District II
New Jersey, New York, Europe
On Saturday, November 5, 2022, I attended the Flying Knights Swap Meet and Auction at St. Gabriel’s Church in Rotterdam, New York. The former Flying Dutchmen Model Airplane Club had hosted the event prior to the COVID pandemic. This year marked the swap meet’s sixth anniversary.
Flying Knights’ members and numerous volunteers from area clubs helped make the event a success. Table and event setup took several hours, as did post-event teardown. Had it not been for these volunteers, the event would not have been a reality. All of the tables were filled and it had record attendance.
Several elements help make swap meets and similar club events successful. Among these elements are a good location, well-organized tables, event promotion, and good food.
The Flying Knights swap meet has a good location. It features close proximity to a major highway, easy parking and unloading, a well-lit, heated venue, and a full food menu. These are key elements that make the event attractive to buyers, sellers, and visitors. They are critically important to event attendance because they satisfy people’s needs. Finding an ideal location might involve some compromises.
At the Flying Knights event, well-planned signage, individually labeled rows, and table spaces helped direct vendors to their tables. Signage at the sign-in table announced the cost of admission, as did other signs that promoted the food area and the auction start time. PA announcements and reminders throughout the morning also attracted attendees to event activities.
In addition to sanctioning their events, many clubs have looked toward both paid and free social media advertising. Appropriately worded ads are important! The target audience should be people who are interested in model aircraft and related hobbies. Direct emails should be targeted to area clubs and previous event participants. Be certain to provide a sign-in sheet that includes each person’s email address and phone number for future usage.
Food is a critical element for event success. You don’t want people leaving your event to get food when they’re hungry. The challenges with food include prepurchasing the correct amount, what items to buy, and who will volunteer to cook. You might also run into food permit requirements in your particular region. Consider outsourcing the food concession to a vendor or others who might be better prepared to cover this service.
Swap meets are not just about buying and selling. These events provide for socializing with friends and catching up with others—something different from being at the field when you’re concentrating on flying. There’s still time to plan for a swap meet this coming spring or sometime in the future. Have a discussion about this at your next club meeting.
Remember, it’s not about what you fly, it’s about the friends you make!
Eric Williams
Vice President
rcpilot@nycap.rr.com
4242 Amanda Ln., Schenectady NY 12303
(518) 356-2057
www.amadistrict-ii.org
www.facebook.com/DistrictIIAMA
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENTS
Dennis Andreas, Freeport NY; (516) 902-8207; dennis66536@gmail.com
Sal Calvagna, Holbrook NY; (631) 737-6372; rcgiants@optonline.net
Frank Costello, Somerset NJ; teams3fpv@gmail.com
Chuck Davis, Sayville NY; (631) 589-7690; cjdavis60@verizon.net
Ed DeRossi, Johnstown NY; (518) 322-5172; ederossi@nycap.rr.com
Gary Fitch, Delevan NY; gm fitch@hotmail.com
Gene Gavin, Staten Island NY; (718) 967-0598; Gavin1957@aol.com
Frank Granelli, Rockaway NJ; (973) 625-4995; granelliff@aol.com
Bill Hauth, Hamburg NY; (716) 649-8582; toolmkr2000@msn.com
Tony Jensen, Binghamton NY; (607) 644-6873; tjravenpilot@gmail.com
Ron McGrath, North Chili, NY; ronmcgrath@rochester.rr.com
Anthony Rossi, Somerset NJ; (917) 320-2665; p510851@gmail.com
Leonard Max Smart, Morrisonville NY; (518) 563-6878; hotrodsbymax@charter.net
Alexander Szemere, Kendall Park NJ; (732) 821-5641; drszemere@aol.com
Michael Wong, Mahwah NJ; kingmseow@verizon.net
Herb Ziegler, Baldwinsville NY; (315) 857-6266; herbz1957@yahoo.com
RC EVENT SANCTION COORDINATORS
Tony and Trish Jensen, 23 Clarendon Dr., Binghamton, NY 13901; (607) 644-6873; tjravenpilot@gmail.com
CL/FF/EVENT SANCTION COORDINATOR
AMA Headquarters, Competitions Department; (800) 435-9262, Ext. 252; cjpierce@modelaircraft.org
