What ideas can you offer the AMA for change?

What ideas can you offer the AMA for change?
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What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 6:24:46 AM

Ken Bryant

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Joined: 9/30/2002
From: Surprise, AZ, USA
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I got to writing a letter earlier today and I was writing out things that I would like to see change or offer ideas to the AMA. They need members, any idea can offer a person a chance to think and come up with a better idea.

The point of this is to offer New ideas or allow for old ideas to be readdressed.

I would hope that people don't get to wrapped around the axle on what is said here. Let's keep the ideas flowing and keep it civil. PLEASE

Things I would like to see or ideas to offer (in no particular order):
1. AMA create an online database that allows Club presidents to go in and review or update club information.

2. A better online calendar of events, allowing CDs to update info.

3. Get away from the calendar year renewal system; switch to a “subscription” method. You renew on the month you joined.

4. Have online forms that can be submitted online. For instance the CD application. This should be done online. Requesting Events should be all done online, submitting CD reports should all be online. ETC.

5. Bring Fun Fly events to the fore front. These events get some of the biggest draw yet get the least recognition. People just want to go fly and enjoy the camaraderie. These are my favorite events by far. The rules as far as distances need to be readdressed. Meaning that if 2 events are going on in an area as vast as ours the distance needs to be addressed and protect these style events. Protection for all events not just dissimlar events.

6. Contests, while good are dieing. Have the rules gotten so tight that it’s to hard for clubs to compete? These rules need to be re-evaluated. Also Manufactures are not really selling what modelers want here. Racing, Combat, and Pattern are all suffering to the 3D world.

7. Bring in NON elected Junior EC members. People that are willing to rejuvenate the AMA. Do it through Special invitation from the AMA. Pay for the plane ticket and hotel and ask them to sit in on a council meeting. This will get some new ideas in.

8. We need to get manufactures involved again. Their support has really dwindled. The smaller clubs need loving too. ( I know it sounds dumb but these smaller clubs all have great potential with the right support)

9. What about getting other companies involved? Home Depot, Lowes, Hobby Lobby. These places provide us with tools, wood, glue and of all things PVC. They help the hobbyist keep the stuff he has going.

10. Can the AMA sell commercial space on their website? This is proving to be a great source of income for the online forums.

11. Give hobby shops $10 or similar for every new member they get to join the AMA.

12. Give Members $5 for every new member they get to join.

13. When people join the AMA give them a REAL patch, on significant anniversaries of membership, GIVE the patch to the members. Don’t make members pay for every thing!!!!!!!! The AMA needs to support the membership and show them they CARE. It’s a small token but it’s a start.

14. Get people at the club levels involved some how in the AMA decision processes. Use online voting making people use their AMA number to cast votes. Use this fore real issues inside the AMA. Empower the people more.

< Message edited by Ken Bryant -- 8/20/2006 6:25:51 AM >

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Ken

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RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 10:47:10 AM

Stickbuilder

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Joined: 11/20/2005
From: leesburg, FL, USA
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Ken, You have posed some interesting, and worthwhile subjects here. While I don't necessarialy agree with all of them, there is nothing wrong with you wanting to know the answers. One that I take exception to is number 1. I personally do not think that club Presidents should have special priviledges to any database within the AMA. There is already too much with this organization that never sees the light of day. I think that the EC should be required to post a complete record of what is said during the meetings (perhaps they should be recorded, and aired via the internet for those who are interested). Of course that would probably give rise to hallway meetings. There are too many decisions being made that we never find out about until it's too late for us to do anything about it.

I think I know the reasons for the lack of contests. In the last club to which I belonged, the membership did not want to have contests (even fun fly's) because that would curtail the flying time for the members on that date. Some were even afraid that such an activity would generate additional interest within the community, which would cause a few more persons to want to join in the fun, and that too would reduce the flying time available to the present membership (all 25 of them). Ridiculous is it not? This hobby is full of selfish old men.

Bill, AMA 4720

_____________________________

It's easy, just glue all the pieces together, and sand off everything that doesn't look like an airplane.

(in reply to Ken Bryant)

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RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 12:48:21 PM

50%plane

Posts: 3765
Joined: 3/8/2005
From: x, , USA
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quote:

7. Bring in NON elected Junior EC members. People that are willing to rejuvenate the AMA. Do it through Special invitation from the AMA. Pay for the plane ticket and hotel and ask them to sit in on a council meeting. This will get some new ideas in.

I don't agree with this. However, I believe that we need term limits and leave it open to the people to decide who's next. I really don't trust the AMA with picking someone.

quote:

11. Give hobby shops $10 or similar for every new member they get to join the AMA.

12. Give Members $5 for every new member they get to join.

I like the sign three fly for free.

I'll post my ideas later. I'm going flying.

50%

_____________________________

Model Airplanes don't kill people. Chuck Norris kills people.
Christopher A. Todd AMA# 637636

(in reply to Stickbuilder)

Post #: 3

RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 12:53:17 PM

rcmiket

Posts: 1648
Joined: 12/11/2003
From: El Paso, TX, USA
Status: offline

How about a revamp Model Aviation Mag? Be nice if this would turn a profit or break even. This would free up money that might support some of the online stuff proposed.

(in reply to Stickbuilder)

Post #: 4

RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 1:19:29 PM

fliers1

Posts: 535
Joined: 11/30/2001
From: Lockport, NY, USA
Status: offline

quote:

8. We need to get manufactures involved again. Their support has really dwindled. The smaller clubs need loving too. ( I know it sounds dumb but these smaller clubs all have great potential with the right support)

I don't know what relationship AMA has with the multibillion dollar modeling industry, but it seems logical that the EC should be working vigoriously to get the industry extremely involved. Particularly in the hands-on aspect of promotion. On occasion throughout the year, some industry member puts on or sponsors something, somewhere, how about AMA working hard to petition members of the RC aeromodeling industry to go whole hog and do this collectively on an almost daily basis? It does seem that the EC is quite content with the status quo, considering the fact that they are reluctant to even accept any ideas from their members. The RC industry obviously pays top notch, highly trained people to keep the bottom line up to snuff, so why doesn't AMA use such talent on a meaningful basis? Hint: TV ads.

quote:

I think I know the reasons for the lack of contests. In the last club to which I belonged, the membership did not want to have contests (even fun fly's) because that would curtail the flying time for the members on that date. Some were even afraid that such an activity would generate additional interest within the community, which would cause a few more persons to want to join in the fun, and that too would reduce the flying time available to the present membership (all 25 of them). Ridiculous is it not? This hobby is full of selfish old men.

For far too long, the industry has been given in essence a free ride by having the volunteer club member do all of the in-the-field hands-on promotion chores.

CCR

< Message edited by fliers1 -- 8/20/2006 1:27:30 PM >

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RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 1:42:54 PM

Dr1Driver

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From: Spartanburg, SC, USA
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IMO, the best thing the AMA can do is change the way motions are presented at the EC meetings.

No more telling the membership-at-large what was voted on AFTER it was presented. Any motion brought before the EC should be posted on the AMA website no less than 1 month prior to that meeting. If that is done, then the members have an opportunity to write, e-Mail, or call their DVP and express their opinions.

Remember, that's how this country got started - taxation without representation.

Dr.1

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There's a Hun in the sun!

(in reply to fliers1)

Post #: 6

RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 2:08:39 PM

Bob Laine

Posts: 1351
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Loganville, GA, USA
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Here are a few things that I would like to see happen with AMA, to stop the spiraling cost within the organization.

1: Term limits for every elected office in AMA.

2: Don't make Model Aviation," magazine a requirement for membership. Just sell it on the newsstand for anyone that wants it, and send out
a quarterly report to members as AMA, did in the beginning. Reduce membership rates accordingly.

3: Use the telephone or computer to conduct AMA business, that requires voting. No more little "paid" vacations food and lodging furnished.

4: Hold 1 annual meeting to conduct the vast majority of AMA business.

5: Issue membership card's once. Then let sanctioned clubs and contest director's make sure that membership's are active, before allowing them to use the club field or participate in any AMA event. We've it done this for years in Amateur Radio License.

6: Require Vice presidents, to get the advice of their constituents in their district, before they vote on any new policy's that will make major changes to the existing structure. (no more Good Ol Boy syndrome. Bob

< Message edited by Bob Laine -- 8/20/2006 6:40:14 PM >

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RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 3:31:19 PM

DavidAgar

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From: Battle Ground, WA, USA
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Put the NATs back on the road so that all members have a shot a competing in them, not just the ones that live close to Muncie or the ones that can afford to travel to Muncie. To this day I do not understand why we as AMA members needed Muncie, when the site can only realistically be used by a few on a regular basis.

I also agree on the term limits idea. New and fresh thoughts is always a good thing. Thanks Dave

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If the screw ain't loose then things ain't normal.

Dave Agar
AMA#97144

(in reply to Bob Laine)

Post #: 8

RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 3:41:59 PM

jdwiflyrc

Posts: 108
Joined: 2/18/2002
From: Stantonsburg, NC, USA
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In reference to paying someone to sign up members. We already have a vast network of members that could pick up that task full time.

I am talking about the CONTEST DIRECTORS. They are allowed to sign up new members at contest events why not allow them the rights to do this anytime and pay them a fee such as the hobby shops get.

Thanks John

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I'm 64 & don't know everything yet

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RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 3:43:11 PM

KidEpoxy

Posts: 3581
Joined: 10/14/2004
From: San Antonio, TX, USA
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Create a method to let the membership vote to veto things the EC does,
and a Proposition system to let the membership place directives on the EC to do things.

Both can be done electronicly by the internet these days, so it is more than ever logisticly feasible.
I was driving cross country and stopped at every podunk backwater with a library, and used the public internet access in the library to email my progress to friends & family so they can follow along onm the map with lil pins or whatnot. We are no longer in the age that we can hide behind "Not everyone is internet savvy". Any UnSavvy types do belong to a club, and I'm pretty sure the club will have at least 1 guy to teach the unsavvy ones, or have a Club Internet Voting night at the library every other Wednessday.

All this is of course based on getting a tyrany to choose to limit its power without a revolt of some kind.

oh, and Yeah, Fix MA.

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Optional MA is part of AMA history, we can go optional AGAIN if we just say so

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RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 4:07:03 PM

littlecrankshaf

Posts: 2150
Joined: 12/9/2001
From: here
Status: online

quote:

ORIGINAL: Stickbuilder

Ridiculous is it not? This hobby is full of selfish old men.

Bill, AMA 4720

Wow!! Somebody said it. Yes, that is the truth.

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Wow! Another epiphany…that is why the suckups suckup. Super sucking protection power. Yea baby.

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RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 6:32:53 PM

Bob Laine

Posts: 1351
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Status: offline

It will never work LITTLECRANKSHAF...........It makes too much sense. Bob

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"Georgia on my mind"
AMA 8143 "Leader Member"

(in reply to jdwiflyrc)

Post #: 12

RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 6:46:38 PM

Bob Laine

Posts: 1351
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Status: offline

no clue

< Message edited by Bob Laine -- 8/23/2006 7:21:40 PM >

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"Georgia on my mind"
AMA 8143 "Leader Member"

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Post #: 13

RE: What ideas can you offer the AMA for change? - 8/20/2006 8:14:20 PM

Ken Bryant

Posts: 1356
Joined: 9/30/2002
From: Surprise, AZ, USA
Status: offline

quote:

I've been a contest director for 35 years. I don't need any reward for signing up new members. I don't think we need any new way's to give money away.........We need to find more ways to save money. I am a CD, as a service to my fellow modelers. I was not appointed as a Contest Director. I volunteered.

While I agree with you to a point, AMA membership is still dwindeling. The idea is getting everyone to recruit new members. If you are willing to do it for free then forfit the payment back to the AMA. I'm sure that could be aranged in conjunction with that idea.

I agree 100% on term limits.

I know it's just another way to spend money but imagine all those libraries out there in HIGH schools getting Model avaition magazine sent to them. Talk about generating intrest in the hobby!

I guess the old saying of you have to spend money to make money is true. The AMA can't count on it's members to do ALL the work. The orginization needs to spend it's money wisly.

_____________________________

Ken

(in reply to Bob Laine)