flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

We started a MGP chapter and we require that anyone wanting to join our chapter must be an ama member. MGP has no requirements of ama membership to register on their site or to start a local mgp chapter.

Anyone with just an interest in fpv racing can register and start a chapter so membership numbers can't determine how many are ama members, how many actually fly, or how may actively race,

I don't know the percentage but I would guess the number of registered mgp users without ama membership is somewhat high. If a pilot wants to excel and participate in a national event then I would hope they know the need to become an ama member. At this point there is no info on/in the mgp site (at least I never found any) stating if/why/when a pilot should join the ama.

rcmiket

But wait they are a AMA SIG and the biggest ............................... How can that be..........................................
Kudos to you and your group for your effort to do it right.

Mike

init4fun

Ok Gents , I have two here telling me MGP has no requirements of AMA membership , and one here telling me AMA is required . Can anyone post up a link proving one way or the other whether AMA membership is needed or not ?

Not that I'm gonna be racing anything here anytime soon mind you , MR or fixed wing , but I figure when there are two statements in direct opposition to each other it would be nice to nail down exactly which it is , AMA membership is either required or it's not . To be honest my first instinct is telling me how can one be a member of a subgroup without being a member of the main group that contains the subgroup , but I'm willing to see in print what the actual MGP policy on AMA membership is before I go throwing any guesses out here about this .

rcmiket

Looks to me like there's no consistency. Anyone can become a member and start a chapter without AMA ( which I have no problem with) Some Chapters require AMA to race( a good thing) and apparently some do not ( that I do have a problem with). Now since it's "the biggest,fastest growing AMA SIG" I for one would like to know just what's the deal here.? I sure hope the other SIG's are more organized...........................

Mike

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Twisted and convoluted logic at it's best. More goalpost movement too for good measure. Global membership is completely irrelevant, as is the continued attempt to mimimize the whole movement because you think only three people in your area actually race. The fact that folks outside the US are members of this US based SIG doesn't mean it isn't the largest AMA Sig (which of course it is), nor that it's not the fastest growing SIG (which of course it is). Ironically this genre is so popular, notwithstanding some refusing to accept it, it's spreading across the globe. Worldwide baby!

Yes, they are the biggest, most popular SIG. There is no real dispute on that. Those numbers we both love are right out there to see.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

This is inconsistent to you? Vague? Unclear?

[h=4]Pilots: Why should I create a profile and attend a MultiGP event?[/h] MultiGP chapters welcome all pilots regardless of their skill level. You’ll notice a difference in how our events are run because we provide helpful tools and resources to our chapters. We have found this creates a fun and rewarding experience, which ultimately leads to more time for racing, greater safety and more time to socialize with your fellow pilots. MultiGP also offers a variety of racing classes forged by FPV racers just like you. This makes them fun, competitive and delivers the adrenaline rush we know you’re searching for. Not to mention, they give you another excuse to add an additional aircraft to your fleet. The only credential we require is an Academy of Model Aeronautics Membership (AMA) to ensure you and your fellow pilots have a mutual respect for safety. For more information on how to obtain an Academy of Model Aeronautics Membership, click HERE.

My emphasis added to ensure clarity.

rcmiket

That's my question also. There's ZERO proof of that. Short of him saying it's so but what else is new. .

Mike

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

See above....and the link in my OP. Mike will want to split hairs here on the "well anyone can just sign up", which I suppose is correct, but clearly that person is not going to be heading down to one of their events and participating as a pilot without the AMA card. The same premise he has can be applied to any of the SIGs, perhaps folks do sign up and then do nothing, but that doesn't diminish the overall membership numbers. And there are other metrics to gauge intetest,poplularity, acceptance, usage, etc etc. I get that Mike doesn't care the whole MR/Drone thing and doesn't feel it's viable, or should be part of the AMA etc. Impossible to change that viewpoint, I get it. We feel what we feel, sometimes despite evidence to the contrary. I've noted I'm not into MR/Drones in any way, don't' care for them actually. Heli's either for that matter, lol. I'm all plank, all the time. I cannot however look past the the obvious reality all around me everyday. This is happening all around us everyday, and to ignore it seems irrational, imo

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

LoL...I'm the MultiGP now? I'm all of the other SIGS now? You give me too much credit as usual.

It's all in the numbers, something we both like looking at.

11,000.

astrohog

My Feedback: (1)

Well that is the number for the multiGP SIG (nobody disputed that number), but nobody posted the numbers from the other SIG's, so how did we determine the, "winner"?

Astro

init4fun

Thank You for the answer Silent , I kinda thought it might be that way but wanted to ask someone I figured would know for sure . I really am surprised in that I thought the participation in the sigs was higher than any of the numbers I read .

Thank You for the quote from the MGP website , it's much appreciated . I really couldn't see how someone could be a member of an AMA subgroup without being an AMA member because the first thing that comes to my mind of course is how would one fly at an MGP event (or at any other sig event for that matter) without AMA insurance ? Something I do agree with you here is that while I'm personally not into rotorcraft of any type , I do not believe the popularity of any one subset detracts one bit from the enjoyment I get practicing the subset of the hobby that I am into . If they are truly are following the Safety Code the skies are plenty big enough for everybody and if they're flying against the Safety Code (like flying unrestricted hobby based BLOS , for ex) then that is a problem for us all no matter what airframe is being used to break the rules .

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

"people are saying....."

astrohog

My Feedback: (1)

Where did that quote come from? Not this thread.

Just more worthless spin and deflection.

Astro

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

And trash, don't forget trash.

Facts, citations, links, examples, numbers...since when does any of that matter to some here? Even when they come from someone other than me, lol. Everything we're talking about here is opinion, is this suddenly a revelation?

Show me another SIG that purports to have 11,000 members and continues to grow. So far....I haven't seen anything close. Perhaps the model rocket sig, or all the others including the JPO just want to stay quite, on the down low if you will. Perhaps some can update their sites off the Geocities platform and come into the 90's with some updates, then we can see. (disclaimer: the Geocities comment is hyperbole, some sites did actually update their data as recently as 2014).

astrohog

My Feedback: (1)

Well if you insist! Just don't use it as fodder to lob at me in future posts, okay? 😉

Since you stated it as fact in your title and your post

When you can find ALL the numbers, it would be fair to make that statement (IF the numbers actually substantiated your claim). I never refuted that they may be the largest, just that there are plenty of figures missing from the equation in order to make that claim. Remember, I'm just here to unspun the spin! 😉

Astro

rcmiket

Because he said so and there's no way of knowing that 11,000 number is even accurate. It's already been stated you don't even have to be a AMA member ( or even partake in FPV racing) to register with MGP.
Since were playing the unverifiable number game NASA a AMA SIG has 11,001 members ( I say there is and I'm a member) and they are all AMA members.
We Win .
Mike

rcmiket

Just for fun I joined MGP. No other info besides name, user name,password and email required. NOT ONE WORD ABOUT AMA REQUIRED. IN my email "welcoming" me nothing about AMA either. Thought they would at least mention them since they are a SIG. Maybe bringing up the $75 bucks of membership to the AMA at the time of registration would scare off new members. Maybe Facebook could be a AMA SIG also that would be the largest SIG right outta the box.
Oh well.

Mike

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Intentionally obtuse or just completely unaware? Anyone can join that doesn't mean you get to race at their events comma for that in ama is required. But congratulations on joining the fastest growing SIG in the AMA

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

Also, anyone, once a member of mgp can start their own local chapter and be the only member, and never have to race or participate at all.

I appreciate the effort the folks at mgp are doing but as an ama sig they really need to do a better job of explaining to existing and new members what ama is and why membership is needed to race at statewide or national events.

rcmiket

Absolutely and the numbers are meaningless until what you suggest is implemented. The whole notion that it's "fastest growing SIG" is on paper only thus bogus. .

Mike

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

It is glorious to watch the sheer effort and energy expended to maintain the stance of denial.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Communication is always key. Explaining the benefits of member is something they can probably work on as a relatively new, but fast growing organization. Having the AMA live on site no doubt has been helpful. Brown was on-site in Hawaii, and reps were there in NY as well. Growing pains and learning experiences are to be expected.

init4fun

Ok , so , let me get this straight , the MGP requires an AMA membership , but doesn't verify that the applicant is an AMA member ? Seems kinda odd for an AMA sig to not require the applicant's AMA number as part of the signup process , if a membership is required doesn't it ? And of the foreign members , unless they were gonna vacation here and actually fly here what use would they have for an AMA membership when they are already likely a member of the national model aircraft org of the country they live in (MAAC for Canada and such) ? I thought there was some kind of agreement that for instance MAAC members are covered here in the US at AMA fields like AMA members are covered in Canada at MAAC fields , so a Canadian MGP member has to be required to be either a MAAC member or AMA member , right ?

Again , it just seems odd to be able to sign up to an AMA subgroup without already belonging to the main group that the subgroup is a spinoff of .

rcmiket

The "fastest growing" AMA SIG doesn't require proof of AMA membership to join. I joined today and did not have to provide a AMA number.
What's wrong with that picture but I'm criticized for questioning spending money to court them. Only a idiot would not see the issue there.

Mike

init4fun

Mike I guess now the follow on question would be ; Do any of the other sigs require proof of AMA membership to join ? I am kinda surprised to learn that any sig of the AMA can be joined without AMA membership since without the membership you can't fly whichever sub genre of the hobby the AMA sig is catering to .

Like I said , it just seems odd ....