ORIGINAL: STLPilot
"Why is it that the AMA members have to be so much more small minded then EAA members?" Simple, all the members in the EAA joined because they wanted to. Most AMA members join because, in order to fly at most fields, they're required to belong to the AMA. Different mind set completely.
Boy you couldn't have said that any better "different mind set completely", how true. But one thing your mindset is incorrect about is the EAA and being a member thereof and it's benefits. I've belonged to the EAA much longer then the AMA and it's not much different at all, other then the fact it's members actual care, support and have repect for it's governing body.
You most certainly need to be an EAA member to attend MANY events and belong to MANY EAA clubs. You get a magazine just like the AMA. You even get EAA insurance which is bulk rated for all EAA members to keep the rates WAY down since homeonwers will not cover your airplane like it will for model airplanes. There are EAA chapters, events, and there's even the EAA museum. Does any of this sound familiar?
If you want me to be blunt about the difference I will, it's education. EAA pilots are more educated and have more respect for aviation then AMA members do. Although you see much bickering in the EAA, you don't see so much of a concentration of negativity, poor leadership and disrespect for the hobby.
You can sugar coat it any way you like but take away the insurance - as if we lived in some fantasy land - and what percentage of people would belong to the AMA nowdays? A lot less.
What I can't figure out is why a park flyer would even touch the AMA. Seriously what is a park flyer (a true park flyer not somone who is an "electric flyer") going to reap from joining the AMA on an individual basis. I only belong to the AMA so I can fly at fields requiring AMA membership when I visit other fields (not required since I fly out my back door 99% of the time).
Take a look at it another way. How many members of say the IMAA would be members if once or twice a year they didn't go to a big bird fly in and had to join on the spot to fly that day? A lot less.
In the post that got killed you said the EC wanted to push this thru but members were complaining so it was gonna die. Well heaven forbid the AMA actually do what the members of the AMA want.