Originally Posted by
jester_s1
There's no force involved here. The AMA is trying to offer the best deal, and if they can do that and make a dollar or two in the process then why not?
As for this being an abandonment of the AMA's purpose, I simply don't see it that way. No one is talking about shutting down competition, not advocating for hobbyist interests, or discontinuing the flying site or museum. The magazine isn't being dominated by drone articles. Geez, this is the organization that still keeps a bi-monthly article about CL Navy carrier a solid 35 years after CL flying in general had given way to RC as the mainstream control method of choice. The AMA is not an abandon your legacy type of institution.
However, if they don't pursue new revenue streams, they will have no choice but to stop some of those things. If partnering with a related insurance business helps shore up their income, then that's an act in the best interests of the hobby and the AMA's mission. I haven't seen a single concern in this thread that actually could become a reality that hurts the AMA. Congressmen seeing the ad and thinking the AMA is all about commercial use? Please. How stupid do you think congressmen are? Dropping aeromodeling concerns because commercial drone pilots become the most important source of revenue? Only if enough of them join to create a voting majority and they mobilize/organize and traditionalists refuse to co-exist with them. None of those aside from the last one is likely.
How about having a little faith in the leadership? They aren't perfect, but they got where they are by serving this hobby before they were able to make a job out of it. Why not expect them to be working for the organization's mission? For that matter, how about understanding that the EC has a more intimate knowledge of what the AMA needs than a hobbyist, a consumer who's never even attended one of their meetings? Why does the knee jerk reaction have to be doom and gloom and a wholesale condemnation of the whole AMA leadership at the tiniest sign of something new? That's the same mentality that is killing so many clubs; young pilots can do nothing to please the glow ARF crowd so they leave as fast as they came. I fear the AMA may go the same way, not because its leadership destroys it with harebrained schemes, but because its membership stifles adaptation to the changing market to the point that no one wants to be members after the current generation is gone.
How is it not being forced upon those that fly drones commercially? The way I read it, they are advertising it as "Join the AMA so your insurance is cheaper" while, at the same time, they go to congress and the FAA and say "Don't worry, we're handling the problem". Sure doesn't seem like they are handling the problem when parts of a noncommercial quad were found embedded in a military helicopter, along with a damaged rotor blade, that was flying at dusk and out of line of site with the quad owner. Some will blame the app the guy was using due to it's being down when this happened but, truth be told, he was flying illegally on two counts and knew it before he even lifted off. My question is, plain and simple, if the AMA can't control the thousands of hobby quad flyers, how do they expect to have any success with the commercial operators who don't want to have to answer to anyone that could affect their profit margin? Paying for an AMA membership just to get discounted commercial insurance is a definite "hit" to the profits that most probably won't be willing to take. Now let's look at what the AMA has on their
SALES SITE:
Fly Your Drone With Confidence!
Insure your commercial flying with a custom policy at discounted prices.
Get pricing on liability insurance with protection of $500,000, $1 million, $2 million or more.
AMA Membership is required for purchase, but
you do not need to be a member to get a quote today.
Just answer a short list of questions. Within minutes, you’ll receive a quote, be able to make your purchase and be covered. It’s that fast!
No One Knows UAV/UAS Requirements Like We Do!
For more than 40 years–since 1973–the AMA has provided its members with liability insurance for recreational flying. Now AMA members can purchase commercial drone insurance at a special low price. Better than the "per flight" app versions and good for all year.
Jester, I don't care how you spin it,
THAT IS A SALES AD. SINCE IT SAYS RIGHT IN THE AD THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A PURCHASE IN MINUTES, THAT MAKES THE AMA AN INSURANCE BROKERAGE AND NOT A CBO, MEANING IT CAN AND WILL COST THE AMA THEIR TAX EXEMPT STATUS. ONE OTHER POINT, THERE IS ONLY ONE PLACE IN THE ENTIRE AD THAT SAYS AMA MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED AND I HI-LITED IT IN BLUE. MOST WOULD PROBABLY NEVER NOTICE IT UNTIL THEY WERE ALL SIGNED UP AND GOT THEIR AMA CARD