Frank-

IANAL, but in my limited understanding of the inscrutable civil laws of this country you are spot on with that observation. I have tried to get that point across for years to the BoD oligarchy that rules a club I belong to. Also, the AMA Safety Code incorporates local club rules by reference, so they are gratuitously adding more exclusions from coverage to the AMA provided liability insurance, as if there were not enough already. Hasn't deterred them from making up more dippy, unenforceable rules though. Apparently it is considered a divine right and obligation by the elite that find themselves empowered to control model airplane clubs, though I never got the briefing on that.

Anyhow, in support of your position it is noteworthy that the largest payout for liability for a model airplane accident (that I am aware of) was against AMA itself, $1.3 mil judgement for the injured party that was hit by CL speed model during a sanctioned contest. Court found pull test required by AMA rules contributed to structural failure that resulted in the accident.