ORIGINAL: faras
I agree. I have been an AMA member since 1984. I am an advanced flier but I have seen these AMA clubs taking the hobby a little too seriously. Instead of making it fun it has become a place for people with nothing else to do to scare intimidate and eventually turm off prospective members. I joined a club that is shrinking but they cotinue to insist that to join you must be sponsered and attend atleast one meeting during the weekday. I travel all week am i to stop work for a week so I can become a member. I think not.
Also the liability insurance issue is harming the AMA. Ever seen the ''progressive'' insurance ad where this girl says i can get you a customized policy. The reason for that is that every flier does not need the same coverage. Some may need all some none and some in the middle.
We are going to have to look at this as a sport and invest in big areas like golf clubs and Shooting ranges where people pay and get a great experience. The hobby has continued to grow at the small plane and large plane level and actually no growth in the .40 to .60 size aircraft. So we have a large number of new comers and growing number of baby boomers moving into larger planes.
Nothing new. Many Clubs around my area have bought land and built flying facilities. Mostly financed by 1 or more club members that had a vision. I did that for my club some 14 years ago. As a financial investment, very few investments could have been worse. ( Investing in RC is kind of like investing in
houses and lots:
That is HOUSES of ill repute and LOTS of whiskey! )
Actually financial gain was NOT a consideration. A good model airplane club was the objective. 40-60 size models predominate however there is no shortage of BIG BIRDS. OTOH, electrics flourished for about 3 years, yet very few show up now. Two major pattern competition fliers went electric, now back to glow.
The new comers in the small plane area are mostly electric. Let me ask the question why not let clubs provide blanket coverage through regular insurance for these members as they pose very little risk with there small aircraft. Let the dues cover the cost of this insurance and let everybody have fun.
There is a cause of club decrease ala AMA decrease. Neither a club, or AMA can/will run itself like a business. Of course being business-wise is very difficult when one's product is mostly intangible. Conquering difficult tasks is rather out of style in this day and age.
We should also be scrutinizing the dues paid to AMA. Has anyone ever questioned where the money goes and who controls it. Why can we not have a member owned AMA where the organization would answer to all. This way there would be accountability and these old outdated ideas would be jettisoned.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
faras, you joined RCU last Nov. You have made 9 views, and this is your first post. Methinks that had you been around for a couple years or even researched your subject only a small amount, you may well be ashamed to make such a statement and ask such a question as your last complete paragraph. Yessiree, it has been done very well. [sm=47_47.gif] You are a prime example of a 25 year AMA member that evidences absolutely no clue of that which herein you speak about.