SIMON’s SERMON - DEc 2020

Hi Everyone,

A lot of work has been done in the background over recent months.  As you will have seen in our emails, we have been calling for members to assist with working bees.  Moving forward we are going to need everyone’s assistance, at times, so that we can get our field fully operational and comfortable.

The photos on this page will give you an insight into the work that has been done and the members who have contributed their time in the relocation from the old field to our new field.  On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank all members who have attended our working bees over the last few months.  Without your help there was no way we could have moved onto our new field.

The hard work is not over but if we work together it makes the work a lot easier for all concerned. We will be looking for assistance from every member who wants to fly at the new field.  There are a number of tasks that will require your assistance large and small, fit or on one leg, every member will be required at some point with the setup of the new field.

The committee have spent a lot of time working with contractors, obtaining quotes and re-quotes to finally get a contractor who, for a reasonable price, will be able to do the work.  This will include getting a suitable track into our field, levelling out the service area for our containers and pits, and the construction of our north-south and east-west runways.  We should have a final plan of the work required, a time estimate and a cost in early January and hope to have the work commencing soon after.  We will provide updates as they become available and full details at the COVID-19 postponed AGM in February.

I would like to again thank everyone who attended the working bees, Brendon, who again put in a large effort and for the use of his truck with the move off the old field.  All the fencing was pulled up by Brendon leading up to thee move and the mid-week flyers gathered and moved the fencing to the new field.  This work has saved us a lot of money as the old fencing is now being used to separate our new field from the rest of the MulchXpress property where the cattle graze. 

Len has been the focal point for exit negotiations with Frank and for finding and being our channel for communications with John our new landlord.  At this time and moving forward, all communications with John and his foreman Glenn will be done via the committee and then through Len.  The committee have determined that this is the best method moving forward.

David has been the main contact with the contractors that we have been meeting and negotiating with.  A number of committee members including myself have walked the field numerous times discussing various methods of providing a suitable track and the work to be done to the service area and runways.

John has been working to obtain our new plans, communicating with council to obtain our permit and is currently finalising requirements with CASA to move our field registration and permits to the new field.

In addition to his secretary duties, Geoff has been sourcing the containers and obtaining the best prices for the containers.  He then met and organised the current temporary placement of the first container when it was delivered.  He is also working with the supplier of the second container for the setup, painting, and delivery of the container.  He has organised the emptying and cleaning of the toilets, not by himself – through a professional cleaner! The toilets will be set up on the new field once the preparation of our service area is completed.  Please Note: there will be no toilet facilities at the field until the toilets are moved into place and commissioned.

I know I will have miss other tasks that have been done by the committee and others as there has been a lot going on during our roller-coaster ride to getting off our old and onto the new field.  To everyone that has assisted with the preparation and the relocation over the many months of work, a Big Thank You.  Your work has permitted SEMAC to not close permanently and to be able to shortly continue provide a club to fly at and enjoy each other’s company and assistance.

The photos below will provide you with a little indication of the work that has been done and the work still facing us.  We look forward to meeting up again and working to get SEMAC facilities to be the same, if not better than what we had at the old field.  This will not happen overnight but together we can make it happen.  We hope to shortly have details of when and how hand launched flying can commence at the field.  Work is underway to prepare for the first stage of opening the field.

Regards,

Simon

 Photos from the move. There are others at rotating at the top of this page.

Here is a video of the tank was moved and loaded