After joining the hobby of RC flight just a few months ago, and even more recently joining the RCU forums, I have decided to join the AMA. Not so big a deal you say? True, it's not a major newsflash, but I think other beginners may benefit from seeing my take on the subject as a fellow newbie.

I wieghed carefully the pros/cons of AMA membership and personally found that it seems to be a bonus to belong to an organization that supports me in following my hobby. Mind you, this hobby is not made up of hapless toys. The devices we use in this hobby are very sophisticated, expensive, and dangerous if not handled with great care. Membership includes insurance coverage in the event of an unfortunate mishap, and creates a set of guidelines for the hobbyist to ensure proper safety and promote "good clean fun". I think "most" of us would agree that anything done on such a large scale needs organization to succeed. The AMA seems to provide such an avenue for the RC community, tying together young and old alike, as well as, drawing together a source of knowledge that spans decades and reaches around the world.

Another benefit I have noted is many "clubs" or "fields" prefer AMA membership before letting you fly solo. It keeps everyone on the same playing field and allows all the participant to play by the same rules. In this manner, all involved will know the same rules/guidelines as everyone else providing for a safer environment in which to enjoy the hobby.

Now for the negatives. It seems rather childish to me to say this, but having a bunch of "fuddy duddy" rules to follow to play with my airplanes, that I paid for, and I built, seems to be a bit over the top. This being said, once again I would like to point out that the AMA as I understand it, is in place to maintain safety, as well as to provide organization to the sport of RC modeling.

This post is not intended as a troll, flame, or any other derogatory meaningless dribble, mearly to attempt a transfer of experience from myself to others who may be wondering if AMA membership is worth the price of admission.

Thank You,

Luke Short[8D]