Originally posted by Kevin Greene
Jim,
Don't get me wrong----I've helped and introduced numerous people into this hobby, both as a flier and a magazine columnist. 
(I used to write the jet column for R/C Report Mag.) Since I fly primarily jets and back it up with a little giant scale I would get a little frustrated when 10 modelers are all jockeying for my help. If I just needed an "R/C fix" I could have gone to the field with nothing of my own to fly and instructed all day. (Which I have) I was just relaying what happened to me at this particular field and wondered if anything like this ever happened to you. I actually belonged to three clubs at that time (I was President at one) and visited each of them regularly. Each of the sites offered different types of flying....When there was a crosswind at one I would fly at another that had the wind down the runway, etc., etc. Also, I had different friends at each to pal around with. I think that my situation at the one club was a severe case but not unique I would imagine. Anyone that has flown jets can attest to their periodic stubborness. Trying to figure out a problem while passifying the numerous novices can get frustrating...That's all that I was conveying.
Kevin
Kevin,
I didn't get or take you wrong but I WAS sort of poking fun at a club that took all the extra steps to have another special bureaucracy involved in the control of who may or may not have fun in our hobby. Hope it did not hurt your feelings as that was not my purpose.
The issue of instruction is one that we can all talk about but nobody seems to be able to do anything about. JR makes some very valid points, as I know Clarence does but valid points do not solve the problem. This is a hobby and while I invite others to participate, I DO NOT GUARANTEE THEIR HAPPINESS! That approach seems (to me) to be the implied task many who think the instructor should be compensated appear to be taking on.
If we are to encourage AMA to provide commercial insurance, something tells me that we will have bitten off much more than any of us are ready to chew. We had better have a set of standards the instructor MUST measure up to and implement with each and every student. Worse, we had best find a way to PROVE both the testing of the instructor and the implementation with the student. In other words we will need ways to prove the measurements are adequate, proper, and WERE met both in practice and with each and every student. Can you say FAA?
Sorry guys, but I am firmly in the corner of free instruction no matter what. I openly and freely admit that there are large problems with not having a commercial program available for a few, but the other problems far out weigh the benefit of providing everything all the time for all checkbook modelers out of dues monies. Unless you think we should raise dues again.