RULES of the HAWKES BAY MICROLIGHT AIRCRAFT CLUB INCORPORATED
1. NAME
The name of the Club shall be: The “HAWKES BAY MICROLIGHT AIRCRAFT CLUB (INCORPORATED)”.
2. OBJECTS
(a) To bring together as members of the Club persons interested in flying, construction and design of microlight aircraft.
(b) To foster and encourage the sport of flying microlight aircraft amongst members and to educate the public generally in such sport.
(c) To train members to fly microlight aircraft and enable them to qualify for a microlight pilot certificate.
(d) To hold flyins, flying competitions and social meetings for the enjoyment of members and to promote the sport generally.
(e) To join or affiliate as a member of any association, club or society, whether incorporated under “The Incorporated Societies Act 1908” (the Act) or not and having as one of its objects the advancement or government of microlights, to the extent deemed necessary for the purpose of furthering the interests of the Club and of microlighting generally. Such affiliation or membership shall be decided by a majority vote of at least two thirds of the members present at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.
(f) To buy, sell, lease, hire, mortgage, charge, exchange or otherwise deal with any real or personal property for any one or more of the objects of the Club as a non-profit organisation.
3. MEMBERSHIP
(a) There shall be the following categories of membership:
(i) FLYING MEMBERS – members who fly or are training to fly microlight aircraft. These members must belong to a CAA-approved Part 149 Microlight organisation.
(ii) ASSOCIATE MEMBERS – members who do not fly microlight aircraft and wish to support the objects of the Club.
(iii) LIFE MEMBERS – members who have rendered outstanding service to the Club. To be elected by a vote of four fifths of the members present at an Annual General Meeting. These members are not required to pay a Club subscription.
(iv) HONORARY MEMBERS – appointed by the Committee for such a period as the Committee thinks fit, but not longer than six months.
(b) Applicants for membership shall apply on the Club’s official form and be approved by the Committee.
(c) The Secretary shall notify applicants of the Committee’s decision.
(d) Membership dues are payable upon membership being granted.
4. RESIGNATIONS
Any member may resign by giving written notice to the Secretary. They will be liable for all outstanding dues to that date. No refund of subscription will be made.
5. MANAGEMENT
(a) The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Management Committee (referred to as the “Committee”) consisting of: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer, Club Captain and a maximum of four committee members.
(b) In addition to the above, the Committee will appoint a Safety Officer, Flying Instructor/s with one Flying Instructor to be the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI). The Safety Officer/ CFI positions may be held by one person.
(c) The election of the Committee will take place at the Annual General Meeting.
(d) Each member of the Committee will have one vote at committee meetings and the presiding chairman will also have a casting vote in cases of equal division.
(e) The Safety Officer and Flying Instructors will be ex-officio at committee meetings, but will have no vote.
(f) Any committee member not attending three consecutive committee meetings shall cease to hold membership of the Committee, except where the member is granted leave by the Committee.
(g) The quorum for a committee meeting shall be four members.
(h) At each Annual General Meeting, the members of the Committee shall retire, but are eligible for re-election.
(i) The Committee may remove from office any officer or member of the Committee, when passed by a two thirds majority, if the removal of the person is considered to be in the best interests of the club.
(j) Any vacancy occurring amongst officers or committee members during the year, may or may not be filled by the Committee.
(k) The Committee may appoint Sub-committees for any purpose and the Sub-committee shall be responsible to the Committee.
6. OFFICERS
The officers of the Club shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer, Club Captain, Safety Officer and Flying Instructor/s. The Annual General Meeting may also appoint a Patron, who will be an Officer of the Club but not a member of the Committee.
7. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
(a) Patron – shall officiate in any manner at the request of the Committee.
(b) President – shall:
(i) Preside at all meetings.
(ii) Normally represent the Club.
(iii) Be an ex-officio member of all Sub-committees.
(iv) Referee in any minor dispute between members.
(c) Vice-President – shall act as the President’s deputy on any matter.
(d) Secretary – shall:
(i) Conduct all Club correspondence and convene all meetings.
(ii) Keep accurate minutes of all meetings.
(iii) Keep a register with details of all members.
(iv) Be custodian of the Club Common Seal and all registers, papers and produce these to the Committee when required.
(v) Notify the Treasurer of all members’ dues.
(vi) When unable to attend meetings, arranges for the necessary books and papers to be handed to the chairman of the meeting.
(e) Treasurer – shall:
(i) Collect, receipt and bank all monies due to the Club with such Bank as may be appointed by the Committee.
(ii) Pay all debts owing as soon as authorised by the Committee.
(iii) Keep accurate accounts of all receipts, payments and assets of the club.
(iv) Produce financial reports as required by the Committee and for the Annual General Meeting up to the end of January preceding that meeting.
(v) Ensure the annual financial report is independently reviewed before the Annual General Meeting and a copy is sent to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies after the Annual General Meeting.
(f) Club Captain – shall be responsible for organising flying and social events for members in conjunction with the Committee.
(g) Safety Officer – shall be responsible for the safety of all Club operations, in conjunction with the Committee and the Flying Instructors. The most senior Flying Instructor present during flying operations shall have final responsibility.
(h) Flying Instructors – shall:
(i) Be responsible for flying standards and training.
(ii) The CFI shall be responsible for all Flying Instructors.
8. GENERAL MEETINGS
(a) The Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting each year in February or as soon as possible thereafter.
(b) A Special General Meeting shall be held whenever the Committee considers it necessary or on receipt by the Secretary of a request signed by not less than six of the members. The request shall state the business to be considered and only that business will be dealt with. The Committee shall advise the business to all members with at least seven days notice.
(c) Dates and venues for General Meetings shall be fixed by the Committee and at least seven days notice shall be given to all members.
(d) The quorum for a General Meeting shall be six financial members.
9. ALTERATIONS TO RULES
(a) Existing rules shall not be altered or repealed and new rules shall not be added without the consent of at least two thirds of the members present at an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for such purpose and at least seven days notice of the proposed alterations shall have been given to all members.
(b) No addition or alteration or recession of the rules shall be approved if it affects the non-profit objects, personal benefit clause or the winding up clause.
(c) No rule shall be valid until accepted by the Registrar of Incorporated Societies.
10. VOTING
(a) At each General Meeting, each financial member shall be entitled to one vote.
(b) Except where otherwise stated, matters voted upon shall be decided by simple majority.
(c) The Chairman shall have a casting vote for the status quo in all matters of equal division.
(d) Voting may be by show of hands or by secret ballot to be decided by a majority at any meeting.
11. SUBSCRIPTIONS
(a) Subscriptions shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting and shall be immediately payable for the ensuing year.
(b) Subscriptions may be amended at a Special General Meeting called for such purpose.
(c) Members whose subscriptions are overdue by one month shall be deemed unfinancial and after being unfinancial for two months shall cease to be members of the Club.
12. SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION
(a) If the conduct of a member is such as appears to endanger the character, welfare and good order of the club, it shall be in the power of the Committee or members to call a Special General Meeting to consider the suspension or expulsion of such member.
(b) The maximum period of suspension shall be six months and any member suspended shall forgo all membership rights.
(c) Should the member fail to attend the meeting, a vote may be taken in their absence.
(d) Any member expelled shall cease forthwith to belong to the club or to have any claims upon it.
13. PERSONAL BENEFIT
(a) No member or group of members of the Club shall derive any pecuniary gain from the property or operations of the Club except as an Officer in receipt of an honorarium.
(b) No member of the Club or any person associated with a member shall participate in or materially influence any decision made by the Club in respect of the payment to or on behalf of that member or associated person of any income, benefit, or advantage whatsoever. Any such income paid shall be reasonable and relative to that which would be paid in an arm’s length transaction (being the open market value).
14. BY-LAWS
The Committee may make, alter or rescind by-laws from time to time so long as they are not in conflict with these rules or the Act.
15. INTERPRETATION
(a) In the construction of these rules unless there is something inconsistent in the context then words signifying the singular number shall include the plural and vice-versa, words signifying persons shall include bodies corporate and clubs.
(b) The decision of the Committee on the interpretation of the rules or any matter not contained herein shall be conclusive and binding on all members unless such decision is revoked at a General Meeting.
16. COMMON SEAL
The Common Seal of the Club shall be affixed to such documents as the committee directs and in the presence of the President or Vice-President, the Secretary and one other member of the Committee.
17. REGISTERED OFFICE
The registered office of the club will be decided upon by the Committee and any changes shall be notified to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies.
18. WINDING UP
The Club shall not be wound up except by special resolution passed in accordance with Section 24 of “The Incorporated Societies Act 1908”. If upon winding up the Club there remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Club, but shall be transferred to some other club or clubs, within New Zealand and having objects similar to the objects of the Club, to be determined by the members of the Club at or before the time of winding up and in default thereof by any Judge of the High Court of New Zealand.