porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Harsh dude...on another point though, what are the best two days as a boat owner? The day you buy it..and the day you sell it.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Same thing with a full scale air plane owner.... but really if U can't afford less than an extra Nickel a day ...

Tom Nied

I love how some are so sensitive to realize how the dues increase will effect some of us. If it's no big deal, I wonder if they'd be willing to pay for my dues increase? Probably not. Oh heck, why not make A.M.A dues a $1000 a year, it will weed out all us whiny ***** old folgies types.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

If a Nickel per day is too much then send in $93 save $3 and U are good for another 2-1/2 years.

eindecker 3

My paycheck is not meager I choose not to feed the AMA machine anymore and by the way I don't like sail boats and I can spell you instead of 'U'

Tom Nied

eindecker3, I couldn't have said it better.

Duncman

You are so kind and understanding!!! Lol

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Belonging to the AMA is strictly voluntary. No one forces "U" to belong to the AMA. Hell this country unlike others don't even require "U" to carry insurance. There 2 things "U" can do if "U" don't like what an organization to which "U" subscribe does then first "Just don't belong or second run for Office get elected" and do what ever "U" can to change things from the inside. I don't like the way the Federal State and Local governments spend My Tax dollars but we all keep paying don't we.

eindecker 3

I know it is voluntary but like I said I am tired of feeding the AMA with money. Where did that 1 million go anyway?

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Why do U even care or maybe start with Mr. Kris Dixon your AMA VP for that answer. Check your latest edition of MA page 137 for his Email Phone and home address.

Waco

My Feedback: (265)

belonging to the AMA is mandatory if you want to fly at a field, The only 2 fields within 30 miles of me requires AMA membership or you don't fly there. most fields are like this so many don't have a choice if they want to fly.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

And just what is wrong with that. Another Nickle a day ... Really! Like I said before.
If a nickle a day is too much maybe U/anyone doesn't belong in this hobby.

Jim Branaum

My Feedback: (3)

I am not going to take HD's approach, I will use a little Vasoline! ()

The reason MOST fields take that approach has to do with their leases. AMA provides insurance to the LAND OWNER in addition to whatever you are able to stick to your homeowners and AMA secondary insurance. Most reasonable folks I know of like to have protections for their stuff in place and that means insurance. Now you CAN go fly off the side of some road somewhere but if ANYTHING happens you are 100% ON YOUR OWN. So the AMA approach is reasonable for most. If you have or can get better, do so and don't troll here.

Duncman

Also a liability issue even in clubs that are an cooperation, as a club should be. In California the cooperation firewall is all but impossible to breach if negligence is not proven, if it is proven, and lack of adequate insurance is certainly an element of that, then the cooperate firewall begins to breakdown, exposing all members to possible litigation in the event of a catastrophic accident. Coupled with any personnel liability insurance one may have, AMA is an economical plan any way you look at it and given the dangers this hobby presents, foolish not to have if you have assets you wish to protect.

Waco

My Feedback: (265)

Yes its attitudes like this that is going ruin RC today, clubs are losing members every year, our club used to be pushing 100 members and now there are only 20 and of that only 5 or 6 that are active. other clubs in the area are having the same problems with membership falling off, its just not cost of AMA but everything is going higher and it will soon be the hobby of a select few.

eindecker 3

Don't you wonder were that money went? Or are you going to slam me again?

rcmiket

That's the problem most just don't care to make the effort and inquire to their AMA officers on just what's going on. As long as that trend continues we'll see no answers.

On a side note the 2014 financial statement is up on the AMA site.


http://www.modelaircraft.org/Members...tatements.aspx

Mike

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

That's because most people don't have an agenda they want to push (not that this is a bad thing). People might just want to join so they can fly at a club. Pull in, shoot the breeze with some folks, fly and RELAX and have FUN and get away from the stuff they normally deal with at WORK. This is supposed to be a fun hobby after all. It's the same with people in clubs, some just want to fly, not deal with anything else. I'm good with that.

Now the flip side, and the "good" side of being agenda driven is that these are the folks who try to get things done. They are the club officers and people who help at events, or those that join the AMA and try to make changes they feel strongly about.

Thanks for the link!

Duncman

If you think the hobby is expensive now then maybe you haven't seen what it cost in the 50's and 60's and if you are losing club members, just maybe there might be other reasons that is occurring other than inflation. The area I live in has 3 clubs with a combined total of over 200 members and though the area is losing population, the clubs are growing and the whole county only has a population of 180,000. All this hate and discontent over a paltry $17.00 a year, you'd think the AMA was neutering us. Run that 40 size airplane into a wonderstruck kid without AMA insurance, even if you have Homeowner's, and I'll bet that increase in dues will seem pretty cheap.

BrightGarden

You have to look at the whole AMA body of members. Many keep it simple - $$ spent on the hobby doesn't really mean an increase in pleasure/fun.
We're hearing in this thread and others that
People feel there was a bit of mismanagement of costs that lead to the rise.
The AMA is not communicative.
The AMA is not transparent.
We're sucked into the drone war.
Muncie doesn't benefit the majority.

I'm stating facts here about sentiment. If you read my other posts I am pro AMA.
I think it is a good time to trim the sails, and communicate with the members.

The AMA dues is a deterrent to new flyers to get into the hobby. Club dues + AMA can run $250, as in my case.
After getting reconnected to the hobby about 15 months ago, I am pretty much hearing what I expected to hear about the AMA. Unfortunately. Last year was the first year I ever belonged to the AMA.
I believe in doing something to improve the AMA, not just complaining. Out of collective bellyaching I think resolutions can come forward.

If you want to see one of the biggest forces bringing people into the hobby, make sure you watch the FliteFest 2015 video on FliteFest.com.
They have returned the fun to flying.
Parents + kids having really fun. KISS approach, a touch of ridiculous and you get a mob.
Family friendly.

Let's make things better.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

well said...it's not an inexpensive proposition to get started. AMA fees, club fees, and perhaps a new plane and gear can easily climb into the 500-600 range.

BrightGarden

Getting re-started last year, I was in and flying for the cost of a DX6i (which is the minimum equipment I recommend to others) and $100 foamie (slowbipe.com) + electronics. That is less than the AMA + club fees.
Now, obviously you get benefits from those things. But just saying - I was out in a park flying in a couple eves of assembling plane, figuring out electronics.
The big push for me to join AMA and club was I wanted to fly slimers and around here in NY you just can't get away with flying those noisy things anywhere, unlike the way it was when I was kid. My old fields are now neighborhoods.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

I'm not slamming anyone I just know when it's impossible for the average Joe to do anything about an organization's policies, So I could give a crap what they do. A club in Arizona to which I belong realized after spending 53 grand to repair our 18 year old runway. Long story short the club is run by a Board. The board makes all decisions and all board decisions are final. Long story short the board realized that in 10 years maybe they will have to replace the runway or move to a new a new location. Well they usually had 300+ members by the end of march. Well they Upped the dues from $75 to $100 with the new $15 going right into a RunWay fune. well they lost 100 members. so they made 200 x $25 = $5000 for the runway fund but lost 100 x $75 = $7500 loss so they are really out $2500.
Whe'll se if the dues increase looses members for the AMa, only time will tell.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

One of the 5 clubs i pay to belong to we own the property 37 acres. We have at present 75 shares that have sold for between $900 and $3000. The price varies on the possibility one of the other local fields is rapidly being enclosed on by new housing. Besides your initial Share price we get $135 for yearly dues. oe also must be a current member of the AMA and we are a corporation. I'm 72 been retired since Nov1 2000 and spend a lot on my Hobby. Not bragging just lucky enough I saved enough to do this. Untill 2 years ago I never had a new car and never paid more then $5000 for a veichale. 2years ago I pain $6100 fo a 8 year old Dodge Van. It's all wher we decide to spend our disposable income.

rcmiket

If a significant number of members jump on the 2 year deal than it could be 3 years till we see just what the increase will do to the numbers. Most I've spoke with are doing just that and in 2 years look at just were we are as a organization. Unless the AMA becomes more transparent and open with the members they could face a real issue in a few years. Banking on the "drone" crowd to jump on board is foolish thinking on their part IMO.

Mike