ORIGINAL: Carevin
Also can someone give me the background on the AMA. It seems as if I'm not a member of this mystical orginization then I'll have to go play by myself. Who made them the boss etc, is the sorta vibe I'm getting from reading this. Not to diss or say bad things about them, It seems like they do provide good services. I'm just wondering why things are the way they are.
In a nutshell, AMA is an organization started by modelers who wanted to get together to promote the hobby. They do that by helping clubs and fields get started, insuring the hobby, lobbying and advocating for the hobby, and regulating the hobby to keep things safe and organized. Truth be told, 90% of the dedicated flying fields in the US would have never been built without the AMA's help, and many would have closed by now had it not been for the AMA's continued help. So yes, if you're not an AMA member, you are cutting yourself off from the vast majority of resources available in the hobby.