mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Horrace,

If elected do you intend to support the AMA's continued efforts to court so called "drone" operators?

The AMA has spent over US$1M on congressional action over the last 5 years and have recently earmarked another $250K for UAS (drone) programs. And now we are suing the FAA.

Do you support these actions and policies?

I have my ballot in hand.

phlpsfrnk

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/exec...ne-pilots.html

Frank

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

I was hoping for a clearer answer this time.
anyway too confusing so I asked here, hopefully we can get a clear concise answer.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

How about any answer...

Bump.

Your welcome. LOL

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

phlpsfrnk provided a link (three posts up) and if you can't follow that link for whatever reason....here is what transpired in the first two posts:

Originally Posted by phlpsfrnk

Horrace,
A recent EC meeting approved, by a narrow margin (7 to 6), a significant amount of money for the continuance of a program to essentially train pilots in the "light commercial" and "purposeful use" of FPV/UAS/Drones. What is your position on the AMA pursuing this type of venture?

Regards
Frank
Frank, do you really want me to say what I think of this barrel of "stink"? Unfortunately and probably far from assisting to get me elected to EVP, ( ) I think
that AMA should allow the FOLKS that Build / Import / Screw Around / and do Other Stuff with these TOYS to provide every Penny - in advance - that is used on this, these /
those/ etc. etc.chunks of junk, and the $$$ of AMA should be placed with the model airplane membership and the needs of the AMA membership.
OTOH, the world and the younger folks are going to jump on this stuff just as they have on the Foam Model Airplanes. At this time I find no real answers to the questions,
and therefore I have to go-with-the-flow, yet I will always be pushing the real MODEL Airplane.

Had we stayed with the P-39, the P-40, and such, where would our country now be? Had we not used the A-Bomb where would we yet be? (I spent a lot of days sitting on ALERT in Spain and North Africa, in a B-47 all ready to start engines and send Krusheve [sp?] to his happy hunting grounds. The MIG 19s were 10 miles away, also on Alert, but they never scrambled! ) IMO had we used B-47s and nukes in Korea and Vietnam we may well be a lot of better off today. OTOH ????

Therefore, we stay the course and do whatever we HAVE to do. BTW I don't now cower to Generals, or those trying to steal my dollars. Horrace Cain AMA L-93

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

No matter else... You got your answer...whether you know it or not...

acerc

Really! Comparing war machine advancement to our toy airplanes is like comparing the intellect of a 50 year old with a 2 year old. If AMA stays the course with FPV, as it appears they will, we will lose the right to fly. PERIOD! If the government feels the two are one they will shut it all down, they will have no choice under the guise of the public's best interest and national security.
Fortunately congress has already made the separation and more than likely it will be the FPV type eliminated.

init4fun

I am left to wonder if the AMA might not be attempting to position itself as the government approved insurance broker for ALL hobby FPV and commercial drone operations and that we last few guys who DO believe in the traditional Balsa model plane , will be left behind . The government has already set the precedent of demanding what types of insurance you must buy so no stretch there . The AMA has been brokering flying non manned aircraft insurance for years so no stretch there either . One Amazon IS delivering Iphones by drone you can bet there will be Billions of $ worth of insurance wrapped up around all of this and i'll bet THAT is the final evolution of the AMA , that of a government mandated insurance policy with it's oum already built in set of operating conditions (the safety code) .

acerc

If that be the case, I could live with it, but, I believe they are lobbying for it on behalf of the possible revenue. I believe the AMA has become like the political parties, self preservation at all cost.
If they were truly lobbying for the hobbiest would it not make more sense to lobby for a mandated regulation for sales of an aerial r/c to a insured AMA member.
And also shouldn't they be looking for mandating r/c flight is to be at a designated field.

init4fun

Of course it's all about the money ! Since most folks think of the AMA as not much more than an insurance company anyway , then it seems perfectly natural to accept them chasing the big $ instead of us dwindling members . To those that see the AMA as being supposed to promote model aviation first , this new "AMA first" ideology is a shame indeed . Sadly , once the AMA does become a billion dollar insurance broker only with no time for hobbyists anymore , there won't be any one single entity looking out for the hobbyist VS looking out for the big $$$ the commercial operators will be bringing in . We'll loose out real quick then

binns aero

Well I guess I almost got my idea across, AMA,Quad Copters And The Allmighty Buck.

AlW

My Feedback: (17)

Regarding the vote at the July EC meeting to spend a bunch of ''our'' money on commercial FPV the first vote was (6) for and (6) against - eleven VPs and EVP Fitch. Bob Brown was then permitted to cast the winning vote to break the tie. The motion was made by Dist 1 VP Andy Argenio but guess what -- ARGENIO HAS FINANCIAL INTERESTS IN A COMMERCIAL DRONE COMPANY. THIS IS A BIG TIME CONFLICT OF INTEREST SO HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN VOTING ON THIS SUBJECT. WHATS WORSE IS THAT HAD HE NOT VOTED THE VOTE WOULD HAVE BEEN (6) AGAINST AND (5) FOR !

init4fun

Yep , spending money on things outside of the hobby ..... That's just the point of what I was saying , the AMA is supposed to be a hobbyist organization and there is nothing "hobby" in a commercial FPV ! The EC smells money in commercial drone operations like sharks smell blood in the water , and us hobby folks who aren't worth billions are gonna be left behind

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

AIW, whereas i do not know Argenio, can you enlighten me on his company?

Hossfly

Mr. Matt et. al.

Sorry for the delay other than I just a few hours ago, I returned from Seguin, TX where there was a very large Model Airplane Fly-In. It was over two days. Unfortunately the large Sat. crowd was really hit with an afternoon rather significant rainstorm. OTOH there was a significant group of AMA officers there.
I certainly came away with some differences in my views. OTOH I listened more so than P&M-ing. No fussing except maybe being a tad damp now and then.
Since the event was an annual large show, sponsored by a very large Club in the San Antonio TX, I did not intend to make any waves. They did an excellent job considering weather on Sat. but good today (Sun - 09-28.) Only problem there was that most of the people were there for Sat. and the show today was very short with most folks not returning for Sunday.
I did not get into any deep arguments with the AMA Officers there. The time was allotted to get closer to the AMA. While we may be at different ends of the tight-rope, we all seemed to be together, or at least to keep different view points (very few discussed) in a gentlemanly manner and a friendly basis. That did take some effort on my part, yet I am glad that I was able to exercise some self-control. The future will tell. If I should get elected, I will do my best to gain other officers to think along my thoughts which have to do with all model airplanes along with getting the long-wished-for that AMA becomes the officially recognized "Community Based Organization".
Drones are here to stay. The big problem as I see it is there are a number of businesses that want to get the government's monies with all these "drones" and AMA is a place to test drones with little expense. In addition modelers have since the 1930's always been people that go out and make what is there into something better.
I think there are answers, but I have not found them all. My main "want-to" is to be sure that the aero-community modelers are not the ones that are sending robots through clouds, especially in airport areas, that all modelers accept the discipline to keep drones on a safe basis, out of clouds and higher altitudes, and within their sight. I cannot force such, but my efforts will be in that direction.
So Mr. Matt, however you wish to vote is your business. In the long run the future of maintaining model aviation as our sport, is whether the AMA modelers have the discipline to keep the sport operating in a safe and sane manner.

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Never took you for being such a politician.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Sounds like it was a good revival...

Hossfly

Yes LCS, it was and it gave me a chance to TRY to make some kind of a better fellow with the upper crust. I still have some of that old "....total military method in my make-up."
Military and Airline Captain can bring a somewhat less than desirable in negotiations. I am trying.

Let me tell you a life story. There was this guy that financed a RC Club with buying (cash) the land, 100 acres, then getting the Club set up on a portion, 30 acres. After a year he negotiated with the Club a very long term payback for the original cost of the land, at an interest rate of 1% less than prime for each active year. There was on each end of the 30 acre plot a strip of another 10 acres with highway frontage. Then a gentleman came and wanted to purchase all of the 70 remaining acres. He offered 3 TIMES the owners cost. Had the owner accepted he would have been rather rich. The RC Club would have been GONE! No overfly.
The owner told the RC Club that they would have to buy the 2 end plots at a fair price (2/3 of the offer) or he, the owner, would take the BIG Money. They did but the memory there is still very strong.
The Club later found a retiree that paid off their contract, and he takes them to the cleaner. One payment each year and interest at 6.5% with the interest maintained all year rather than the usual monthly where interest $$ go down monthly. The first land-owner has offered to buy the other person's contract and result down to low interest but the officers of the club hang on to the other guy. In addition the Club will not vote the current group out and they have been in power some 8 years.

Smarts are not always included in finance. OTOH the original owner of the 100 acres has sold off the remaining 50 acres. He did very well at twice his buying cost and holds a fair note on 20 acres. That keeps his IRA well balanced.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Just stay with it. I am sure you'll fit in with the good ole boys well enough.

Hossfly

Have it your way, LCS. Just because the watermelon is green on outside, does not mean it is red on the inside. A "Love it" can well mean a "Screw You".

acerc

The lack of a definitive answer to simple questions is why we get the "Another politician" attitude. And from all your responses on all the forums where you have been asked anything the politician answer is what we get.

A simple question, "Do you feel it is in the AMA's best interest to welcome all forms of FPV aerial r/c"? A simple yes or no would suffice!

Hossfly

OK Ace here goes the election: I, personally, do NOT feel it is in AMA's best interest to welcome all forms of FPV aerial RC aeromodeling.

Now in my mind I am capable of changing my mind when I find a better way, method, better means, more profits and/or possibly a number of other items that could affect and/or effect any current situation. I do listen at others, think about their position, and try to not be the stubborn mule and/or hang on to something that I believe just may be less than current or future. A few years ago I had eye surgery not just because I was crashing a few models but because I preferred to NOT CRASH any more. Get the point, ACE!
Here I try to provide some simple information of how I think about everything. I learned some years ago that jumping into the water without knowing what was under the water was not very smart. My right foot still has the scars of those broken bottles that said foot came down on. 18 stitches and 3 weeks out of school. Yet, that also produced something good. My home-room teacher had a son who was a Naval Aviator. He had a stack of the Air Trails Pictorial. She gave me a bunch. I became versed in current aero-modeling plus real airplanes and CL and FF and Spark ignition engines. That is why I do not give a lot of yes and no because when I make decisions, they generally have a reason. Pilots have to do such things. As an airline pilot, how many times did I steer around thunder-bumps when an air-traffic controller denied the clearance? I did what I thought best for my butt as well as those of the passengers. I had no problems telling the Controllers just what was going to happen regardless of their lazy butts.

So ACE, I gave you today's feelings. However I may change my mind, not because of you or anyone else, but what I think is best at the time and as I think of the future of model aviation at that time, when I have to make a choice.

And that Sir is the way it is. I am not a government type individual that has one hand out front and one holding over his/her bottom waiting for more money.

To Close, try out this. If you have not seen it, it will make your day. Videos/jegalctoSpc2 I hope that is correct.

acerc

Thank you Sir, for the first line, the rest confirms the notion of the politician. There is without a doubt no reason for the AMA to pursue FPV in the manner in which they have other than the possible income revenue. As it stands the AMA has a set of guidelines in place for r/c modeling FPV, anything else would fall outside of the "line of sight". This is the area of interest the AMA is looking to secure and I don't believe it will yield a good outcome for us modelers.

Hossfly

Unfortunately, Mr. Robert, the whole world of FPV does not stand with you and I. People will do as they like and there seems to be a gross number of people that do not consider anything but their own desire, fun ETC, in any form of recreation or other endeavor. Take a look at our United States as compared to just 8 years ago, and the situations we are in and about to be in. I could say a lot more but RCU rules do not allow such. In reality I am strongly with RCU's rules. This is a forum for model aviation, therefore strong politics should NOT be allowed.
One last word is that the AMA rules for FPV are, IMO, as far as they should go. Those that wish to go father should, IMO, do their thing outside the possibilities of screwing over the AMA Membership. I say that since I have since about 1950 been a promoter of AMA as a BIG BROTHER guiding our everyday model aviation in all methods of protecting us that pay for AMA. The Competition Rules, the Sport Flying folks, Providing a base for the Special Interest groups, and such - not forgetting the Insurance, is what AMA has always been about the functions so needed. This is as far as I go at this time. There is a significant amount of topics between the lines.
OOPS! One more item: I have for years promoted AMA having a FOUNDATION. We now have one but I am NOT in favor of what I see this foundation really being for at this time. If I get elected there will be some strong stuff being provided to the AMA Membership. If it is NOT good for AMA, it's not good for model airplane drivers.

acerc

I actually agree with what you have said. I also agree that the whole world of FPV does not agree with you or I. I also believe the vast majority of AMA members do not desire FPV and believe what the AMA has been seeking is those outside of the AMA membership. I also believe by the very nature of the FPV crowd, the toy side, it is not in the AMA's best interest to seek them. But I also believe the AMA is not so much seeking the toy side but rather to benefit from the business side. If the AMA could generate legislation that would put them as the overseer's of FPV in general, that would be a large revenue stream compared to us modelers. This is what I believe they seek and I believe they would be willing to hurt our toy side to achieve that goal.