RE: International Park Flyers Association
I don't think Dave Brown has a firm grasp at reality. Most park flyer's sold at place's like Wal-mart and Radio Shacks do not express the need for coverage of any type, nor will they ever.
I have never seen anyone shunned from the flying field because they have one of these type's of airplanes. In one of his columns he make's this remark. As if he is coming across as the park flyer savior, when in fact he is stagnating the AMA. AMA membership has dropped more under his administration than at any time before. The bottom line is even if you fly park flyer's, you still need to know how to fly. And if you never have flown before and you get one of these "anyone can fly this plane out of the box" airplanes, you will most likely crash it any way.
Most new people that buy these planes have no clue about clubs and the AMA. Of course there is not a lot of info available to the overall public about clubs and the AMA. The AMA spends millions of dollars advertising in it's perceived target market but not realizing the true target market. If they spent have as much on getting info out to the general public and flight instruction, the membership number's just might go up. I wonder how many Airhogs have been sold? Out of all those sold how many have learned about the AMA thru this? How many have actually learned to fly? How many said to themselves gee I am glad I didn't spend $300.00 on that nitro plane?
Happy landings,
The Doc