ORIGINAL: BasinBum
I have helped beginners with maiden flights and instruction many times at our non AMA field. It never occurred to me before reading this thread to even ask if they have AMA. Am I any more liable than if I was flying the plane without them? Is the only point to the intro pilot program to cover the club and/or field if it is AMA sanctioned? The instructor would be covered by their AMA, the student probably wouldn't be liable on a buddy box, the club and field are covered so what's the point?
I understand Hoss and John B.'s point about someone dragging their feet and not wanting to carry them but based on liability only does it matter?
BB-
FWIW, I'm much more in tune with your actions to promote
model aviation than with Hoss and John B., whose inferred underlying interest in helping beginners is to recruit club/AMA members.
As far as liability goes, it is my understanding that the Intro Pilot program provides insurance coverage for the individual, as would individual AMA membership, with the conditions that that the newbie is under direct supervision of the Intro Pilot and the flights are logged and reported to AMA. It's been a while though - I was an Intro Pilot about ten years ago, until the club decided there was litlle value (i.e., less than the ten bucks or so per designated Pilot sent to AMA) in the program. There was no more IP qualification required than for AMA membership, that is, club sends AMA the money and you're an instructor after the check clears.
Abel