A Letter from the President

For the past 10 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside so many good men who have given countless volunteer hours to the betterment of our club. I have truly enjoyed being a part of the leadership team and seeing the improvements and activities of our club thrive this past decade. When I became a novice member 15 years ago we had 120 members... this year we hit our cap at 200 individuals for the 4th straight year. I have laughed often that when I first started to look for a place to fly I had no interest in being a part of a “club”... only to become the president of FAWs years later. That says a lot for what our club is and who is a part of it!

My efforts in this role would never have been successful if not for the many Board Members that have rotated through during my time at the head of the table. Each of these men have contributed much to the success of our club, at times making tough decisions, doing research on ideas, and often getting their hands dirty on projects. Even more impressive are the many club members that have contributed as volunteers towards mowing, organizing events, and helping on various maintenance projects. To each, may I humbly say how much I appreciate you all.

A year ago I informed the Board of Directors that I will be stepping down as president in order to let someone else exercise their leadership and vision for this excellent RC Flying Club. Hopefully during my time in this role, I have brought good ideas to our club and empowered others to do the same. I wish to thank you all for the trust, and for allowing me to lead us through some large projects both logistical and financially, such as the re-covering of our runway, developing an infrastructure of a weather station and webcams, the expansion of our parking lot, establishing our field as an FAA recognized FRIA site with a 700ft flight ceiling, and my personal project of launching a new website! There have been some rough seasons as well dealing with vandalism, disputes among members, and navigating the pandemic. But today we celebrate that our financial accounts are healthy, and we’ve had a lot of fun at our club picnics, warbird rallies, and various fun flys over the years.  There's been a lot of enjoyment in the skies over North Plains!

It’s time for a change... for me personally and for the advancement of our club. I plan to remain involved and advise those next to lead, as long as that is desired. Let me encourage anyone that feels the call to step into leadership at our club and serve as a board member... and possibly even as president, to take seriously the nudge to get involved. It has been a great 10 years and I thank you for making this hobby of ours hold even more purpose for me personally.

Scott Pélot

President, Fly-A-Ways RC Club