The problem is that it's too difficult to get in to. When you go to a hobby shop, you generally get some 17 year old kid who doesn't know much about planes or flying, or who doesn't know anything about the local clubs. Even if you buy a plane, you can't fly at the local field until you send for an AMA card and then (in some cases) wait for the club to approve your membership.

The whole process needs to be simpler:
1. Buy a plane.
2. The guy at the LHS says, "Would you like a 3 month trial AMA membership and free trial membership at the local club? It's only $40, and you get insurance, a magazine, and a place to fly."
3. You pay the $40, get a temporary AMA card and a temporary club card right there on the spot. At the end of 3 months, if you want to keep flying, you renew your AMA and club dues on-line through the AMA site. That's right - I said club dues. Let the AMA accept payments for the club dues, then forward the money to the club. Alternatively, let the clubs establish PayPal accounts and directly take money, using the AMA site as a portal.

We live in a world where we have instant access to every possible form of entertainment, vice, and pleasure. If the model airplane community doesn't step up and bring the business of flying in to the 21'st century, we're going to lose it altogether, and the only way you'll be able to fly is with a joystick. You know what some teenager is saying right now? "My God, it's bad enough to have to go outdoors to fly the plane... you mean I have to mail a check or attend a meeting and sign up in just to fly? It's not worth it. I'll stick to my X-Box."

Sure, some of you will say that it's selling out to do this, but it's not the over-50 set that will keep the hobby alive; it's the under 30's that have the money and energy to keep this going. Without them, this will be a dead hobby in all too short a time.