Originally posted by puffmaru
I am an officer in a small AMA chartered club in rural Tennessee. We are in the second poorest county of the 90+ counties in the state. Our club dues are $12 per year for adults, and $6 for juniors or seniors. We fly at the local county airport, with the county permission, based on our providing site insurance via AMA. The recent AMA personal membership dues of $58 each look HUGE to our members, and they very much want to sever the relationship with AMA. They cannot see any rational connection between increased AMA costs and the current dues structure. Their view, right or wrong, is that some members of AMA management are lining their pockets a our expense. We are cash poor, but land (acreage) rich. We will probably have our own field by next year and dispense with AMA.
I hope you don't mind if I speak to your concerns one issue at a time. I also view the dues increase in an ill light and have some of the same concerns you do. However, I am not sure exactly who you speak of as "AMA management" since I know the EC cut their own budget this year.
I cannot begin to tell you or your club what you SHOULD do, but I can tell you the risks you run if the decision is made to be outside the 'umbrella' provided by membership and charter. I might suggest that you review them with your club before any final decision is made.
If you are not an AMA member and an incident occurs involving a visitor, who is going to pay the medical bills? Worse yet, are you willing to give up your home because little Sammy tripped over your tent tie down and broke his arm? Each and every member of the club can and probably will be held liable for any injuries that occur at the field, even if they are NOT flying related.
The liability is not limited to club assets because as you know the land is of low value. That means your possessions are at risk unless you have inadequate insurance coverage. Actually if any member of your club does not have current coverage and is involved in something expensive, you and your possessions are at risk again unless someone (he or you) is a member of the AMA.
The AMA card just proves Frank Flightpack has specified insurance coverage in effect for a specific time. That can be accomplished through other means if your club has people with nothing else to do but validate the strengths of insurance coverage and the officers don't mind keeping track of who is current in their insurance premiums and who is not. The risk you take is much worse when you evaluate the cost of protection - AMA membership.
To date the largest settlements AMA did not even involve aircraft but 'trip and fall' injuries at some AMA Chartered Club field. I suppose you could not charter the club, but that would lower the insurance coverage available to you and I don't see that as a reasonable approach, but you and your club may see it differently.