Originally posted by redrocker
People seem to be more content when they have choices. AMA already has more than one category of membership- perhaps they could add some more, with the respective dues set to reflect the amount of AMA staff resources used. Maybe it would make sense for there to be a category for competition-oriented flyers at sanctioned events, another category for sport flyers, etc.
I am one of those sport flyers who only gets out to the flying field maybe 20 times a year, if that.
Does this mean you view the rest of us (who care) as 'high maintenance' members who should pay more for the privilege of making sure things are near the right track? That is a serious question.
This "membership classification" keeps coming up and it is clear that there are no powerful people (read that as having a vote on the AMA EC) with any interest in spreading the costs only to those willing to pay it. I suspect it is another "strawman" arguement used to create smoke where there is no heat. Lets look at it a bit more.
On one hand it makes sense for those who want to play mangler, er manager, games with AMA should pay more. However, it also is clear that they are the very same players who are going to stick (have stuck?) it to the general membership. They are playing the old numbers game. A few dollars from a great many and no one notices that we are speaking in millions. This 'factoid' is what drove the last EVP contest and what drives those who claim money is the problem.
The real problem is that when the "OUT's" discover that the "IN's" control those millions, they get rambunctious. The problem extends so far into our hobby as to include the creation of new safety code rules to 'protect AMA assets' so the empire grows. (Sorry, my bad attitude #67). Some of the rules adopted have been
pr oven to be stupid and so they get changed. Some of the rules we needed, but it should be clear to all that the AMA cannot legislate common sense which is what they are trying to encourage with the safety code.
The 'problem' with membership classification is control and utilization. How do you allow Charlie Controlliner the chance to fly R/C with his C/L limited ticket? As a side question please explain how that helps model aviation grow. Another interesting question is exactly how do you THINK a competitor gets into competition? How do you move Sammy Sportflyer into a throw together contest his friends invite him to? Those are some of the issues that limit the classification of membership to OPEN rather than SPORT and COMPETITOR or CL and RC.
No, if we are going to classify the membership I think we need to charge the 'care-for-nothing' bunch 95% of the new dues structure that will raise the dues for the rest of us by about 15%. But, again, that is MY bad attitude showing.
In short, I am convinced that money is not a problem with the AMA rather it is a visible symptom of a much deeper problem. Too many !QUOT!let George do it!QUOT! members with NO interest in controlling the future of the organization. No interest in voting, but lots and lots of other negative input.
Just my opinion (yeah, I know - again)