TheComic

Open letter to all

This is a call to arms, for all those who have been slighted by the established RC community.

Everyone may have his or her own motivators, here are mine.

As a teenager back in the 70s, I brought my stick built, tissue covered, 049 powered, 2 ch plane to a local field looking for help. I was greeted with rudeness, unkind words, and went home in tears (something like that sticks with you for many years).

4 years ago, as I accepted the emergence of electric power, I eventually converted every plane in the hanger to electric. (In those 30 years, I had become a proficient RC pilot all on my own).

2.5 years ago (after relocating to a different part of the country and not knowing anyone) I approached a different club in my new area, and was having (what appeared to be) a great chat about my new town and RC stuff, the conversation became specific about what we each flew. The moment I mentioned “Electric�, the response was unkind, I felt like I was having a “Flash Back� and swore to myself never to go back.

I “Had� always blamed the AMA for how I was perceived/treated. While reading some of the recent forums, I had an epiphany. All clubs are private, All clubs set their own rules, All clubs get to individually decide who they will and will not welcome. The AMA is powerless over this, so this call to arms is not against the AMA it is against it’s members and their clubs.

Where I am not a member, I cannot say these numbers are exact, they were extrapolated from many posts, and I do believe them to be really close.

AMA membership is around 163,000

About 100,000 AMA members are in clubs

About 20-30% of these clubs are on leased public land.

In a January Power Point presentation to the AMA’s EC, the AMA acknowledges there are 2,000,000 non members flying (assumed to be all electric)

In an April E-Mail to its members, the AMA acknowledged a large segment of that 2,000,000 (light park fliers) pose substantially less risk (by a factor of 5) than their current membership.

There are 2 schools of thought as to how this battle plan should be played out.

First being: We join the AMA in numbers, overwhelming them and change from within, BUT the clubs are STILL private. My personal opinion is this could work, if we had another 10 years, but I don’t think we have that much time for the following reason.

The AMA attributes the 2,000,000 number to the electric park flier, think of that growth.
In 70 years the AMA has amassed 163,000 members, the “Park Fliers� are at 2,000,000 in about 5 years, and with that membership growing expediently every year.

The second being: In you own town, oppose those fields on public land. Use the AMA’s own words to show they only represents 8% of the flying population. Ask your local elected officials “why exclude 92% of the population�. Bring a Slow Stick and a baseball to the town meeting. Ask them, what one they would rather be hit by. Bring the AMA e-mail that shows the 5X reduction in risk associated with these planes. Bring the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for their fuels, and then compare that to the MSDS for a lipo. Run the Slow Stick up to full throttle in the room to show the lack of noise.

That would be a way to get the attention of a non park flier friendly club that uses public land, you have nothing to lose they do. Your town may put a stipulation in their lease about welcoming all.

For the fields on private land, everyone who lives with in that 3 mile radius around the club, send them a registered letter, tell them the frequency# of your tx, remind them of the FCC part 15 and the rights that grants you, remind them you are well with in your rights to fly that helicopter, Tiger Moth, etc in your back yard, remind them the AMA (for mandated safety reasons) says they must remove that frequency from their board.

That is how you get things changed in a non park flier friendly club on private land, this too will work for the clubs on public land as well if you don’t like public speaking.


I am not suggesting we bring down the AMA, or any club, in fact, our goal is for greater acceptance, this ever-deepening divide between us is doing more damage than I think anyone has realized.

It can not be denied what the AMA and it’s members have done for this hobby, but change is coming, not accepting it, isn’t going to make it go away.

Just like it cannot be denied the influence Western Union had on building our great nation, BUT because times change, they sent their VERY LAST telegram 02/06 (ending this service forever), they had to adapt.

Acceptance is all we want, but a battle is not beyond us ether. And one other “Myth� I would like to dispel. Electric park flying is NOT a stepping stone. Years ago I was flying dual motor 15 pound planes on the family farm, today my heaviest is 30 oz, and I enjoy even more today than I did then.

Anonymously

ps. copy this post and PM it to your friends, I don’t think it will be here for very long.

Mayday!Mayday!

I feel ya Comic. I too have tried to join/consider a club and got that "shot down in mid sentence after the word electric".
So I fly over bean fields in the country. I live in Columbus and theres not too many places to fly anymore due to codes and such.
I don't want to change rules or any part of the AMA structure, or for that matter any special treatment.
I just want to be able to fly my birds and hang out with others that do, if it's gas/glow/electric no matter to me.
I even posted in the thread here about electrics and AMA and got snubbed.
So, I understand where your coming from but at the same time I don't think we "the electric guys" should be treated any different, either snubbed away or better, because of what we fly.
In my area there are hardly no places to fly, so I drive well over an hour to go fly, when there is a club less than 10 minutes from me because of this.
I hope someday I could go back to the club and be a member with my electrics. BG

love those warbirds

My Feedback: (39)

Like wise. I was 14 when I had my first AMA flied experience. I had been flying park flyers for 2 years and had gotten my first nitro plane. A Duraplane 40 and I broght some electrics too. Make a long story short the whole time my dad and I were being bugged and tantalized about how I flew in the wrong direction when no one else was in the air and then one laded some guy(300 IBS, 50 years old) who was just sitting there are day came up and started to yell at me about my flying pattern. I did not know what to say that my Dad saved me and started to yell back to defend me. Then they treated to call the cops on us! We said some pesitalrys and never went back. And as far as I'm cosired I WILL NEVER GO BACK!!!!! Now, almost 16. Not Even with my 65" JU-87 Stuka that was ment for a 91 4 stroke wich I converted to electric power and you know what AMA? I fly it at my Park!!!! All 10 IBS. Of it!!!

knight39

I've been flying off and on for 10 years, started with gas, to messy went electric. I live in a small town in missouri. closest field is a 30 min drive. I had AMA with my gassers. The comment you made which will hurt more a ball bat or a park flyer..... I would rather get it with a park flyer. I agree join the AMA covers your butt if some thing were to go wrong, but let us IN... I get goofy looks when I go to the field. This is a free country isn't it. unless I woke up on the wrong side of the bed...I checked out the AMA sight and you can click on what you fly. The dues A little steep... Tell me if I'm wrong If you have an AMA # and registered you should be able to fly at any field??? Minus the heckling and the rude comments... We all are brothers in arms, it does not matter if you fly 1/4 scale to a kite. WE ALL JUST WANT TO FLY.......

Joe

rmenke

My Feedback: (13)

Guys:

It's all what you make of it!! Been flying somiehing since 1948 in 5 towns/cities always legal with AMA and the local club. There has always been one or two asses in the group of generally great people. Last year a friend intoduced me into electrics and anothr friend into brushless, two electric people in a club of 100. I now make 3, Ed 4 and cousin Mike wants to go that way also because of my stuff. Within a year, our group of electric guys has more than doubled, all inside a AMA club structure.

Met a couple of guys from LA on line and got togeather this april at our club field to see who was king of the speed hill. Two relatively young guys and this old fart. Enjoyed ourselves and each other a whole bunch and hope they will be able to make it this next year (assumeing I will still be here and able to fly.) I was shocked to learn they came from a club with over 600 members. They don't have the financial issues we do, however, they have a tough time getting in line just to fly, and flying anything fast is a no no. They were also supprised to see our club run a race, compete nose to nose and still have good natured fun with each other, generally getting along very well. In our club meetings, we stress safety and courtsey, and tell on each other as to bo-bos and dumb thumb moments. You must first give a group of guys respect in order to be respected. You are a outsider for a few months, learn to live with that, you will be one of the gang in a reasonable time treating others as you expect to be treated. If your club officers do not promote this attitude in meetings and the field, things will fall appart. Electrics have a lot of advantages over glow except the cost of batteries for the larger birds. As the cost and quality improve, you will see more and more of the club members going to electric as it is simply the wave of the future. ENJOY

dubd

I have mixed feelings about this. To BgCatfish1, I don't think large RC planes should be flown at a park because of safety reasons. Flying a 65" 90 size plane at a park defies common sense IMO. I hope your parents have an umbrella insurance policy.

When going to an AMA field you have to remember that flying is more controlled than being at a park. There is a pattern and the reason there is one is to avoid collisons of very expensive airplanes as well as reducing the chances of injury. Park flying is the wild west and since there are no rules, one must use common sense and good judgement. I learned to fly at a AMA club and had an instructor teach me how to fly until I was ready to solo. My lessons also taught me about safety and the club rules. I would not learn to fly any other way.

DepronJet

i think this is a problem the world over,
but i have to say a true enthusiast of RC flying models accepts that the motive power i.e. electric gas co2 or even rubber band is irrelivant !

having said that i have tried to join a local club that is etirely gas and was given the foxtrot oscar in the form of a polite email from them !

my 2 pennies worth are.. the guys who have followed a strict regime of club rules and guidance within a club are mostly gas, they have been flying for years learning the skills of model making and aerodynamics,

within the last 5 years has seen the emergence of ready to fly models that Mr Average can by and attempt to fly and because its made of EPP foam he can crash and bash it till he has success,
i know this to be true because i am such a man

it would have been much better to have been able t go to a club environment and learn the rules and follow safety policies already in place !

instead i have made my own safety first policies and site rules for myself,
what we electric flyers should do is form our own clubs and policies using the AMA and BMFA as a guideline and fine tune it to electric flight

the British Model Flying Association does include electric flight but some (only a few) of the members still see electric as a Fad that will fade away or should i say "Discharge" ,

another comment i would like to make is I.C. has not had any real developments in the last 10 years !
its the same engine concept that keeps the model airbourne,
electric has moved forward an incredible amount and will not be fading away,

as rc electric flyers we need to promote the hobby making sure new blood follows a good set of safety rules and joins a friendly club environment,
and make sure insurances are in place for the safety of the general public regardless of wereever we fly !
assuming the facts and figures as mentioned are correct and we are 5 times less likely to have an accident then the cost of insurance would be so much less than gas flyers

one final comment ! you dont need to stand on the same flight line to have a club !
5 members could be flying 10 miles apart and check on frequencies for crystals and have a set of rules they follow and even a news letter etc,
and when they meet up they are all of the same disaplin !

Ray AKA Cadetman Promoter of Electric Safety Flying [8D]

Uncas

My Feedback: (1)

My club experience has been great. The friendship is great and people are very helpful, respectful and interested in what you fly. I started off with electrics (GWS Tiger Moth) bought a few more electrics then went to gas. Well - I still play with electrics. Maybe some of you just fell into the wrong crowd or something. We have guys that fly 40% scale planes one minute and the next they are hovering shockflyers off to the side. Other clubs in the area have also been friendly.

We have just lost our field and the local AMA rep was very helpful. We have found another field now... The only person ever booted from the club that I am aware of was a guy who was doing very unsafe things.

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Comic,
You've used a lot of the same statements I've typed in my battles with the AMA'ers over on the gas side of this site. And you touched on the subject of the "PROBLEM".
I, like you at first blamed the AMA for the way I was treated too, by the local clubs.
The blame was placed on the wrong shoulders, as you found out. The clubs are private, the AMA has very little influence over them. As for the mistreatment, the clubs tend to whine about the interference of the "Park Fliers", this is a problem of their own cause. If they would have invited instead of scorning us they wouldn't have had the interference problem.
As for finding a club that allows electrics, well I just did a Google search in my area, 22 clubs, that I emailed to find out their feelings on electrics. I'm happy to say that so far I've heard back from 17 of them, and all welcome electrics, and many of them are acknowledging that electrics are are here to stay, and should be accepted.
Now then the AMA has finally realized what a huge untapped market the "Outlaws" as we are known, are. They have already initiated a "Park Fliers" program, but alas as with one group trying to figure out what's going to work for another group, without any input from the said group, it was pretty much a flop. All it would have done was make us even more outcasts in the other AMA members eyes.
Clubs that don't want to accept the electrics will be a tough nut to crack, but the AMA with an influx of electric fliers, that would out number all current membership, could easily be turned to a more pro electric organization. And in turn a pro electric AMA could work a little harder on making the clubs that aren't electric into seeing the light.

cwrr5

My Feedback: (32)

Comic,
The AMA does not say they have to remove it from thier board(AFAIK), it suggests working out a freq. sharing agreement. Trying this approach won't help things any.

Sorry to hear about bad experiences when visiting/joining a club... I've never seen it personally. Anytime you meet a new group of people, you'll see this same "attitude", whether you fly gas, glo, electric, or whatever. I suggest some of the problem might be "the new flier", possibly being overly-sensitive and not taking the time to ask about the field rules, procedures, etc.... and not sticking around long enough to gain the club's acceptance.

Every club I've joined(four so far), I showed up with a small electric/parkflier, and after a session or two, have been accepted. I don't believe it's an electric thing, I think it's more than likely a "new flier" thing. You see the same thing happen with people with a .40 glo trainer, or anything else for that matter. It's just human nature.


Warbirds,
When you showed up at that club, did they explain the field rules to you? Did you or your dad ask? Did the club members ask you to follow the pattern, even if there was nobody else flying? Sounds odd to me that one individual would just jump up and start yelling at you without anybody ever mentioning anything previously, unless you were flying dangerously or irresponsibly somehow. [sm=confused.gif]
Depending on the size of the park, flying a 10lb. plane may be ok.... as long as it's safe, and keep an eye out for others who may not even realize there's a plane up.


No flames please, I agree with with most here... just putting in my .02.

BTW, I am also a parkflier - with AMA membership. Best of both worlds!

mdbuehler

I've only experience is with the local sail club, and it hasn't been the best either. They have a field they've been flying at for a long time, and across the street is a huge set of soccer fields. They don't fly there as part of some agreement for them getting to use that other field, but as I'm not in the club, I'm not bound by that. I talked to a nice gentleman in the club first time out there and he explained all that, and about the frequency board, etc. Nice guy! But as eveybody else has found, its not the club / AMA, its certain members...

Friends of mine started going to the soccer fields as well, and apparently some glider folks would come over and tell them they couldn't fly there, they had to fly in the FAR 1/4 of the field the glider people were using. At that time the gate to the access road was even locked, only the club had the key, and they weren't giving it to the non-members so we'd have to lug our gear out while they drove. Gimme a break!

My next few times out, a person from the other field might check to see if I was on the freq board (always did!) we'd chat, then go back to flying, good people. Then I had some guy wander over and tell me I wasn't allowed to fly here. I told him that was wrong, its a park, yes I can, and I'm on the board. He stuttered a bit, then changed it to "we the club" didn't want me flying here. "We the club" wanted me in the far corner of the other field, since if I flew here, other park flyers might think they can too. Something to the effect of its "monkey see, monkey do" with the park flyers (his words!). I told him they could fly here, its a park, and everybody I'd talked to had been good about using the board. He countered with "we the club" feel its too risky since they may not use the board, then went into this rather condescending bit about how expensive their gliders were, and how they didn't want to get shot down by some park flyer with a cheap airplane since we don't really care about what happens to ours. He brought up the cost of the gliders vs foam planes over, and over, and over... Told him I cared about my planes as much as he did his, and I'd be flying over the soccer fields because thats where I want to fly, not some little corner "the club" told me I could have. He sorta stormed off, and I, who was going to leave, flew two more battery packs over the soccer fields just to prove my point.

What an *****!

Flew on "the club" field last weekend (tried anyway, too windy) when a park flyer from the soccer fields crashed over on the club side. Their comments about them and park flyers weren't nice to say the least (guess they didn't see my parkzone alongside my car?). And somebody wandered over to give them a talking too. Probably got the same load of BS I did from the other guy.

The point? The clubs need to accept the fact they don't own the frequencies, they don't control the parks, and they'll have to work with the park flyers as equals (because we are, I don't care if its a $30 or $3000 plane) since their are A LOT of them now. Treating them like second class people isn't acceptable. Strong arming (they usually come talk to you in pairs if you're alone...), outright lying, and demeaning peple isn't going to make them want to work with you. EVERYBODY I've talked to that flies the soccer fields has had the same experience I have, and they associate the AMA and clubs with that treatment.

And that is why I haven't joined a club. Not my kind of crowd!

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

I have noticed something in my experience with clubs and informal park flying, and I haven't seen it exactly addressed here. A lot of times, the other people you run into when flying at an informal site such as a park, go out of their way to be friendly and courteous because they know that their use of the site may be outlawed if they cause problems. This is not to say that there aren't "renegade" parkflyers who don't care about others--there are and I've met some and steer clear.

On the other hand, when you go to a club field, it's a "safe haven" with a designated use. You typically will see a few guys who are a tthe field a lot, not the whole club the first time you're there. Unfortunately, and this is just my experience, it seems like the busybodies who don't spend much time flying and prefer to critique everyone else's flying and plane setup, etc, tend to be the guys who spend the most time at the field. If you're new, it gives you the impression that everyone in the club is like that. Hang around for a little while and you start to learn who the friendly guys are(most of them, usually), and who the grumps are and how to ignore them. Just my $2.00(2¢ adjusted for inflation).

edited for clarity

afineman

BuzzBomber

WOW you hit that nail on it's head, my outlaw field is the same.

We welcome everyone, and respect their right to ALSO use that field. I currently fly with up to 7 others at the field who have a variety of history in this hobby.

Now here is a funny twist, 3 weeks ago, a local club guy came and asked if he could practice To/Ls (he saw many time planes flying at the school/farm), with his 040. He said his club field was too soggy and he needed to get some practice in because he was going for his solo rights at that club ( he was a new member there).

He flew, he got a little advice ( from an ex-instructor), and the conversion came around to "Electric flying". His comment was " I'll be staying with IC, I'm serious about this hobby".

We welcomed him ( it's his field too), and if he comes back ( even thought he would be the ONLY one flying IC) we will welcome him again.

I'm just wondering if I would get the same welcome (at his field), we gave him. Odd, our gentleman's agreement we have between us (the guys at the outlaw field) mandates we welcome all ( because we knew if we didn't there could be problems).

Our outlaw field has 3 non AMA members the other 4 are AMA/club people, and regardless if you show up with a Cox 1 ch pulse rudder plan or a 40 GP trainer you are welcome and treated as an equal.

BuzzBomber if we can make it work, why can't the established clubs make it work ( PLEASE THIS IS NOT A DIG TOWARDS YOU, this is a rhetorical question).

Here is the reason ( I think) we go out of our way to welcome people (and you touched on this too), WE HAVE TO, we are using public land, these people have the same rights as we do to this land. We want to keep below the town's radar, and the best way to do that is MAKE EVERYONE feel welcome.

WOW what a concept, welcome all or suffer the consequences.

Well this is my $.02 worth

Brent

BillM

I belong to 2 clubs. Club #1 has a restricted membership dictated by the landlord. Membership is limited to 35 members and there is a long waiting list. We haven't had an opening in about 10 years. Every type R/C plane is flown at the field. On any given day electrics will outnumber fuel planes by a good margin. This has happened by choice of individual members.
Club #2 is a bit larger with about 75 members. Two fields are maintained by this club both on public land. AMA membership is required by all users of the facilities. This is stated in our users agreements with the governing authorities in both cases. The smaller of the two fields is designated "electric only". Most members fly both fuel and electric. No one is ever denied membership based on what he/she flies. Pay the club dues--have an active AMA membership and you're in. If you need flight instruction there are instructors available on Thursday and Sunday evenings at the large field.

In my area these clubs are not unique by any means. There are a dozen clubs within a 30 miles radius of my home and ALL welcome electrics. And yes all are AMA chartered clubs.

I do not doubt that some people have been poorly treated by some "elitists" in some clubs but I truly believe that they are the exception rather than the rule.


BM

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

In a nutshell, that was the point I wanted to get across--you can't let a bad apple spoil the bunch. Every club has a grump or two, and just because you might be unlucky and meet them first doesn't mean the whole club is like that--give 'em a second chance I say. If after 3-4 visits you still get the cold shoulder, then cross them off the list.

timfly1

My Feedback: (1)

I had a brand new 45 powered plane I was trying to get some flight time on. I spent $500.00 for this plane and radio because the club did not want anyone to use electric planes for learning. First time out the instructor via the buddy box got me set up and I was flying again after a 15 year lay off it felt good. Then the instructor said he was going to take control and as soon as he did the plane came down right in front of us full speed, the plane burst into tooth picks. Every one said WOW.
This was 2 years ago, Since I have been flying my wingo, slow stick and aeroace. Electrics are more fun. I fly almost anywhere even in my front yard. I have many hours of flight time now. No thanks to any clubs or the AMA.
However there is an all electric club near by that I may look into.
Tim.

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Comic,
Back to your original idea, the only way to get the electric flier's "VOICE" heard is to basicly take over the AMA with new electric members and make the changes necessary.

So how do we round up the Park FLiers and get them to join?

yoster

I must be lucky. We have a VERY nice field here in fresno (actually it is in madera). Very nice establishment with a huge work area under its own overhang to protect from sun, a large run-way, intercom system, all kinds of nifty stuff. People always show up flying their electrics.. and no one (so far anyway) seems to mind. In fact, when someone pulls out a tiny little plane hooked up on a brushless motor doing 100+mph... almost everyone comes down just to watch.

I agree with your idea tho.. as one having their degree in marketing it is quite obvious that is a large untapped market. To grab the attention of your target market, you need to increase value and meet a need. What need do electric flyers have? Well, besides some kind words and respect, electric flyers need power. Most flying fields do not have several power outlets. Sure, most bring their own battery to charge from, but again, we are looking to add value. The problem is that electrics can fly anywhere, so why pay a club fee and ama fee just to fly at a field? Add some power outlets and maybe some special electric fly days and that might be enough. As for me, the social aspect of it is enough. I just like being around the planes. That said, I am not a member.. i just go as a guest now and again. I fly at local parks and churches with a group of friends. The churches are nice because they always provide us with a power cord if we want one to hook up our ac chargers and ac/dc converters to run the dc chargers so we're not draining our car battery.

macr0t0r

My Feedback: (2)

I usually hang around rcgroups.com since I turned pure-electric, but a couple members suggested that I dust off my rcuniverse login since there was now some parkflyer action here as well. What do you know? He was right!

I have experienced both spectrums of greetings from clubs. It really depends on what kind of members it already has. The old Red Barons had quite a few members convert to electric, or add electric aircraft to their arsenal, so a new member with an electric aircraft was warmly welcomed (especially if he had some new technological goodies to examine). However, there are clubs that deem us as "not serious." We fly "toy" foamies in a haphazard way in unsanctioned fields, and now we are invading the airspace of their precious club! Their first question is to demand to see your AMA card. "Don't have it? Get out!" There is no talk of joining. We are hazardous renegades.

Obviously, this is a misconception, and many club members are not that severe. Unfortunately, the nicer ones aren't usually the ones who wish to step forward and assault the pilot.

Oddly enough, I was able to quickly break the ice by expressing interest in one of the more impressive-looking gassers in the field. Hey, a club is composed of people with common interests. You show an interest in their stuff, then perhaps they'll show an interest in yours. Many e-flyers are only setting themselves up for a confrontation if they arrive only to use the field, take up a frequency, and not approach the current members and oggle some of their goodies. We're the new guys, so sometimes we have to make the first step forward.

If I recall, helicopter pilots had to put up with quite a bit before they became standard fare at a club. If a pilot of a complex, rattle-trap of an air-blender can become accepted, than I think we stand a chance!

cwrr5

My Feedback: (32)

Just imagine the looks at one of those "un-friendly" clubs if you brought a micro electric heli....

(which is exactly what I plan to do when I get back to the states.... hehehe! This could be fun... [>:] )


Seriously, I agree with mac-rotor in his post above.... showing interest, being friendly, etc goes a long way when joining a new group of people.

timothy thompson

My Feedback: (1)

electric is already feasable on 60 size aircraft and also i/5 scale warbirds. the batts are what is expensive my lipo on my hobby lobby 50 in tiger moth is 125.00. imagine a gs corsair no mess a scale engine no holes in the cowl. im 45 and electric was nothing 15 years ago. now hacker systems can fly a 30 lb bird!!!!! the old farts can be idiotic thats why im a lone eagle with AMA. i think its a jealousy thing! in 5 years large electrics are going to be the norm



GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!! about time we have a team!

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Hmmmm, you may have hit on the actual cause for all this.
Are the old members and clubs, seeing us as the new evil future? Could just be the actual bottom line as to why some don't want us around. Just like anything new and different, there will be those that see it as no good.
Could it be that this is what's fueling the whole problem? They are scared out of their collective whits that the electric crowd is going to come together and take over the AMA?
Heck we easily out number the AMA members, even they admit that.

Well now, maybe it is time to gather the troops, join the AMA, and make the changes we need for the AMA to be more pro electric, and then if the clubs want the new AMA's blessing, insurance coverage and such, they will have to meet the new requirements imposed by the majority of the AMA's members.

The king is dead(gas), long live the new king(Electric).

yoster

I don't know.. i wouldn't say that. I run electric in all my planes and gas in all my stadium trucks. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but in flying terms, gas will always be king for one reason: events. Everyone loves to go see the "birds of war" fly days where they do the whole war scene for people to watch with the old gas warbird and such. Being a fan of electric, I will be the first to say it wouldn't be nearly as entertaining without the sound of all the gas planes in the air at once. Also.. i don't know.. but thats just what flying fields are all about.. making it feel like the real thing back in the day. I DO agree that they should be 100% open to electric flight (and at my field they are), but no way would I want electric owners taking over the AMA. Why? Because it will go the OPPOSITE way. Stupid new rules will be imposed regarding gas engines.. possibly requiring them to pit in certain areas to keep the mess away from everyone else, only flighing certain times, getting their engines smogged (kidding), etc...

It is the PEOPLE, not the system. You can have electric fans, gas fans, heli fans, whomever in charge... they're either going to be cool with everyone or not.. so it doesn't really matter who is in charge so long as they're good people and have the pilots' best interests at heart. You guys think all electric flyers are nice guys....? I've heard and seen electric guys bash nitro guys like noneother.. including a young kid trying to fly his first gas plane.. yeah.. it goes both ways.

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Yoster, Your above is exactly what is happening to the electrics in a lot of cases now.
Mine was a tongue in cheek remark, see you were afraid of us changing things. LOL
Your response was what I think is going on behind the scenes now, the old way is seeing the new wave as a possible intrusion on how it was and is done.
And I believe for the most part it's the exact opposite. I don't want to change anyones type of bird they fly, but I don't want to be looked down upon because of what I fly either.

You are right about it being the PEOPLE that cause the difficulties.
Honestly as a non AMA member, I can see the benefits of joining. It's some of the PEOPLE that turned me away from the AMA.
Until the AMA makes a move to actually come to the PARK FLIERS and reach us I seriously doubt a lot of us will join. Shame though, it would be a good thing for all sides.

2slick

I don't have anything against the AMA, in fact, they are the driving force in obtaining our radio frequencies. My hats off to them.
Getting into a fight with an establishment such as a flying club I think would be a mistake. They do carry some clout and if they used
it, my park field could be taken from me. Suddenly, I might show up some morning and find a city sign saying "no model flying in this park". I'm happy enough as is. A few of us show up and fly until ball games or such begin, and we are done for a period of time.
When I'm asked about joining someones club, and I have been asked, I just tell them I have nothing against a club per se, it's the club members I find objectionable. No where, have I found so many people in one place, that are basically idiots. I don't wish to get to know them, nor do I wish to hear all their rules and stipulations.
I would hope these clubs slowly die due to lack of new members, (read; lack of funds), and we can just continue our quest to become better pilots in our own neighborhood.

2slick