I read thru this post and find it interesting . I will probably upset so many people with this statement but the ama is not growing because modelers are so judgemental of each other that many newbee are not made to feel welcome . Look around on this site , here is some examples
1)arf guys vs builders
2)warbird guys vs scale warbirds guys
3)fast prop jet guys vs regular prop planes
4)thick tail airfoil guys vs flat tail , yes funny but true
5)disposable income vs non disposable income ect ect ect .
6)american made vs imports
I love the hobby , have a tendency to see all views just to enjoy it and get along , but dont blame the ama , look at the field and you will see what I mean . We turn modeling pride into snobbery and anti socialisum
I am lucky , I now fly alone with my kids , I no longer go to the club and advoid the club scene for a few more years until my kids will grow and move on or the area will develope beyond the space so I can no longer fly .
Unfortunitly that is one of the biggest problems in this hobby , plenty of great people but many walls are in place