K-Bob

My Feedback: (1)

No actions by the AMA in the past would indicate they would do anything of the sort. Why would you ask?

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Nah... They'd just prefer to have the clubs do that... You know, close all sites and events to AMA members only...like they do now with model airplanes...

Tjettzky

The VAST majority of surface guys are bashers. They could care less if all the local clubs were closed by the AMA (in this "AMA as All-Mighty" scenario that I'm picking up on in this thread). Even if they were members (and they're probably not) they'd just go find another parking lot or cul-de-sac. IF the AMA came in and usurped ROAR or IFMAR (or whatever ruling body a particular track bends their knee to) and didn't make any grand changes to the race rules and regs, the racers would simply change their "Pay To The Order Of" line over to AMA and keep on racing.

Chucksolo69

I can actually see the AMA's purpose here. Get more members, right? I too am into RC cars/trucks as well as helicopters and planes, but, in my area, most of the people who run cars are generally 10-25 year olds. I am the exception at 50+. Most of those folks are NOT going to pony up 50 bucks to bash around. We all know that racers are in the minority when it comes to RC cars/trucks. Like it was stated before, most RC car/truck guys are bashers. What would be the point of signing them up? Do these youngsters really want insurance to bash in an empty lot. Probably not. I hate to say it, but we airplane guys tend to be an older, more educated bunch than most RC car/truck bashers. Not saying there aren't exceptions; that's just a fact in my neck of the woods.

drube

What ever they do, I just hope they don't try to cram it all in one magazine! I see very little in the mags now that i'm interested in. To many free flight/rubber band plane articals for me..

Hossfly

No, John, as AMA has NO authority over private groups of any kind. The only authority AMA has over anyone is the AMA Membership persons and the AMA Chartered Clubs which can only have AMA Members. That authority has nothing to do with legalities.
The authority is only available because of the AMA Libilaty Insurance provisions and most rules are dictated by the Insurance Provider. This insurance is provided for individual members and also can be extended through the Chartered Clubs to provide certain liability insurance to those land-owners that allow model airplane fliers on the property owners' lands.
AMA's Safety Code is the main regulation as far as the AMA aeromodeler member is concerned. If boaters and cars are allowed in, then there will have to be some changes made. In a real world, the majority of those that vote make the rules for themselves and such rules are then levied on the non-voters. Where do you wish to be?

johndavis

well i dont want to have to join the ama  just so i can race at the local race track.at the fkying fields aroud here  if you are not a member of the ama then you cant fly at that field.  so i dont want the ama to take over just to boost their membership. and make it more expensive for me to race.      we have r.o.a.r  and i.b etc. enough governing our tracks.  if i ever take up flying i will join the ama.  i plan on trying flying in the future.

K-Bob

My Feedback: (1)

That would be the decision of the private club not the AMA. They could just as easily require that all members have mustaches. The AMAcannot control a flying site involuntarily.

cj_rumley

As I have become accustomed to, Iagree in general with what you said.

Also, I know that AMAis the Insurance Provider for the first $250K of 'in excess' liability coverage per occurrence for certain limited risks associated with flying a MA (after HO and the like have doled out for their share, per contract, which covers most incidents) which is an amount often ample for the total payout per annum, and Westchester Surplus Lines sells AMAwhatever AMA specifies they want, at a price in accord with actuarial tables plus a generous allowance for overhead and profit, for coverage that applies above and beyond that.... whew, parse that

I can't buy into the excuses/apologetics ala buck-passing to a largely imaginary, demonized 'Insurance Provider overlord,' and no other thinking person should. The figures are in the required annual reports on fiscal state of AMA. If it matters to you, read them.

Other than that, good post

CJ

Hossfly

Agree or not makes no difference to me. I am unsure as to your insurance company remarks. It is true that the AMA EC, and those in the top administration hierarchy do work with West Chester to bring the LIABILITY Insurance down in price as much as AMA can do so.
Remember here we are discussing LIABILITY INSURANCE, not the basic cuts and bruises items.

The AMA Safety Code is a direct result of the high deduction for certain items that AMA can cover rather than Westchester. The higher Ins. amounts ar basically referenced to lawsuits filed by member to member and NON-MEMBER accidents. The Insurance company has been with AMA for a long time. I well remember when I was a DVP and it was almost down to NO INSURANCE as the companies wanted far more than AMA could pay. Not even LLoyds of London would take the program as AMA could pay.
Westchester cam on board some years ago and their costs are now well below their first years. That is because AMA was able to do the small expenses and has done well promoting Safety, thus providing a reason for bringing the expense lower.

No matter what anyone believes, the cost of insurance was the top item until some years ago the magazine Model Aviation topped out as the #1 expense outside basic administration. That is also in the annual audit reports. As you, CJ, say, "If it matters to you, read them."

AERORICH73

Hosslfy: I just sent an e-mail to Jay about the July issue of MA. You will note on page 12 the mention of the FAA's ruling not done yet about our RC flying, and then the Fabulous FF on page 20 with a follow up of Beginner's Guide to FF on page 28. Going to page 37, you can build a rubber powered BN.1 model. This seems to be making it clear that there is some worry about a fall out of members if the FAA deems RC fuel powered models to unsafe for us to operate, and are trying to keep the activity going by moving us into the direction of non engine powered models. Well, I for one told Jay that they will have to pull my cold dead fingers away from my hands from around my glow plug engines. Living on 2.6 acres, I am moving back into the 1/2A arena where I can fly here at home without the AMA. This July issue may be colorful, but has no useful information about building fuel powered models. In reviewing my stack of RCM magazines, I can well see the downward slide to the secular, marketing gutter we are being taken.

cj_rumley

Yeah, Iknow Hoss.
To fess up, I was just tugging on Superman's cape. My wording, translated from plain English to borderline Swahili ala armchair lawyer was sarcasm. Like "here we go, back to the insurance thing ...," next up will be rehash #73x of the "AMAis not an insurance company" debate. We do the same thing over and over that Iget frustrated about with leadership of our org - bogged in the business of the bureaucracy, precious little about modeling. I have to ask myself...... and others "What are we doing here?" from time to time. What matters to me is the modeling. I'm gonna STFU now and find the latest issue of MA, rip out the pages from the ECmembers and staffers and then read the articles about models and modelers.

CJ

KidEpoxy

now if we could just get cox049 and Norvel074 anymore

Jim Thomerson

Back during WWII, powered model flight was banned in England, but flourished in the Axis occupied contries, to the irritation of British modelers. I think the FF emphasis issue of MA follows the design of having emphasis issues, and doubt that there is a conspiracy involved. The idealistic idea of getting people started in model aviation by building simple hand launched gliders and Delta Dart type rubber powered models is basically sound, if somewhat impractical. There is complaint about technical people who have no mechanical experience, or practical problem solving experience. Some practice on a simulator, and a take it out of the box and fly it park flier, is clearly the quickest way to get into the air, but that is all it is.

I have conducted several Delta Dart building and flying sessions for various student groups. Few 12 year olds have the patience to read instructions, even look at pictures, and quickly become bored. I have had kids tell me their parents did not allow them to use a knife or single edge razor blade. I followed, some years back in Aeromodeller, the adventures of a British modeler doing their equivalent of the Delta Dart. He finally went to cutting all the built up parts out of foam so all the kids had to do was glue them together. Incidentally, girls usually build better Delta Darts than boys.

It was said, tongue in cheek, again some years back in an Aeromodeller article about SAM radio assist events, that in the future, due to urbanization and environmental concerns, the only allowed outdoor model flying activity would be electric control line.