Originally Posted by
aymodeler
Unfortunately, I think your assessment is just about spot on. It is getting harder and harder to enjoy this hobby. That is why I take the "enjoy it while I can" attitude. I have a number of hobbies including restoring vintage hand tools, woodworking, and recently, model ship building. I can enjoy those hobbies without any hassles whatsoever.
For right now, I can also build and fly my planes without any real hassle either. Yes, we did lose the lease on the club field that was closest to me (because some endangered critters like building their nests there), but I am still a member at two others clubs and currently they also remain a hassle free experience.
The core of these discussions is always pro vs con AMA. I take a more moderate approach. The AMA continues to serve a purpose as a gateway to flying at clubs. And while I agree with many of the negative comments about not keeping current and financial mismanagement, I also firmly believe that the bigger issue is the shift in demographics. The AMA will lose relevance because nearly all of it's members, including myself, are aging out of the population, rendering the pro-con conversation moot. Not only will the AMA die out, but so will all the manufactures and suppliers of traditional model aircraft including kits, ARFs, motors, servos, landing gear, props, hardware etc. That decline is already taking place with remaining suppliers consolidating into a smaller and smaller core group and essentially all manufacturing done overseas. Truthfully, I believe that there is enough inertia to keep the industry, the AMA, and the club model going for the next decade or two. That is also pretty much all the life that traditional model airplane hobby is likely to have left too (no matter what happens to the AMA).
Interesting, I'm just getting interest in restoring old tools. I pulled a number of them from under my Grandfather's cabin. Unfortunately, the ground is really wet so a couple of them are pretty rusted, but a couple aren't too bad. May touch base on you with some photos and get your recommendations on approach to take.
On the AMA. I actually see a future for an AMA-like organization, but certainly not the AMA under it's current leadership / business strategy. I honestly think the FAA is looking for recreational sUAS organizations that will actually help them. What do I mean by that? On one hand, FAA has Congress, other agencies, other airspace users, etc. pulling them hard to do something to control what they perceive as a threat to safety of people in the air, on the ground, to security (DHS/DOD/LE), an to privacy (think overflights). On the other hand, you have AMA who is really good at writing rules, but does nothing to enforce them on their own members. FAA knows they don't have the manpower to do the former, but know they need to. They look at AMA and see vacuous windbags who are really all talk (and at that, a group always looking for ways to use FAA/law to compel membership).
I have come to believe that so long as Hanson & Budreau are in place, they simply cannot change. The EC is feckless when it comes to controlling the H&B cabal. And that's a problem because w/o a change, the AMA has no hope of surviving. You make a strong case that no matter what they do they won't survive, but if they don't get healthy financially, it's all but guaranteed.
I understand and respect your desire to enjoy it while it lasts. It wouldn't take a lot, a couple dozen or so folks hitting the EC with a consistent message of - you need to be more transparent, publish issues BEFORE votes, and slash spending - and we might see some change. But Hanson & Budreau count on a disengaged membership, and members are letting them do it. Add your voice and perhaps we can drive some change and make survival possible.