Originally posted by scottrc
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Huh? Wha the?
Oh, ok, I'm awake now........
Here is the deal. I belong to a club of about 15 flyers that are comprised from three small towns. At present, there are more than 12 flyers in the area that will not, and do not give a damn about being insured, they claim they are poor and want to spend their money on airplanes.
// BIG SNIP//
Now, since these guys joined, much of their flying budget has gone to dues increases, both local, individual, and site. They now feel that the charter fees are not worth the hassle and want to dissolve the club. As of September, our club will begin the cease and the charter will be allowed to run out as of December 31, 2003.
//BIG SNIP//
13 out of the fifteen members will still keep their individual memberships (Remember, only 3 of these 13 want a club). The other two will become rouges and besides forcing them at gunpoint to stop, can and will continue to fly wherever they can get away with it.
As far as flying, well, I'm still trying the convince these guys that the City is now off limits. And since one of the pilots that voted to stay in AMA is the son of the land owner who has our field, the rouge flyer's will lose that option as well. AMA members ONLY will be allowed on the property.
It would be nice if we could buy a site coverage policy for this land owner without having a club.
What will happen? Us that want to support AMA will now fly at the private field with an invite from the owner (at his own risk), and join surrounding clubs that belong to the AMA. (1 to 2 hr drive)
And the rouges will go back to flying off dirt roads and sneaking onto the golf coarse.
To get back to my personal issue with AMA, I think it needs to revamp it's image.
//SNIP//
To me, it should be the other way around. There should be huge publicity on kids building airplanes and news about clubs and flying sites being saved, how it is working at protecting our frequencies and lobbying for more support from the government, Using events like TOC as huge marketing campaigns, and small blurbs about the problems we are facing with insurance. AMA loves to air dirty laundry which is quite upsetting. Yes, we need to know about it, but does it have to be so strung out in every issue and in every forum?
Scottrc:
Basically I agree with everything you say, however I just wish to expand on several thoughts. It's been said before and I'll say it again.
AMA Insurance: The insurance is, IMO, not to protect me financially as I carry a bunch of other like 2 separate HO policies, Umbrella liability, and UMA primary. WHAT AMA DOES DO is protect me from that other nimrod that may not have any current HO, UMA, or Umbrella insurance in case he HURTS ME.
Therefore I do NOT participate where non-AMA persons are allowed to fly, or in any place I see the AMA Safety Code being openly violated. For those persons that cannot afford $58 per year to provide financial protection for others that they may do damage to, then they cannot afford gas to drive to the field, so I am not concerned about their interest in the sport.
The AMA Club Charter is good through March 2004. Only the individual membership expires on Dec. 31, '03. Under the Bylaws Art. VI, you have a 30 day grace period to pay your dues. My research says that AMA would be hard-put to win a court case filed by a 2003 member in January '04, that had not paid his/her dues by 12/31.
My Club extends that same grace period.
I suggest, prior to the Club being dissolved, that you formally advise your *rogues* that if their selection of flying sites causes damage within your selected site (established farmer's field) that legal action for damages will be instituted. Otherwise their choices should be of no concern to you.
Unfortunately airing of dirty laundry is a necessity. As a veteran of 41 years of professional aviation, I assure you that the AF (13 years) was a much safer place with much less experienced aviators because they aired dirty laundry VERY WELL. OTOH, the airlines (28 years) cover up everything and no significant discussions of errors are tolerated, even among the pilots themselves.
IMO there should be a whole lot more of the accidents and the outcomes.
Now, I am definitely for getting National and Media's recognition of our sport/recreation/hobby and NOT simply in the choir-box, but by national media.
Hey, the recent crossing of the Atlantic by a model made the Wall-Street Journal. Did that blurb come from AMA? I doubt it but I do not know.
Only through national recognition of this model aviation activity can we ever attain the power to really negotiate for flying facilities at the local levels.
There are people available that could apply a lot of rudder to the current AMA course. Elect them or be one of them.
BTW, the TOC is (WAS) a private activity, and could not be a function of AMA.