COMMUNICATION
COLLABORATION
WATCH DEMO
COMMUNICATION
COLLABORATION
WATCH DEMO
– Sam Goldfarb
For community groups, strong communication is the key to keeping members engaged and activities running smoothly.
Without the right tools, even the most passionate organizations risk disconnect, missed opportunities, and unhappy members.
That was the situation for the Raleigh Aeromasters, a model aviation flying club with more than 70 members in North Carolina, USA. Dedicated to building and flying model airplanes, the club brings together enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds.
Running such a large community takes more than enthusiasm. It requires coordination, efficient planning, and a communication system that works for everyone.
To keep members connected and activities organized, the Aeromasters turned to Pumble.
We talked to Sam Goldfarb about their experience using Pumble and how it made their flying club a connected community.
Whether you’re running a business or rallying like-minded people around a shared hobby, effective communication is a top priority.
So, without an adequate communication channel, time, effort, and resources can go to waste. Sam agrees on the importance of timely and transparent communication, sharing how the club members first communicated via an official website:
“We had a website for several years, but that was cumbersome and not an effective means of communication.”
Thus, the club realized they had to find a more user-friendly and intuitive solution to optimize internal communication and avoid communication breakdowns.
Establish transparent communicationBefore Sam found Pumble, he was searching for a solution that would offer the best of positive communication and productive collaboration.
Here’s how his search went:
“I investigated messaging tools and other text-based apps that offered group texting. I thought that was the solution. I was hoping I could do this without requiring an app to be installed on each member’s phone.”
Then, after reading up on organizational communication and going through Google reviews, Sam learned of Pumble.
“I realized there was no way around it — we would need to install an app. It needed to be compatible with Windows as well as Android and iOS.”
Next came the test run:
“I ran a pilot evaluation with 3 members who volunteered as my test subjects. We worked out the kinks and felt ready to roll it [Pumble] out to the members who wanted to participate. That was last November.”
The pilot was a success. By the end of 2022, the Raleigh Aeromasters club had fully adopted Pumble as their main communication tool.
Switching to Pumble gave the club a space where they could easily communicate with each other and brought them closer together.
Let’s see exactly how Pumble benefited this Aeromasters club.
Before Pumble, the club published member lists with emails and phone numbers, but this approach made communication cumbersome, fragmented, and at times overwhelming:
“Meetings and emails work but do not necessarily foster a tight, inclusive ‘hug.’ Our club publishes a member list with email and cell phone numbers for each member to contact each other. But, this is a bit overly complicated.”
With Pumble, members now have a real-time space where conversations flow naturally, and people feel more included:
“We saw a need for a more real-time means of communication between members, and we evolved from basic group texting to using Pumble, which has involved so many members in ways we didn’t have before.”
This shift created a stronger sense of belonging, helping members stay connected not just at the flying field, but throughout the week.
Grow your community with PumbleCoordinating flying sessions was one of the biggest challenges before Pumble.
Members typically flew on Sundays, but for those who wanted to fly on weekdays, it was difficult to know who else might show up.
Sam recalls the struggles he had when he retired and had more time for flying:
“There was a missing link in the club-based communication. I ran into this when I retired, as most members fly on weekends. Sunday is the most common day, with the most fliers participating. But as a retired person, if I wanted to fly on a Tuesday, I would typically be the only person in the field.”
Attempts at group texting helped, but they quickly became messy. Some people didn’t want constant notifications, while others wanted to be added or removed from growing lists:
“So, I started texting other retired members. We went from a group text of 1 to 5 to 10 to 20 people. It was fraught with problems, as some people didn’t want to be disturbed by all the texting activity. It wasn’t easy to keep up with the growing list of people. People wanted to be added or removed.”
Thankfully, with Pumble, these are problems of the past:
“Pumble’s core features were exactly what we needed — chat room, channel capabilities, and direct messaging for one-on-one conversations or group texting. Our club now has 19 channels, and the DM section is used often.”
The club created dedicated channels where members could post their plans and see who else was available to fly:
“So now, anyone wanting to fly on a random weekday can post on the #01-whos-flying-at-the-field channel, say when they plan to fly, and inquire whether anyone else is planning to fly. This works magnificently.”
Another benefit of Pumble is its simplicity.
Members can easily create new channels, share files, and post updates.
Sam shared that they have a separate channel for sharing photos, newsletters and other helpful files:
“We added channels for photos, newsletters, crash and repair tips, buy & sell, field maintenance, club events, etc. We constantly have members asking for help, with others offering quick responses. Some members post successful plane projects for others to build with useful photos and tips.”
Sam especially appreciates how Pumble balances functionality with ease of use:
“It’s easy. It’s flexible. Any member can create a new channel. The free version offers all the functionality we need. Pumble support has been outstanding, with quick responses to my questions and suggestions. There is a sense that the Pumble team really wants to know how to improve the product.”
For the Raleigh Aeromasters Flying Club, Pumble has become more than a messaging app — it’s a true community hub.
By giving members a simple, reliable way to connect, the club has seen stronger engagement, better organization, and a renewed sense of community.
In short, Pumble helped the Aeromasters:
For any club or organization looking to strengthen collaboration, the Aeromasters’ experience makes the case clear.
Pumble is a tool that keeps people connected.
Get started with Pumble