall hold office for the same term as the vacating officer or committeeman would have held had no vacancy occurred. ii Quorum for a Committee: The quorum will consist of 4 committeemen or officers. 5 Annual General Meeting Annual General Meeting of Provisional Associations shall be held at dates and locations to be determined by their own management committees (if possible in conjunction with annual flying rallies) but in no case later than 13 months after their last Annual General meeting. 6 Mode of Annual General Meeting Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be made in writing by the Honorary Secretary of Provincial Associations to it's affiliated clubs and the N.Z.M.A.A. at least 7 days before such meeting. Business of Annual General Meeting (a) Reports: (i) Minutes (ii) Chairman's Report (iii) Recording Officer's Report (iv) Treasurer's Report and Annual Accounts. (b) Venue: The Management committee of a Provincial Association may have its venue in any main centre of population within the boundary of the area which it controls. Nominations of Venues: These are to be in the hands of the Secretary of the Provincial Association not less than 3 months prior to the Annual General Meeting. The Provincial Association Secretary shall notify such nominees within the next 3 weeks. Nominees shall signify their acceptance or otherwise within 3 weeks. (c) Elections: A Provisional Association Management Committee shall have the officers enumerated in Section B, Clause 4. It may also have additional ones as decided by a majority at an Annual General Meeting. The election of the Management Committee shall be made at the Annual General Meeting of the Provincial Association by delegates from affiliated clubs within its jurisdiction. (d) Remits: Delegates may discuss and vote on remits from Clubs or lone members. Where applicable, such remits if passed, shall be forwarded to the N.Z.M.A.A. Council for further consideration or may be presented at the next Annual General Meeting of the N.Z.M.A.A. Remits of a domestic nature may be the basis of immediate action by Provincial Associations. Provincial Association Management committees may make their own arrangements for the handling of such remits. (e) General: As required (e.g. Thanks, honorary, general recommendations to management committees etc.) (f) Voting at General Meetings (i) May be by show of hands, or on the voices, or by secret ballot. Any two members entitled to exercise at least two votes shall be entitled to demand that any particular vote be taken by ballot. All members voted upon shall be decided by a simple majority. The Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his deliberative vote in all cases of an equal division. (ii) Clubs may send up to 3 delegates to a general meeting of a Provincial Association. Voting shall be in accordance with the strength of the club represented, namely:_ ? Up to 20 members - one vote ? 21 to 40 members - two votes ? 41 or over - three votes (g) Quorum for General Meetings. For general meetings of Provincial Associations a quorum shall consist of at least 3 delegates or proxy delegates representing at least 3 different clubs. They may exercise votes according to the scale set out in Clause 8 of this Section. Special General Meeting A Special General Meeting of a Provincial Association shall be called by the Chairman of the Provincial Association Management Committee as convener either- (i) By resolution of the Management Committee, or (ii) By a requisition signed by any 10 financial affiliate members resident within that Provisional Association's territory. This meeting must be called within one month on receipt of requisition. Clubs and Members are to be informed of the Agenda. In the event of the Committee failing to convene the meeting requested, the requisitionists may apply to the Council for action. 7 Affiliation Each Provincial Association shall affiliate with the N.Z.M.A.A. and before affiliation shall submit agreement in writing that it will comply with the Rules and By-Laws of the N.Z.M.A.A. 8 Voting And Delegate at N.Z.M.A.A. Meetings At any general meeting of the N.Z.M.A.A. each affiliate Provincial Association may have one vote on each matter and may be represented by one delegate or proxy delegate. 9 Information re Affiliated Member Provincial Associations may request from the N.Z.M.A.A. a copy of the names and addresses of all affiliated members who reside within the territory administered by each Association. The dates of birth of all Junior members will be included in these returns. 10 Income Grants from Council From the affiliation fees collected from clubs and members from each Provincial Area the Council shall grant Provincial Associations not less than $40 for the purpose of assisting to finance the work carried out by them. This will not preclude their raising other monies by their own efforts. e.g. admission charges to flying meetings, but they may not further levy constituent clubs. 11 Suspension The Management Committee shall have the right to suspend the privileges of any club under its jurisdiction and shall forward for confirmation, its decision, with reasons, to the Council within 30 days of such decision being made. 12 Protests All protests are to be made to the Provincial Association and must be received by the Secretary within 96 hours of an alleged offence. Time limits for protests may be altered at the discretion of the body controlling that event. 13 Specially Schedules Events: Rules In Provincial contests the By-Laws of the N.Z.M.A.A. shall always apply but any additional requirements not contrary to the spirit of those rules may be included in the contest notification. 14 Right of Appeal See Section C, Clause 2. 15 Termination In the event of circumstances arising involving the termination of a Provincial Association all funds, property and control vested in it shall revert to the N.Z.M.A.A. SECTION C BY-LAWS, GENERAL 1 Alterations to By-Laws (a) Any Member, Club or Provincial association may at any time make suggestions regarding alterations to the By-Laws such suggestions shall be made in writing to the Council, whose decision shall be final. (b) Decisions made during the General Meetings can only be recommendations to the Council. 2 Election to Council Any affiliated member of the Association may be nominated by a Constituent Club for a position on Council. Procedure for nomination ? The Secretary shall in the month of February circulate to all constituent clubs a notice calling for nominations to Council. The notice shall include the official nomination form. The notice shall also be published in the February issue of The Flier's World. ? Nominations for positions on Council shall be forwarded to reach the Secretary on the official form not later than the 15th April prior to the AGM. (ref to appendix one for a copy of the form) ? The official form is to contain:-- 1. The name of the club sponsoring the nominee. 2. A declaration that the person nominated was accepted by a majority vote of the sponsoring Club Committee. 3. The full name of two Officers of the Club their position and signatures. 4. The signature of acceptance of the person being nominated. 5. A declaration from the nominee allowing for the circulation to clubs and publishing in The Flier's World of the nominees C.V. for the purpose of the election. ? The Nominee shall attach to the official form on A4 sized paper a C.V. which shall contain the following information:- 1. A recent Passport sized photograph 2. Age, personal background and qualifications including involvement in club or association administration.. 3. Involvement and activities in the building and flying of model aircraft. 4. Reason for wishing to serve on Council. 2 Right of Appeal In the event of any disputes arising between affiliates, they may exercise the right of appeal to the Council whose decision in all such matters is final. 3 Aeromodellers Certificates and Merit Badges Council shall issue under conditions which it shall decide to financial members at the time of their affiliations, certificates as evidence of their affiliation and sanction to fly under N.Z.M.A.A. rules and By-Laws. (i) Merit Badges: Shall be presented to members who prove in officially timed flight trials that they can meet certain qualifications which shall from time to time be decided by the Council. 4 New Zealand Model Aircraft Flight Records The Council may accept claims and issue record cards to members upon successful application (see Section A, Clause 17). 5 Badges Badges of the Association shall be available to all members at costs to be determined by the Council. 6 New Zealand International Competitions No Provincial Association, Club or member may enter for any international competition without permission of the Council. The approval of the Council must be obtained before any New Zealand national contest may take place. 7 Dissemination of Information With the exception of decisions made in camera, the Council shall make available simultaneously to all clubs, Provincial Associations, Lone Members and model aircraft trading firms (who shall have applied for such information) any modifications and changes of policies and rules and any other information likely to materially affect their status as a result of Council's decision. 8 Interpretation Any important matters not provided for in these By-Laws or any questions arising as to their interpretation shall be decided by the Council. SECTION D FLYING RULES (refer to flying Rules Book). SECTION E SPECIAL INTEREST SUB-COMMITTEE 1 Constitution Special interest Sub-Committees shall be Technical Committees in such special interest groups as determined from time to time by the Council. 2 Duties (a) To make decisions on all matters relating to the special interest group including flying rules for the special interest classes. (b) To control and conduct selection trials for World or International Championships as well as International events held in New Zealand, under the auspices of N.Z.M.A.A. (c) To organise or arrange for the organisation of the special interest classes at the N.Z. National Championships. (d) To be permitted to organise New Zealand Championships meetings in the special interest classes. (e) Council may from time to time provide a grant toward the expenses incurred by the Sub-Committee who will provide an accounting of the expenditure of such monies. The sub-committee must provide an account of all income an expenditure to the council. Appendix 1 to NZMAA By-Laws OFFICIAL NOMINATION FORM FOR THE POSITION ON THE COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT Date: ____/______/____ To the Secretary N.Z.M.A.A Dear Sir, The ____________________________________________________ (print name of club) being a member of the NZMAA hereby nominate ________________________________________________________ (print name of financial member) For the position of __________________________________on the Council of the NZMAA and do declare that this nomination was passed by a majority vote at an official club committee meeting. Club Official: ___________________________ Designation: ___________________ (print name) Signed: _______________________ Club Official: ___________________________ Designation: ___________________ (print name) Signed: _______________________ Contact Phone: _______/_______________ (home) (std) _____________________________________________________________ ACCEPTANCE OF NOMINATION. I _______________________________________ Membership Number: _________ (Print full Name) accept the nomination for the above position and agree that my C.V. and photograph may be circulated to clubs and published in The Flier's World for the purpose of this election. Signed ______________________________ Date: _______/_______/_______ Contact Phone _______/_______________ (home) (std) NZMAA CLUB MANUAL Section 3 : By-Laws PAGE 3 - 1 Feb 98