RE: Why the AMA is not growing...........
Ok, this is my first time posting in this half of the forums. I have been a member of the AMA, but have since let my membership lapse. I do intend on rejoining.
Here is my stance on why the problems are happening.
A new flyer goes into a store, sees all the airplanes. He shells out his savings acct to get all the stuff he needs to fly. After he passes over all the money he has to pay for his new plane, the shop owner asks him...do you want to join the AMA.
The new flyer says "Whats the AMA?"
The shop owner replies "Its like a modelers club that offers insurance, and you get a magazine."
The new flyer says "How much is it?
The shop owner says "50 bucks"
The new flyer ponders this for a moment, and thinks to himself "hmmm $50 bucks for some insurance and a magazine, or .....that new brushless motor, couple of gallons of nitro....uh, Ill take some nitro please, I'll join the AMA later"
The problem is that most of the flyers and shop owners dont really know about all the AMA offers. If you want to make the new flyers get interested in the AMA, you have to tell them whats behind door number 3.
They need to print a pamphlet that includes a description of the AMA, what its for, what services it offers, and what types of events it sponsors. Then ship them all to every hobby shop in the country, put one in every new plane kit that goes out the manufacturers door, and pass them out at every fly in, competition meet, and PTA meeting you go to.
Next when you go to the field, and you see a new flyer, stop by and encourage him to join the AMA, and tell him why....give him one of those pamphlets you got from the hobby store.
The only way to get people to join is to tell them what ya got.
Just look at this thread, and see how many times someone was corrected as far as to what services the AMA has. I have no idea what all the AMA offers anymore. Im sure there are some things in there that would justify the $50 cost of the membership.
The other problem is that nine times out of ten, the shop owner also tells the new flyer that if he wants to fly at the local field (which just happens to be the only flying field in 200 miles) he needs to be a member of the local club and a member of the AMA.
For a guy that shells out $500+ for a plane, and then gets told he needs to blow another $70+ bucks to be able to fly it with out having to dodge the trees and cows in the field behind his house is not helping anything.
I think alot of this is why the small electric 3D planes and parkflyers are getting so popular. They are cheap, you dont have to go fly it where they require a AMA and club membership, and when it crashes, 10 min later and some foam safe CA and your flying again.
Just my two cents worth