ORIGINAL: vicman
When you buy a model rocket or replacement engines from wal-mart there is a copy of the NAR Model Rocket Safey Code and contact information inside the package. Not so with the several Aero Aces, Storm Launcher, or Havoc Heli I bought.
Is this a demonstration of a responsible manufacturer or an active sanctioning body? I don't know.
My take on Dave's comments was for us as AMA members to welcome these interested ones without making them feel like they have junk and encourage them to take the next steps into the more advanced forms of model aeronautics. That starts with the people at the field the day someone shows up, not someone in Muncie.
Should AMA try to get a blip in the package of Air Hogs and other similar products? Absolutely!
Well of course there is no responsibility of the manufacturer to do anything. Also consider that Airhogs is not Estes. Estes has been around for a long time now and has built a relationship over many years. Airhogs is a fast growing company that is based more or less of marketing machine then they deal with production. Aihogs basically produces nothing it's all made in multiple factories throughout China. Whereas Estes started all production in America as a complete different business model.
Now I believe it's in the best interest of Airhogs to make relationships, but it's up to them, not the AMA. Afterall informing people to "believe" you must belong to some kind of or any kind of organization may reduce sales. Of course this is speculative, but there is no speculation to the customer if there is no information in the box to create the speculation in the first place. So in that terms Airhogs has to act on behalf of themselves and that's just the way it is. Right now Airhogs is literally on fire, they are huge. In 2 years they've gone from nothing to being larger then Tower Hobbies in revenues and I certainly respect them for that.
Now as far as the AMA spending money in advertising outside of the org, you have no idea. The AMA does not have that kind of revenues. Think about how much you see EAA information out there and they are 10x larger then the AMA. It's not cheap to market to general public, it's millions to capture a niche market, real expensive. A lot more then what the AMA "loses" in MA, a whole lot more.