teookie

I'm kinda grumpy towards the AMA right now, since they wanted full price for my '07 membership after paying full price for '06 last July. I did not research AMA's policy towards this because I gave them the benefit of the doubt that they would not screw me. I was wrong.

So I won't be renewing my membership this year. It is not worth it to me. I will just go fly my plane somewhere other than a AMA club.

Does any one else find it ironic that you can buy a gun and find great places to shoot w/o having to join the NRA??? From what I can tell, it is an organization very similar to the AMA (insurance, fights for your rights with the feds, etc.)

Gotta go...

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

Why is it ironic? You can fly a plane without belonging to the AMA, its not like they have a monopoly on RC aircraft.

Also, how is it that your failure to know the policy equates to the AMA screwing you?

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Ditto:

Thanks for the original rant.[sm=thumbs_down.gif]

Sport_Pilot

It’s also ironic that you will have to pay full membership in the NRA if you wait till summer. Or any other organization that I know of. AOPA for one. Don't know of a single one that gives half year discounts.

Silent-AV8R

But you are all missing the point, and that is that the AMA sucks. Don't try to confuse the situation with facts and logic. The base premise in this forum is that the AMA sucks and we build from there.

Why is it so hard to keep this in mind???

STLPilot

My Feedback: (21)

Great places???? You mean places where there are no roads or signs of life?

I bet you can find a lot more places to find a places to fly an RC plane then shoot a gun, no matter if you live in the sticks or not. In fact to this date I've flown in about 30 school yards and not once have I been told to leave, try that with a gun and see how fast you'll be asked to leave in handcuffs. Same goes with just as many parks, but even moreso.

Sport_Pilot

Good point.

You have to pay for an indoor range, or get permission from the property owner, or risk going to jail to fire a gun wherever you want to. While you should get permission from the property owner to fly a model plane, I doubt you would go to jail if you fail to do so.

teookie

I was under the impression that it was in some way illegal to fly at parks, etc. And why would you ever WANT to shoot a gun at a park? The only place I want to shoot a gun is out in the hills.

teookie

Because that’s the kind of organization the AMA is, the kind that screws you. I simply assumed it was a good natured organization that operated on common sense and would never take advantage of people or do anything unfair... Totally my bad. I'm the one at fault here, but it's because I assumed the best of this organization (I should of hunted around more for the small print).

I don't like paying for things I don't get to use, like .5 yr of membership so I'm taking an indefinite amount of time off. At least long enough to cover my losses.

wahoo

My Feedback: (59)

I believe his gripe is that he paid full in July of 06' so why does he need to renew in Jan of 07'

Shouldn't the membership be good for a full year from the time you join. I know it doesn't work that way but i feel the same as he does. If they make you pay full price then you should be covered for the entire year OR pro rate the membership for the amount of time you will be covered for the remainder of the year. Which in his case would have been 1/2 year = half price.

John

Sport_Pilot

I don't know of any parks where its illegal to fly small park flyers. It is illegal to fire a gun at most parks. It is only legal to fire a gun at very remote parks with hundreds of square miles here in Georgia. Here at Acworth GA the closest one is in Floyd county somewhere north of Rome, GA. Or a private range in Temple, GA. You can fire a handgun or .22 rifle at an indoor range, but the price is much higher than bowling, probably more expensive than golf. Even if it is illegal to fly your park flyer, you would likely get a warning or small fine, if you fired a gun you would go to jail.

Sport_Pilot

Why? I don't know of any club that does that. Even the swimming pool here requires full payment if you join in August. Heck its only $58.

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

Sport, there you go again, looking for logic. Tooki's trolling, and he got the response he was looking for.

Let it go.
Dave Olson

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

Sounds like you may have had an opinion long before this post incident.


Common sense would lead one to believe that you READ the ENTIRE application before signing it. Failure to read the clearly stated policy on the two page application is hardly taking advantage or being unfair (IMHO), its not like its a stack of legal documents or something.

Agreed, you should have read the application instead of assuming.


Always sorry to lose someone interested in the hobby. I hope you enjoy your time off and enjoy flying at alternate locations. I used to fly at alternate locations, still do, nothing wrong with that.

Hope you change your mind and come back in the future.

STLPilot

My Feedback: (21)

Why would you want to shoot a gun at a park??? Don't know but it doesn't matter, you can't if you wanted too. Out in the hills doesn't sound like a wonderful place too me. Myself and a friend were flying our helis in a NYC subway car once, now that was a hoot. They shoot guns off in the subways from time to time too, but for other reasons then just entertainment.

But it does seem like a lot of people think it's illegal to fly at parks, but having an actual rule on the books about flying RC airplanes in most parks is very rare, it's only assumed. I can confidently say that in most parks in the NE region, RC is allowed. But of course like anything else, you can do more damage then good if you don't act responsible. Same goes with most schools, no rules, but if you are unsure just ask permission, in most cases they will say yes, just ask ... it works. Just don't over-do it.

In Federal Parks, RC flying is on the books as far as the rules go. Some allow it and others don't. Just be sure to find out, they take their jobs rather seriously in Fed Parks.

The reason why the AMA starts and ends on the 1st of the year is for obvious reasons, insurance is guaranteed for any card carrier until the last day of the year, for all members. This protects many people and many clubs from having to check each card every day, instead only once per year or when they join their club. I have a snakin suspicion there would be a great imbalance in the AMA if they start/stopped on any given date. Also the AMA does have a prorate program but it doesn't begin till after July I think.

Sport_Pilot

Maybe at Yellowstone park? Course its illegal to shoot the bears.

50%plane

My Feedback: (5)

Thanks for the information. I don't fly at many AMA clubs much anymore.

I don't find that ironic. t seems more like reality to me. If you don't want to buy it, then don't buy it.(basic principals of freedom)

bye.



50%

Matt Kirsch

My Feedback: (21)

If you buy a gun, you have to join a gun club in most places to have a place to shoot. Most gun clubs require NRA membership. Only if you live out in the sticks with acres and acres of land can you shoot without having to join anything.

Hmm, replace NRA with AMA, gun with plane, and shoot with fly.... Hmmmmm.....

Shoot, facts and logic. Sorry, I forgot that wasn't allowed in this forum. Shame on me.

Why are people willing to pay big bucks and work like dogs to have a place to shoot, but expect flying facilities to be provided for free? Maybe we should get Charlton Hesston or Ted Nugent as a spokesperson. Seems to work for the NRA.

ira d

Teookie

I aggree with you that there are too many fields that require AMA to fly there although
this has been debated at great length here on RCU you will find some people will
defend the AMA to the end and some will not.

I also dont see any reason the AMA has to charge full price if you joined late in the year
or they should give you a discount when you renew, they could still run the membership
jan to dec but just discount the renewal for people that joined after jan in otherwords
like a prorate.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

The AMA does differ from most insurance companies or magazine companies in that your subscription ends Dec. 31 regardless of when you paid them. ANd that does surprise many people the first year.

But just imagine the logistics of trying to run a local club if everyones' AMA membership was ending on different dates. It would be a nightmare to keep up with.

I do not know what logistical glich mandates that the AMA charge full price for someone joining in September. Perhaps someone else knows.

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

Which radio is better



jr or Futaba?

KidEpoxy

The part I dont get is how he got billed full price for 07 if he joined mid 06.

The pro-rating is there, after looking for it, that you pay full price your initial year and get the pro-rating discount on your renewal.

I joined June 06 for $58, and my 07 renewal bill was for $44 or so.


Anybody here know how he didnt get his first renewal pro-rated?

Matt Kirsch

My Feedback: (21)

I don't think it was his first year.

Why doesn't the AMA offer a discount for joining late? So you don't join late, of course! If you got 50% off for joining in June, everyone would, and AMA's operating capital would be cut in half.

'Course nothing I can say will convince y'all that AMA is more than insurance, that they're working to promote and protect our hobby 365 days a year, and that they desperately need that money, so you just go ahead and wallow in your conspiracy theories, convinced that the good ol' boys club is lining their pockets with our dues money.

Being president of my AMA club, I appreciate that all AMA memberships end on the same day. I'm responsible for making sure that everyone that flies at our field is insured, and a quick glance at the member's card on the pin board from 50' away tells me that. If it's the right color, he's covered, period.

Liberator

Its best to keep it in perspective. I get to work each day at 8:00 am, by 9:30 I have made more than enough to cover my yearly AMA dues, I fail to see the big deal. Sorry man, it sounds sort of like victimitis to me.

ira d

My insurance co pro-rates me if I add or drop somthing in mid term the policy cycle
stays the same though.

The AMA could still have everyone start in Jan and end in Dec but just pro-rate everyone
that joined after Jan when they renew.