Joining a WhatsApp group can help you get the best from your SRFC membership
What is the biggest unknown for new or existing members? Simple, knowing when is the best time to go flying so that you don’t arrive at the field and find yourself on your own. That can be demoralising but is easily avoided. Just join and be active in a WhatsApp group.
The club has four official groups at the moment and all members are welcome to join one or more to suit their flying taste and time availability. While they were originally set up to find out who is flying when and where, their use has widened considerably and now encompass almost any flying related issue, e.g. a mass build as undertaken by the glider group this winter which included advice, photos, discussion on problems, etc, or what engine/power train to put in a model, the weather forecast for a particular day/event and even birthday greetings or get well soon message to a member. The groups are informal, sociable and not without humour! Just choose the group(s) that suit your needs best and give your mobile number:
Coombes Flyers
This group is used predominantly (but not exclusively) by those who fly in the morning, lunch time and early afternoon, fixed-wing power and e-gliders. To join, e-mail Robin Strange, secretary, using the address in the back of the latest Flypaper.
Flying Today?
This group to a degree is similar to Coombes Flyers but is used, as it says, to find out who is flying on that specific day. To join, e-mail Grahame Pearson, Flypaper editor, using the address in the back of the latest Flypaper.
Happy Flyers
This group is predominantly used by flyers looking to fly afternoons and evenings but also for modelling chat. To join, e-mail Grahame Pearson, Flypaper editor, using the address in the back of the latest Flypaper.
SRFC Gliders
The name gives it away. Unlike the other two groups, the glider section has two club sites (Coombes and Ashurst) plus a number of other venues, some close, e.g. Mill Hill, Beeding Hill or Chantry Hill and others further away, e.g. Itford Hill, Firle Beacon or BoPeep. Thus, being in this group also lets you know where they will be flying on a particular day as well as who is going. To join, e-mail Robin Strange, secretary, using the address in the back of the latest Flypaper.
Helicopters/Drones
At the moment the club is not aware of any helicopter/drone WhatsApp groups.
The Committee is aware that over the years the flying emphasis has changed from mainly weekend flying to weekday flying so if there are members who would like a weekend group to be formed let us know.
It is the club’s firm intention that new members are made to feel welcome and inclusive from Day One and, apart from attending our indoor and outdoor meetings, there is no better way of becoming involved than joining and contributing to one of the WhatsApp groups. Apart from knowing who is flying, where and when, the groups provide a whole raft of support, help and encouragement – plus the usual ribbing if you suffer a ‘senior moment’ when building or flying!