Constitution of the Gas Turbine Builders Association

Revision 8, April 3rd 2022

  1. Title The title of the organisation shall be the Gas Turbine Builders Association (GTBA).

  2. Aim The aim of the Association is to promote interest and assist members in the safe design, construction and operation of home-built gas turbines via member-to-member contact through the 'members only' on-line forum of the GTBA website. Access to the Forum shall be the 'primary benefit' of membership.
    The Association is a ‘not for profit’ organisation and shall conduct its financial affairs accordingly.
    The Association shall produce, and maintain current in the light of any relevant developments, a Safety Code of Practice for the Construction, Installation and Operation of Small Gas Turbines.
    The Association has Specialist Body status with the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) and is required to abide by the BMFA Specialist Body Guidelines, including electing a GTBA representative to the BMFA RC Power Technical Committee (RCPTC). The representative shall be a current member of the BMFA. The representative may be a member of the GTBA Committee or a GTBA member co-opted to the position.

  3. Membership Membership shall be open to all interested parties in any country.
    Conditions of Membership, agreed to by members when applying for membership, are as set out in the New Application Submission Form, accessed through the Apply for Membership tab on the GTBA website home page, currently found at https://www.gtba.co.uk/stage2.php
    All members will have equal voting rights.
    Members resident in the United Kingdom, who operate gas turbines in model aircraft or who are Officers of the GTBA, must hold current membership of the BMFA or the Scottish Aeromodellers Association.

  4. Committee The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a committee consisting of a minimum of three and up to eleven officers. All active committee posts shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Elected members shall each serve for two years, with half their number retiring each year in rotation. Retiring members may seek re-election.
    In the event of a post becoming vacant between AGMs, another committee member may undertake the role of one or more additional officers, where necessary or appropriate.
    The officers of the Association have the power to co-opt on to the committee additional committee members where deemed necessary or appropriate to the operation of the Association. Co-opted members may only serve until the next election, i.e. for a maximum of one year.
    The committee shall be empowered to act in all matters concerning the conduct of the Association's affairs not covered in this constitution.
    The committee is empowered to authorise the purchase and distribution at cost, or as near cost as possible, any materials, components or services, where appropriate, or as may be required by the members.
    The committee reserve the right to eject any member(s) from the Association, found contravening the conditions of membership – agreed to when joining the Association. If a member has been ejected as a result of contravening the conditions of membership, that member shall be deemed to have forfeit any remaining membership subscription in hand.
    The committee reserves the right to use appropriate means to pursue the loss of income resulting directly or indirectly from any unauthorised disclosure of GTBA copyright material.

  5. Officers The Association shall have a minimum of three officers (the core), Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Up to eight additional post may be elected to the Committee, as appropriate, to enhance the running of the Association. These are: - Membership Secretary, Events Secretary, Safety Officer, Public Relations Officer, Technical Officer, Webmaster, News Editor and GTBA Representative to the BMFA.
    Any officer of the Association may be elected to more than one post, provided that the roles are compatible. For example but not limited to, Safety Officer and Technical Officer or Events Secretary and Public Relations Officer.
    The GTBA Representative to the BMFA is an obligatory post but may be combined with any other committee post.
    The primary role of each committee post is:-
    1. Chairman The Chairman is responsible, with the support of the Committee, for determining and implementing the overall strategic direction and operation of the Association. The Chairman shall preside at all general and committee meetings. In his absence at committee meetings, a chairman shall be chosen from those present to serve for that meeting only.
    2. Secretary The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping accurate and proper records of all meetings and proceedings of the Association and shall also attend to general correspondence and communications.
    3. Treasurer The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping the accounts of the Association in the correct manner and shall present a financial statement at each Annual General Meeting. The statement shall be independently audited by two fully paid-up members of the Association who are not members of the committee. A statement of accounts must also be supplied when requested by a Special General Meeting. The Association shall have a bank account. Cheques drawn shall be signed by the Treasurer and/or Chairman. The bank account debit card shall only be for use by the Treasurer and/or Chairman. Decisions authorising any expenditure of Association funds shall only be made by the committee or Annual or Special General Meeting.
    4. Membership Secretary All day to day processing of membership applications and renewals is automated by the GTBA online membership and forum system. The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for monitoring and regular download of records from the online membership system, to provide a backup and for analysis of membership data for reports to the Chairman, Committee and General Meetings.
    5. Events Secretary The Events Secretary shall be responsible for setting up and/or organising any event deemed to be of benefit to members of the Association. Such events may include, for example but not limited to, flying meetings, competitions, seminars and local or national exhibitions. The Events Secretary, in the course of his duties, shall liase with the Chairman, Safety and Public Relations Officers.
    6. Safety Officer The Safety Officer shall maintain the current version of the Safety Code of Practice and update it where necessary, subject to the approval of the committee and the membership. Provide advice on safety matters within the Association, in conjunction with other suitably qualified members. Gather information from within the Association and the wider public domain in order to increase the Association’s knowledge base on safety matters. Represent the Association, in conjunction with the GTBA Representative to the BMFA, on safety matters within the BMFA, as well as in the public domain.
    7. Public Relations Officer The Public Relations officer shall be responsible for the planning, development and implementation of information and communication strategies that promote the benefits and purpose of the Association to the members, affiliated organisations, including the BMFA, and the public.
    8. Webmaster The Webmaster shall manage and maintain the Association’s Website, online forum and the automated new and renewal membership system. The webmaster shall work in conjunction with the Chairman and Membership Secretary, to manage membership matters, as well as with the Public Relations Officer, to ensure appropriate content in both the private and public domain areas of the website.
    9. News Editor (Since the last Newsletter published in 2005-06, the post of Newsletter Editor became dormant, however, the GTBA website may include a ‘News’ feed on the home page. In addition the GTBA may use social media platforms to enhance its coverage in the public domain. This post is therefore amended from Newsletter Editor to News Editor.) The News Editor shall monitor the Forum for enticing snippets, including brief information regarding forthcoming Events, for inclusion in the website ‘News’ feed and social media platforms. News items shall be published for a limited duration, to encouraging new member applications as well as an aid memoir for existing members. Should the Association feel the publication of a Newsletter to be beneficial or appropriate, then publication shall be undertaken by the News Editor. The News Editor, shall coordinate all material for publication with the Chairman and Public Relations Officer.
    10. Technical Advisor The Technical Advisor shall monitor the technical content of the Forum and any published documents to oversee, advise or intervene on issues where technical content may be misleading or the need for technical advice becomes apparent or necessary. The Technical Advisor may also assist the GTBA Representative to the BMFA in presenting appropriate or required technical advice on gas turbine matters to the BMFA.
    11. GTBA Representative to the BMFA The GTBA Representative to the BMFA shall have a seat on the BMFA RCPTC, which primarily oversees technical aspects of all powered model flying activity in the UK and, in particular, the rules and regulations for regional, national and international competitions and championships. The GTBA representative is required to attend RCPTC meetings for the purpose of advising on any aspects of model gas turbines inquired by or deemed relevant to the BMFA.

  6. Subscriptions Subscriptions shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting held each year. They may also be reviewed at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose. Membership application and renewal will only be accepted on-line via the GTBA website, using PayPal as the means of collecting funds. Membership will be for 12 months from the date payment is received by the GTBA. Subscriptions shall become due for renewal annually on the anniversary of each member's initial membership application or previous renewal payment.

  7. Meetings
    1. Annual General Meetings An Annual General Meeting shall be held each year, normally during the month of April. The interval between Annual General Meetings shall not exceed thirteen months. At least fourteen days notice shall be given to members.
    2. Special General Meetings A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by the committee. The Secretary must call a Special General Meeting if requested to do so by not less than twenty-five percent of the membership. At least twenty-one days notice shall be given to members stating the business for which the meeting is being called. A quorum for Special General Meetings shall be forty percent of the membership.
    3. Committee Meetings Any two committee members may request the Secretary to call a committee meeting and at least fourteen days notice shall be given to the committee members. A quorum for committee meetings shall be the three core officers of the Association plus no less than 50% of the currently occupied posts.
    4. Meeting Venues The GTBA is a UK based Association with a broad international membership. Where practical, meetings will be arranged at a venue convenient to its UK members. Should regionally or nationally imposed restrictions prevent an Annual or Special General Meeting from taking place in-person, then the Association may arrange to hold the meeting remotely, using appropriate video conferencing platforms. The GTBA may also provide remote access to members unable to attend an in-person meetings, which will be dependent on the availability of internet access at the meeting venue. Decisions made at a remotely conducted meeting are equally binding as those made at an in-person meeting. The committee may hold meetings in person or remotely, whichever is the most convenient for its members. The committee may also, as appropriate, conduct business via email and/or telephone.
    5. Voting All fully paid up members shall have one vote at Annual and Special General Meetings, except the Chairman, who shall have the casting vote. All committee members shall have one vote at Committee Meetings except the Chairman, who shall have the casting vote.

  8. Affiliation The Association may become affiliated to respective model organisations with aims and interests compatible with the interest of the Association. Control of the Association's affairs shall remain with the Association's committee and general membership.

  9. Amendments Amendments, or additions, to this constitution shall only be made by an affirmative vote from the majority of the voting members of the Association at the Annual General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose.