ORIGINAL: tpes
J R, you can quote chapter and verse all day long, but the truth be known, to 90% of the R/C fliers the AMA is only a necessary evil for the INSURANCE that allows them to fly at the flying field. Question? Would you be in the AMA today if it was not a requirement to fly at your local flying field? And if yes, why? Please tell me what the AMA has done specifically to improve your enjoyment of the hobby? They got us more frequencies back in the 90's making all of our equipment obsolete, that was a big help. Actually it was because it allows more people to fly at one time, but of course when was the last time you saw 40 airplanes in the air at the same time. Don't tell me a magazine, Kalmbach Publications and Carstens Publications seem to be doing a great job without the AMA. Sorry J R, it's the INSURANCE.
Ed Dupaquier
Actually, they got us the channels because the cell phone industry was trying to snatch it all up. Making the radio companies build better equipment has done nothing but make the radio more reliable, so that most times when a plane goes down, it's NOT from radio interference. Only because the AMA and all it's members went to the FCC did we protect our planes from splattering on the average phone call... And the 1991 rules didn't make older radios obsolete, but upgrades were needed. There's still a ton of those radios out there, and they all work better now as a result.
Yes, the insurance is cool, but I've never used it, and hope I never need it. I DO like the magazine, and while I don't like the fee growing every year, it's the cheapest insurance I've ever heard of. Would I still join if I didn't have to? You bet. It's the organisation behind it all, that lets me know what's going on, and it gives a basic set of rules that keeps most people happy and healthy.
phil in georgetown