Originally Posted by
islandflyer
Not on board with that one:
I am not here to complain, but rather to raise awareness on the drone issues as it affect the AMA and model aviation as a whole. The only exists to represent the interest of its members, and not to pursue directions contrary to the position of the majority of its members. I have spoken to my VP, and I know he voted NO. Next is to spread the word on social media (not just here, but also FG, GSN and RCG).
While I do embrace the technological advances in all domains, I am not embracing the change (of the AMA), and neither are the majority of the AMA members I have spoken with (and there are many!). It is up to us, the members, to make our voices heard in order the change the composition of the leadership in the AMA, and change the very misguided direction it is following as a result of a very close vote last year. The drone issue is no doubt the biggest challenge our Aeromodeling hobby has ever faced, and it is time for AMA members to really get involved with the vote that can rectify this direction.
Yes, it is all about having fun....I just want the fun to continue for a long time, without being affected by overreaching regulation that are likely to come as a result of drone proliferation. The only salvation for us is to make it unequivocally clear that Drone flying is not model aviation, and vice versa.
This will absolutely not change anything for drones: what ever regulation affect them will affect them no matter what.
On the other hand it can change everything for model aviation, by lobbying to be affected but any upcoming drone regulation.
Those are my concerns also since it is painfully clear there is not an effective manner to manage the drone population that cannot be undone by the renegade user. That very clearly screams that WE and the AMA need to RUN away from them entirely before the swat to them gets us also.
@rmikit - Please explain how MY dues should be used to and start a flying club in Idaho, Wyoming, or West Virginia. I don't see how that could be done without INVOLVED and invested members who (everywhere else I have flown) do those things for themselves. Your thesis that the AMA should fund local clubs is just another way to tax other members and open the door to politics and fraud in determining how much money is spent where. The federal government already does that so why do you want to emulate them?