KE-
You make some good points. Frankly, I think the RCU guys or TheHobbyGuy or most any independent enterprise has a better chance of making a go of a PF organization than AMA does. Seems clear from the discussion here and in other groups that AMA has to overcome opposition from within before having a fighting chance, as well as a "too much baggage" image amongst the target market. So far the AMA PF program seems to be selling insurance, a quarterly magazine and discount coupons.
The secondary personal insurance has a limit not much above what most HO policies provide. The landowner's coverage hasn't been disclosed
AFAIK. May not matter in civilized places like Texas that have placed limits on landowner liability when they have made their property available to model airplane hobbyists. I'd like to see AMA emulate the Texas club that pushed their state politicos to put that in the law books for the benefit all modelers, 'regular' and PF. Probably not going to happen, when insurance to cover that liability is the core product of AMA.
A quarterly magazine with a publication lead time like MA means any news will be 5-6 months old before it hits the street. That is eons to people that fly electrics, PF and others. Wonder what content it will have that can augment current material on-line.
Discount coupons? Who doesn't push them?
I think it is going to take much more than trying to convince the PFs they need the insurance, and the added fluff. At least half the existing members would drop AMA if they didn't have somebody telling them they must have it to gain admittance to the scarce facilities needed to accommodate their activity. Accommodations for PFs aren't (yet) scarce enough for that plan to work.
Maybe that 'something more needed' is in the program To Be Announced. We'll see. I think AMA needs the PFs to remain viable. But.........do the PFs need AMA?
Abel