ORIGINAL: combatpigg
Lowering the cost of AMA dues is not going to be enough to get people to drop whatever it is they already do with their free time and switch over to flying .40 size models. The cost of dues is a drop in the bucket compared with the overall cost of this sport / hobby.
CP, I agree 100%. AMA dues are not any biggie. OTOH, if one makes this hobby expensive then the sky is the limit.
One can really fly for very little cost if one just wants to fly, and have money for dues for less than $100 if one has a radio and an engine.
I can take a cardboard box from a junk yard, , a sheet of foamboard, some scrap plywood, a couple dollars worth of glue and tape, and a roll of shelf paper from the $1.00 store and in a day I can have a real nice .40-.50 airplane, 500-550 sq. ins wing-area, 50-55' span, along with some other odd parts in the scrap box and its ready to install the engine, tank, and servos. 2 days from $-store to flying field and less than $15.00 at the most for the airplane.
Good running .40-.60 engines are plentiful on eBay and can be had for less than $50. I have recently picked up some for under $35. I have sold some for around the same price.
I picked up a brand new JR 6 channel transmitter without batteries for 95 cents + postage. Some discount 1500 mah Nmih wired up and added a crystal from old stock and it works fine. Usable servos are readily available. A .40-.50 flies fine on old standard servos. All the stuff about what one MUST have is like selling women a new dress for each night-out. Just ain't so.
However your comment about
:
"Oh come on now...I'll bet 98% of the guys who get into a .40 size on up model know all about the AMA."
I wish we had a way to confirm that because I would bet almost the opposite. I doubt that 30% of the actual modelers have any idea about AMA as we know AMA the Academy of Model Aeronautics. Club people and AMA members know, but they are a very small number of those that play and tinker with the hobby.