Dues increase coming? 1 million spent on government relations.....
08-13-2015, 07:34 AM
#627
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I just received an e-mail I thought was interesting. I assume all AMA members did:
We have a special membership offer if you renew now. You may have heard the Open membership dues will increase to $75 on September 15.Our special membership offer allows you to lock-in at your current dues rate of $58 by renewing now or before September 14. And you have a choice to lock-in your dues for two years at $113 and save an additional $3.00
So $113/2yr sounds better to me than the $75/yr thats coming up.....at least it delays the pain and possibly allows us to see what happens with the Quads.
We have a special membership offer if you renew now. You may have heard the Open membership dues will increase to $75 on September 15.Our special membership offer allows you to lock-in at your current dues rate of $58 by renewing now or before September 14. And you have a choice to lock-in your dues for two years at $113 and save an additional $3.00
So $113/2yr sounds better to me than the $75/yr thats coming up.....at least it delays the pain and possibly allows us to see what happens with the Quads.
08-13-2015, 07:48 AM
#628
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I just received an e-mail I thought was interesting. I assume all AMA members did:
We have a special membership offer if you renew now. You may have heard the Open membership dues will increase to $75 on September 15.Our special membership offer allows you to lock-in at your current dues rate of $58 by renewing now or before September 14. And you have a choice to lock-in your dues for two years at $113 and save an additional $3.00
So $113/2yr sounds better to me than the $75/yr thats coming up.....at least it delays the pain and possibly allows us to see what happens with the Quads.
We have a special membership offer if you renew now. You may have heard the Open membership dues will increase to $75 on September 15.Our special membership offer allows you to lock-in at your current dues rate of $58 by renewing now or before September 14. And you have a choice to lock-in your dues for two years at $113 and save an additional $3.00
So $113/2yr sounds better to me than the $75/yr thats coming up.....at least it delays the pain and possibly allows us to see what happens with the Quads.
08-13-2015, 08:02 AM
#629
The AMA could spend 10 cents or 10 million, it is not going to affect the outcome.
good intentions do not equal a good policy, while I agree with many of the intentions of the AMA, spending boatloads of cash flying around to conferences trying to pretend to be big players in this brave new world of drones is ridiculous.
It is not like we did not get a preview of this movie. The Park Pilot program had all of the same intentions. We just HAD to get these Park Pilots into the AMA fold.....same deal. Tons of money spent, for what?
good intentions do not equal a good policy, while I agree with many of the intentions of the AMA, spending boatloads of cash flying around to conferences trying to pretend to be big players in this brave new world of drones is ridiculous.
It is not like we did not get a preview of this movie. The Park Pilot program had all of the same intentions. We just HAD to get these Park Pilots into the AMA fold.....same deal. Tons of money spent, for what?
08-13-2015, 10:39 AM
#631
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The AMA could spend 10 cents or 10 million, it is not going to affect the outcome.
good intentions do not equal a good policy, while I agree with many of the intentions of the AMA, spending boatloads of cash flying around to conferences trying to pretend to be big players in this brave new world of drones is ridiculous.
It is not like we did not get a preview of this movie. The Park Pilot program had all of the same intentions. We just HAD to get these Park Pilots into the AMA fold.....same deal. Tons of money spent, for what?
good intentions do not equal a good policy, while I agree with many of the intentions of the AMA, spending boatloads of cash flying around to conferences trying to pretend to be big players in this brave new world of drones is ridiculous.
It is not like we did not get a preview of this movie. The Park Pilot program had all of the same intentions. We just HAD to get these Park Pilots into the AMA fold.....same deal. Tons of money spent, for what?
What would have been your suggestion though on how to deal with the issue?
08-13-2015, 11:05 AM
#632
Ya, we're looking forward to it. Our field is close to Kaman Corp, the heli company. One day a guy shows up for one of our meetings and he's in a flight suit and I'm thinking, oh lord, someone has taken this flying thing a little to serious.Turns out he is the chief test pilot for Kaman and flies over our filed all the time, finally decided to see what it looked like from the ground. 
After some chatting, he mentioned being involved in the CAP...and it went from there!
After some chatting, he mentioned being involved in the CAP...and it went from there!He Did fly the AH-64 Apache (Retired). He put on a Demo one time, U would not believe what he could with that bird.
Too bad My Video Camera was back home.
08-13-2015, 11:41 AM
#633
Yes at what cost to get each new member? Why not just give all new members US$50 bucks, we would get a lot of new members that way too. We got 50,000 new ones by signing up kids for free. Imagine how many we would get for 50 bucks each
The AMA thought that these rules would swell the AMA ranks by hundreds of thousands. They thought they could "license" our safety "program" rules to other CBOs and make tons of money. Big player mentality, with good intentions.
Can't prove a negative. The evidence does not show that the AMA has ever gotten ahead of any of this trend. We spent tons of money for years in FAA working groups, 4 weeks after signing an FAA/AMA MOU we ended up blindsided by the new FAA interpretation. The sole exception was drafting Section 336, and now we are even having to sue over that. Blew our foot off with the 5 mile limit language.
Give the staff the same mission with 1/20 the budget. Don't hire lobbyists, don't travel to Vegas conferences, don't hire "government relations" experts, use email, webex etc etc.
Give the staff the same mission with 1/20 the budget. Don't hire lobbyists, don't travel to Vegas conferences, don't hire "government relations" experts, use email, webex etc etc.
08-13-2015, 02:23 PM
#636
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Mike
08-13-2015, 03:12 PM
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Apparently you have no clue as to cuts that have been made already.....
08-13-2015, 03:20 PM
#638
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"We have evaluated and analyzed every aspect of our spending and “tightened our belt” in every way feasible. We have renegotiated with our vendors to reduce expenses or signed contracts with new vendors that could meet our terms. But that business strategy can only go on for so long before this begins to negatively affect the benefits and the level of service we provide our membership. The Executive Council and AMA staff will begin developing a new strategic plan in July that will be used to lead the organization during the next five to 10 years."
Please enlighten me I see nothing but " we've done a good job" that will get your butt fired in the real world.
. Apparently their "cuts" were not effective since we just got a dues increase along with fee increases from Charter fees to camping fees from the AMA. I've said it once and will say it again. This increase is not about offering us a better product.
Mike
Last edited by rcmiket; 08-13-2015 at 03:31 PM.
08-13-2015, 04:38 PM
#640
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"We have evaluated and analyzed every aspect of our spending and “tightened our belt” in every way feasible. We have renegotiated with our vendors to reduce expenses or signed contracts with new vendors that could meet our terms. But that business strategy can only go on for so long before this begins to negatively affect the benefits and the level of service we provide our membership. The Executive Council and AMA staff will begin developing a new strategic plan in July that will be used to lead the organization during the next five to 10 years."
Please enlighten me I see nothing but " we've done a good job" that will get your butt fired in the real world.
. Apparently their "cuts" were not effective since we just got a dues increase along with fee increases from Charter fees to camping fees from the AMA. I've said it once and will say it again. This increase is not about offering us a better product.
Mike
Please enlighten me I see nothing but " we've done a good job" that will get your butt fired in the real world.
. Apparently their "cuts" were not effective since we just got a dues increase along with fee increases from Charter fees to camping fees from the AMA. I've said it once and will say it again. This increase is not about offering us a better product.
Mike
08-13-2015, 04:45 PM
#641
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Instead of reverse engineering AMA's statements, twisting words, and creating a false narrative as you did previously concerning the period the one million dollars was spent and for what purposes, why don't you reach out to your District VP and ask for facts about what belt tightening has occurred? Remember, don't ask the questions if you don't want to hear the answers!
I might add you said " Apparently you have no clue as to cuts that have been made already....."
Apparently you have no clue either on what cuts were made.....................................
Mike
Last edited by rcmiket; 08-13-2015 at 05:00 PM.
08-13-2015, 05:27 PM
#642
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Instead of reverse engineering AMA's statements, twisting words, and creating a false narrative as you did previously concerning the period the one million dollars was spent and for what purposes, why don't you reach out to your District VP and ask for facts about what belt tightening has occurred? Remember, don't ask the questions if you don't want to hear the answers!
08-14-2015, 03:36 AM
#643
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You might realize at this point that no matter what the answer given, there will be no end to questions, and no end to the constant non stop never ending criticism that the AMA will get heaped upon it. Done to much, or not enough. Spent to much, but we don't know where and how and why, but AMA fatcats are getting rich, and eating out at nice places, and that big building they are in etc etc etc. If one answer is given, another question will be asked, and unless it fits the narrative put forward by the question, off to the races we will go. There are always ways to improve communications and transparency, but really, are the answers ever going to turn back what has happened that has caused this big outrage (is it really that big I would ask) to begin with. Is the AMA going to backtrack on "drones"...are they going to stop advocating for modelers, are they going to stop trying to work with the FAA on rules/regs. It just isn't going to happen. There might be discontent and dismay, and even "great concern", but I would make the comment it's more prevalent here and in some other threads and sites, but not at the level of making any significant change in the actions going forward. Apathy, disinterest, the lack of overall effect this has on the average hobbyist...take your pick, there are undoubtedly more reasons why.
All we as members are asking for are straight answers nothing more. Is that really bad or wrong? Sometimes we forget that WE are the AMA and without us there would be no organization.
Mike.
08-14-2015, 04:02 AM
#644
Seems to me if you have a controversy the best way to deal with it is to be open. I honestly feel the AMA needs to open up to the members and explain the planned course of action to deal with "government relations to keep model aviation free of onerous restrictions and regulations.". Why not just lay out a plan to the members along with estimated cost associated with the plan. A "blank check" policy is not a good approach it leads too many questions about where the moneys being spent. There have been numerous reports from AMA members (here and on other threads) that when they contacted the Reps. they were handed a cookie cutter response with no real content or answers to questions asked.
All we as members are asking for are straight answers nothing more. Is that really bad or wrong? Sometimes we forget that WE are the AMA and without us there would be no organization.
Mike.
All we as members are asking for are straight answers nothing more. Is that really bad or wrong? Sometimes we forget that WE are the AMA and without us there would be no organization.
Mike.
If perchance U did make it to the Inner Circle your thinking would Probably change dramatically.
08-14-2015, 05:49 AM
#645
We have no say. The A.M.A has a blank check. Nobody there is listening. They're all probably on a beach in the Caribbean sipping rum punches.
Last edited by Tom Nied; 08-14-2015 at 05:52 AM. Reason: grammar
08-14-2015, 09:30 AM
#646
08-14-2015, 10:14 AM
#648
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08-14-2015, 10:34 AM
#649