Although true, and not to say that you do, I personally have never looked for AMA to provide a sense of community. For me the sense of community comes naturally from those that gather to share interests in a more personal way. I have only one desire of AMA and that is to promote the hobby in such a way that the modeling community can flourish. AMA is Sort of like fertilizer for the growth of the modeling community…I don’t care to have a bigger bag of crap than needed. You are right, these current diversities (branches) are making AMA's challenge greater but I think that isn't necessarily a bad thing. We just need to find the right mix.

It seems to me the AMA is now more interested in promoting itself and even mining the modeling community to garner support of and insure its own existence. For me if AMA became extinct and was no more but models were being flown and welcomed just about everywhere, then AMA had to have done a good job and discharged its directive and achieved all of it goals...all would be fine...the community would be great.

I think you know, despite what others believe, the AMA represents only a small part of the modeling community.

Very insightful and I have always felt there is an inequity also. One of the biggest reasons most people join AMA is for the liability insurance reasons…but I know you know that. It is not fair that a 200 mph jet pilot should pay no more than a .15 sized Lazy Bee pilot but for AMA to do otherwise in house would be an absolute admission of AMA as an insurance provider. We will have to accept the natural evolution as it occurs unless AMA takes the initiative and requires the greater risk takers to acquire their own additional primary coverage. But alas that will not happen due to interests of those in control.


One of the unintended consequences is that as one interest fills the AMA roles they will displace others... not necessarily a bad thing. Now and into the future we might see more models flying at sites other than AMA club fields. I see that as a good thing. Every home should have at least a two model garage.

We are at a point in time where we must be careful if we are to preserve the future of aero modeling, even if it is different than what it was years ago. We must refrain from portraying the hobby/sport/activity as anything other than the safe, worthwhile pursuit that it is. We can’t afford to be so overwhelmed with change that we inadvertently counter it with a rational that will hurt us all in the long run.

Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, whether we like it or not, the future of model aviation will depend on constant change and endless choice to occupy the easily jaded and hard to impress culture we are growing now. We can either embrace the changes or we can resent the inevitable future or even short circuit it.




That is self righting representation for the most part. If a majority of Rubber powered modelers vote themselves in, more power to them and that is just fine.