Sprucedeuce

If this new bill passes I believe the AMA will cease to exist in two to three years as there won't be any need to join since we can no longer fly. The AMA has effectively cut there own throats by lumping the camera drones in with the regular line of sight flyers.

Silent-AV8R

I disagree. Given the fact that many references to CBO are in the two version of the bills I think the AMA will survive just fine. Now, having said that, I think they will legally change their name to the American Multirotor Association since there will be no actual model airplane guys left, but as in nature, the watch words is adapt or die!!

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

It will not cease to exist, 80 years strong, and lot's more to go. Also, it's interesting to note how many other people feel like the move to accept drones was done for this huge windfall of money....if that's the case, how did they cut their own throat. Have to wonder if folks felt the same way when heli's were embraced.
True that. It's doubtful the folks enjoying the warm embrace of the AMA over the past 80 years thought the AMA would change their name when Nitro, Gas, Electrics, and Helis came into the fold. This new method of flying is just another in a long list of those that came before, and will come in the future. If it's safe, and fun, and fits the intent of the organization it should be embraced.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

AMA could also cease to exist if many of us pull out of the organization, as at some point, it just seems they can't do what they're original purpose was first intended.

What good is frequency control now? With 2.4ghz mainstream... What good is any insurance(that is only a blanket policy for those otherwise insured..)?

When a club(s) starts "un-endorsing" the AMA, and gathering other areas of resources and support, that might be a first sign of big trouble... right now we're seeing little trouble... so far things are somewhat intact between the AMA and membership.... but its really only the clubs as a whole they're keeping on the hook....I think the membership as a whole is in very much of a upheaval. I know I'm pretty PO'd.... at all of it. We'll see.

Sprucedeuce

I disagree with you disagreeing with me LOL! Here's why, multirotor operators (and that's what they are because there is no piloting involved) they don't join the AMA, there's no reason for them to join the AMA because they don't form clubs or fly at club facilities for the most part. Shoot, if our club didn't require an AMA membership in order to be a member I wouldn't waste the 75 dollars. If I remember correctly wasn't there some competition for the AMA back in the 90's? I seem to recall that there was something called the Sport Fliers Association and the club I belonged to then would accept an AMA card or a Sport Fliers card in order to satisfy the insurance requirement.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Where you do you see evidence that the membership as a whole is in upheaval? By the threads here? At other websites? Word on the street? I just read an article that said the membership numbers were increasing. If the traditional AMA members are leaving, what is accounting for the increase in membership. Like it or not, the reality is clubs are not going to take any significant steps to disassociate themselves with the AMA. One, because they have to much at stake, two, because quite frankly nobody is going to do the legwork to put in place any alternative. 20 plus years now...and not a peep from any competitor. Why would you guess that is? The fact is the AMA is best at what they do, notwithstanding the constant barrage of negativity we see here. Nobody can offer all of what they do, for the price. In this great free market capitalist society, if it was sooo easy and it was just all about the insurance, by gosh someone would have done something about it by now right?

This is yet another blanket statement made about a whole group of people that has no basis in fact. You don't know that MR pilotos don't join the AMA, and the assumption that there is nothing in it for them is equally incorrect. MR pilots are most certainly signing up...I know if at least 3 in my club that have done so. Oh, they also fly fixed wing too, but joined as MR pilots.

Google Sport Fliers Association, or even search that phrase here. They were an absolute disaster, born out of ill will and duplicity, and sued out of existence not once, but twice. A complete and utter failure.

So as I've noted above, why hasn't someone or some company filled this huge void, after all it's just insurance that the AMA provides right? With all these insurance companies around here, certainly one of them could provide coverage for a club right?

It's not nearly as easy as you think it would be. I'd love to hear from any club out there that isn't chartered by the AMA as to how they deal with the insurance issue. Private owners of land are always free to do what they want, but in this litigious day and age, it's rare that they would allow folks to fly without insurance.

Sport_Pilot

Seems to be the AMA would be bigger than ever. But may become drone central if we are not carefull.

Sport_Pilot

Unfortunately my insurance no longer covers model airplanes since the FAA has announced that they are aircraft. Read your policy if it excludes aircraft it excludes model airplanes.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

,,

Yes,,all the above I don't know of anyone in our club that's not concerned,, if that 5 mile rule stays, our electric only field is done, that would be a bunch of guys that no longer need the AMA,

Upheaval?? that's a subjective term,,, Very concerned,, hell yes

I'm hopeful our flying sites get carved out of this nonsense,, but with the current state of dysfunctional federal government,, ya never know

rcmiket

This is plausible and here's why. The membership numbers for the next year will look OK but here's the catch after the dust settles and the 2 year deal a lot of members went for runs out the organization just may see a large number just not renew due to the direction and choices the organization has made. If the whole "drone" courting fails I don't see how it will survive. Droner's don't want nor do they need the AMA. We have been the bread and butter of the organization for some time but seem to have little value to them anymore.

Just look at the numbers in the " was it a mistake for AMA embrace drones" thread over 77% think it was a bad idea. I know of many who don't use these forums who feel the same way.

Mike

Sprucedeuce

You can say that my claim has no basis in fact, well none that I have documented other than the open invitation posted at all the local hobby retailers to the Kwad Flawper enthusiasts to "come on out" to our cub facilities haven't had one taker in the year that it's been taped to the window and hanging on the tack board by the restroom. I am extrapolating from the set of circumstances that I would be looking at if I were a devotee' of the flying Kodak, Hmmm, let's see, I can fly anywhere, so no need for a field, ummmh, hence no need for a club, (stops scratches chin) BING! light bulb starts flickering over the backwards cap adorned cranium of the MR "pilot". Join the AMA? WHAT FER?? why I can buy me anuther one of them fancy battry packs for less'n they want fer a membership to sumthin I don't need. Happens more than it doesn't.

Sprucedeuce

Exactly Mr rcmiket, I don't know where porcia83 is getting the data to support the "It's all good and good for you" outlook on everything and I wish it were so. And to the other commenter who pointed out the integration of Heli's I would have to agree, those avenues of participation integrated into the fold with good success. I have never seen the AMA treat it's core members in the way they have in the years leading up to this conflict. Years ago there were plenty in the membership expressing concern over the strategy that AMA seemed to be laying out where there was no difference in their opinion between fixed/heli/sail/giantscale, and these multirotor devices. They all fly from a transmitter so hey! we're your organiztiion!. And they were chastiseing anyone with concerns over the policy that there were no differences and we concerned were just anti tech fuddy-duddies. Meanwhile anyone with eyes and a brain could see what was about to unfold because of the imbeciles parking their gopro equipped quad rotor at 20,000 feet and then immediately downloading the complete video onto Youtube crowing to the rest of us how COOL! it was that they could go that high and how long it could stay there, etc..., like that's not going to get the attention of the FAA who starts looking around and well whatd'ya know since the AMA has created this one world flying scene where we're all the same no matter what we fly then the FAA looks at every R/C'er as a potential threat. And then the meek trips to Washington where the Starstruck Leadership would go with hat in hand to say please Mr. legislator , we really like you guy and we really think you're doing a great job ummmh gosh it really would be swell if you could you know ummh not regulate our hobby out of existence because of a few bad apples with these quadrotor things, you know our safety record has been pretty spotless until those things came along but give us a chance we think we can get them to straighten out their act and fly with us. Did they work with the AMA? according to what I would read in the emails I would get from the AMA the Washington crowd and the FAA officials enjoyed the free food and the trips to the flying field and then turned around andcompletely disregarded all the lobbying that the AMA had put in and in full violation of part 336 of the reauthorization slapped us with the registration regulation. Right then there should have been a lawsuit filed on our behalf to force the FAA to comply with congress, which they were in violation of, but no the AMA just keeps hoping that somehow "it'll all just workout" Don't worry guy's you'll always be able to fly at your favorite spot! nothing to worry about. Well? how's it looking now? It seems to me that whenever Washington gets an opportunity to enact a whole bunch of new rules and regulations to enforce on us serf's and peon's especially if they destroy a clean wholesome family oriented activity.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

I remember the guys at a club I belong to saying the same thing about "helis"...watch it, they will take over if we're not careful. Let's keep and eye on "those" guys. That's the kind of mentality that breads division and contempt within the club. There will be new members who fly "drones" only, and I suspect many will end up flying fixed wing too. How exactly are they going to be treated if they fly both?

That's just not the case Sport, unless you have a very specific policy, a "manuscript" policy. Your model aircraft are very much covered under your homeowners insurance, and will be going forward. Almost all the policies in the US are standard by way of terms and conditions, there is no lack of clarity on what we fly, and scale aircraft. If an agent is telling you something different, find another agent, or file a report with your insurance department for clarification.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

I'll clarify then.....I don't see the hobby as coming to a near end as many here would have it seem. Of course people are concerned, of course some of what has been proposed is absolutely idiotic, and of course some clubs/people are even more concerned because of their location to airports. I get that. What I don't get or accept is that "the AMA will cease to exist in two years", or "the hobby is over now..because of ....(insert reasons here). I doubt there is anyone out there that doesn't want or hope for exceptions carved out for the hobby. We've already seen that happen, and I'm sure everyone is hopefully more will be done for our hobby as well.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

The 77% is completely meaningless in the larger scheme of things, how many people responded to that? How many people in the AMA?

Anything of course is plausible, the question is, is it likely or reasonable to happen? After 80 years, the AMA isn't going anywhere. The reality is it's doubtful there will be any huge run on memberships leaving because they don't like MR being accepted into the AMA. I suppose some will, but it could be said an equal amount of MR users might make up for that loss. The reality is the membership numbers ebb and flow. My bet is 99% of people here will still be part of the AMA in 2, 4, even 6 years.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

My "data" is no more right or wrong than your "data"....there is no hard and fast way to prove either, probably because it's an opinion. We get those based on personal experiences and what we see and here around us. Neither of us can say what will happen in the future to any certainty, only that more change will come, and people will be unhappy about it regardless. I just choose not to forcast the end of the hobby and predict doom and gloom at every turn. There's to much fun going flying that is time better spent. ymmv

Sport_Pilot

No longer true as a couple of years ago. For example per standard State Farm homeowner's policy it says that no aircraft are covered.

Since the FAA now claims model airplanes are aircraft my homeowners policy no longer covers them. So says my insurer.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

How could they have known two years ago that the FAA would be calling model aircraft "airplanes" (for the purposes of the registration) when that just happened a few months ago?

I'm not disputing what you were told, so don't take it this way, but whoever told you that was probably wrong. Not sure if it was an agent, or a claim adjuster, or a customer service rep, but in the context of it being a toy/hobby related item, and as such personal property, it's absolutely covered. I reached out to a local Statefarm agent today (no, not Jake lol) and he confirmed this. They have not modified their standard policies (which almost every carrier out there uses) ,nor have they added exclusions to that effect. As with most policies, they are subject to some exclusions. There is no carrier out there are currently excluding model rc airplanes simply because the FAA has labeled them "airplanes". The difference between the two is obvious, even to insurance companies.

RC Pilot 007

[h=2]AMA will cease to exist[/h]
no happne site owna need insurence frm ama so no ama no club site fly at

chuckk2

The yet to be addressed issue - - - Quad copters, etc are NOT Model Airplanes.

radfordc

My Feedback: (14)

Only someone with a negative view of the AMA would bother to click on the poll in question. 77% of the "disgruntled" isn't necessarily a large portion of all AMA members.

RC Pilot 007

i like multirotr more chalenging

fix wing way allways done it get boring after time

init4fun

Bet the 77% would be rock solid proof if it was in your favor , eh ?

Meh , , , haters just gonna hate .....

rcmiket

I don't have "negative" view of anything just being realistic. I'm sure if it was 77% in favor you guys would be dancing in the streets and shoving it down our throats. Fact remains a majority seem to feel it was a mistake.

Mike

init4fun

Aw , come on Mike , you know how this goes , whenever the oh so politically correct drone cheerleaders encounter people who don't agree with them , that's when the "AMA Hater" card gets played . An act of desperation , pathetic , and to be honest I'm surprised it took this long for the hater card to be played .

It's kinda like when the Zombies show up in video games , all creative inspiration has ended , the thread having "jumped the shark" as it were ....