ggimlick

Well Horrace, I suspect you'll have a chance to prove all of your points. You are the first name on the ballot and they no longer indicate the incumbent. Most who do take the time to vote will select the first name if they don't follow or pay attention. That should play well for you. I'm a big supporter of the AMA and have written a column in MA for years, a magazine I've heard you disparage many times. When you are elected, I'll be anxious to see the changes you implement. I'm not against change at all and I think the turnover on the EC has been a good thing. I hope you will negotiate and not dictate.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Really Horace?

Any thought about voting for you, in my eyes, gets stamped out with this "conspiracy around every corner" view on things.

I personally agree with Greg, you're first on the ballot, the incumbent isn't marked, and that the people that don't know any details of the election and actually bother to send the ballot in, may very well mark the first name and send it back.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Really Horace?

Any thought about voting for you, in my eyes, gets stamped out with this "conspiracy around every corner" view on things.

I personally agree with Greg, you're first on the ballot, the incumbent isn't marked, and that the people that don't know any details of the election and actually bother to send the ballot in, may very well mark the first name and send it back.

Hossfly

Thank you, Mr. Greg Gimlick, but I doubt very seriously that I will be more than #2 in the final standing. If I do then I will be pestering you to teach me basic electrics and that, SIR, will be a difficult chore for you.
Those little sparky-things are beyond my "unner-standing". OTOH I never tired of that big Hornet .60 "sparker" going around the circle at near dark shooting out the blue flame exhaust. That was a long time ago. Shucks, electrics today don't send out any flaming exhaust, so where is the fun???

Hossfly

Have you, BH, ever thought about that may well be a large contributing factor why this country and even smaller organizations are so screwed up?
IMO, There are far too few of us that question almost anything, much less question any power group.
As long as those in power fail to listen to my hero's words, nothing is going to get better.
Thomas Jefferson: "I have sworn upon the alter of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Small groups to total countries need to stand up and listen to those words.

I have spent way too much of my time and money to sit on my be-hinder and watch AMA go down the drains while fighting for the satisfaction of those that hold the organization's reins for their personal enhancement, rather than, IMO, the needs of aero-modeling.

joebahl

My Feedback: (2)

You mean the needs of FPVs now and not aero modeling ! Us in aero modeling just get to watch them waist the AMAs money on them . After 40 years in the AMA this will be my last one ,sorry to say that but i cant stand the way the AMA is heading at this time in my life . joe

init4fun

So I guess you've never pushed a Lipo "To infinity and beyond" . Flaming exhaust , check

Now this right here is someone with their heart in the right place , but the execution is all wrong . Joe , if you quit the AMA and become one less voice for your style of aeromodeling , your FPV "foes" will have effectively gained one more member on their side ! The future of the AMA , just like ANY organization WILL be formed by the majority of it's members and if you allow that majority to become FPV pilots what voice will you have then ? Personally , In my own opinion , if folks are flying FPV as per doc. 550 and want to be AMA members , why exclude them ? There has always been and always will be strength in numbers as so long as it's hobby grade FPV and not commercial drone operations , why exclude any subset of our HOBBY just because we don't fly it ? I don't fly Helis or jets , should I call for their ouster , or just accept them for the fellow RC flyers that they are ? MY big worry is not concerning hobby grade FPV but that in the future the AMA will seek to get in on all the $$$ from commercial drone operations and we'll ALL be left in the dust ! We as hobbyists are a million dollar industry , where the very near future of drones promises billions . Do you trust any man or organization to hang onto small potatoes when they could be grabbin for the whole farm ?

joebahl

My Feedback: (2)

Normaly i would agree with you but the fact is no one in the AMA asked us the people who pay them if they should get involved with FPVs at all. They thought they seen dollar sighns and took them in and now us reg flyers are going to pay for their mistake. Not with my money anymore but i wish my fellow flyers good luck with the AMA in the future . joe

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Or.....they thought that getting these guys into the fold and flying by our safety code would be better for keeping ALL of us off the FAA radar.

One or the other.....

joebahl

My Feedback: (2)

They were thinking about new DUE money comming from FPV flyers joining but just like their park program that is and was a big flop .The FPV s are going to cost them more than it is worth . All they have done is brought unwanted attention to our once peacefull hobby by the Faa and others for no good reason except greed . joe

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

We will have to agree to disagree.

I think that FPV cast us all in the same light. It would be nice to get them following the CBA safety guidelines.

Hossfly

Joe, as I stated, there is a vast group that have Set Up AMA for their own play-house, and by following the outsiders' fun and games ( FPVs) leaving our real aeromodeling, THEY WIN. I have just mailed my largest ever, by far, donation to AMA. If we cannot change the current Insiders away from their current course, then it is my last donation. As all the political requests that hit my table every day requesting donations, well I am already dropping those.
But right now good aero-modelers and keepers of the modeling flames, don't give up now. We are on the cusp of getting on the front row to make significant changes.
Let's do it!

joebahl

My Feedback: (2)

I wish you and others like you Horrace good luck but iam tired of watching the same mistakes made by the AMA with my money . I fought against AMA bashers long ago with the ferrit here and many others on other forums but we the long time AMA members have no control over what the AMA does or does not do any longer and iam to tired of it. . I will fly off of private land and will enjoy it just as much as i always have with out all the AMA new drama. Plenty of lakes and retention ponds in IL to fly my scratch built stuff off of (electric BTW Horrace !) lol joe

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

That aircraft looks fantastic. I'm green with envy at others ability to build like that.

Presuming you haven't reverted in looks as you got older, I assume that's your son. If so, I hope he enjoys the hobby with you.

I get why people would be tired of politics in general, even more so when it's involving something like this hobby that is supposed to be fun. I think the reality though is that no matter who is in positions of power, they will be second guessed, criticized, berated and even have their motives questioned no matter what they do. If you read everything that's posted out there about the current AMA admin, you might think there's some endless pot of gold that they are all after, and each might have some huge jackpot of wealth and power at their fingertips when they ascend to these lofty positions of power. I'm guessing that's far from the truth. I also thought someone currently running for a position has mentioned term limits as part of their platform. As with many things, there's a plus and minus to that concept. I don't see anything nefarious in what the AMA is doing now, it's a veritable minefield that I think is being navigated as best as possible. Nobody is going to get everything they want, if everyone walks away grumbling, but with something in their hands they can call a "win", that might be the best that can be hoped for.

I'm more of the thought that getting involved and trying to effect change is the best way to go about it (but again, if that's already been done over and over without the intended outcome, I get saying enough is enough). Getting more involved at a local and regional level is always something that can be done, It might take a while, but I think good things can come from that. I applaud anyone willing to step up and throw their hat in the ring for any type of elective office in these difficult times. I do however think that no single person is going to make any significant changes without building consensus. That would be a feat in and of itself...I hope that can happen regardless of who is elected.

s3nfo

My Feedback: (14)

I blame Richard Nixon!
Everything's a frickin conspiracy theory anymore (since Watergate). No one's working for the betterment of anything, everyone's got some dire, hidden motivation for their nefarious acts.
Geez guys.......

joebahl

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks Porcia83 And yes the boy is my son and 11 now 9 in the picture .I also have 14 grandkids that most can fly . My boy helps cut out parts and sands them real close for my planes and does a great job ,flys and builds on his own now with his own tools .He got to join the AMA free till he is 18 and i will let him make up his own mind if he wants to pay his dues and stay in then. This part of the AMA ,teaching our youth is going but lately being pushed to the side by their other interests for waisting our money .My son is being raised around model airplanes and attending club meetings he knows about model airplane history from seeing it in person . I hope he teaches his own children grand children some day and builds and flys with them In the AMA or not . joe