Answer #1 ; Growth of the hobby , period . Not growth of the AMA , not growth of the aspects of the hobby I'm interested in , the raw numbers of people practicing any form of aeromodeling per percentage of the population is smaller today I believe than in years past , and the recent bankruptcy of "Hobbico" (Absorbed by Horizon) is further proof that the numbers just aren't there . When one of the only two big names in the industry fails so spectacularly , the proof of the decline is right there "in your face" as it were . Can you imagine if interest in owning cars fell so far as to see Ford or GM literally disappear overnight ? Think THAT would be indicative of waning public interest ?
Answer #2 , I consider the "Aeromodeling hobby" to be anything that flys through the air for fun , without a human pilot on board . That craft can be a model of an airplane , a helicopter , a multicopter , be the method of control R/C C/L or even no control from the ground at all , F/F . As far as I'm concerned it can be a remotely operated model of a hot air balloon , it's still Aeromodeling ! Are you flying it for fun , without actually being on board the aircraft ? If your answer is yes , then it's aeromodeling .
Any further questions ?????