Wow someone woke Crying Charley up again. LOL Your dues are the cost of belonging at best it gives you one vote. Once paid its no longer your money. The membership elects the directors/exectives to run the organization, not satisfied work on changing things. Constant whining doesn't accomplish anything.

Since you have garnered so little support doesnt that clue you in to how little anyone cares or they are simply satisfied with the way things are being run.

Just how do you figure that ? From my end people I've spoken wit aren't happy at all about this. Time will tell just how this plays outwith the membership.
Mike

Right on cue, here comes prop with his nonsense!

“Garnered such little support”?

Have you seen the huge decline in membership? I’d contend that there plenty of people that agree with Franklin and they’ve voted with their wallet (or lack thereof).

Astro

Also, when I went to AMA's website and searched staff roster (to get number of people in the various departments), I noticed that Chad is simultaneously the Executive Director AND the interim director of the foundation. That gives him the ability to both direct funds to AMA from the foundation and then expend them as the ED of the AMA. I asked Mark Radcliffe (D3) to explain how that is not a conflict of interest.

To date - no response.

If the numbers on this forum who even read/comment on Franklins monthly diatribe are any indication I'd guess that there are less than one percent who give a sh## what Franklin says. If a ten buck increase every few years is to much for you to handle you should find another suitable hobby. If I remember correctly when the AMA was trying to convice the FAA that membership was as good as the 5 dollar registration and should be waived for all AMA members. Didn't Franklin take credit for getting that squashed and as a result all AMA members pay the 5 dollar fee?

For all his whining I see no movement of any kind among the membership to change anything.

You're confusing more than one effort.

When AMA wanted FAA to accept AMA member number in lieu of registration, I submitted a public comment that this was unworkable for two reasons. First, registration is inherently governmental, and thus government not a private dues collecting organization should be the holder of registration data. Second, having multiple sources of registration number information, AMA for members and other sources for non-members, was unworkable in that it could easily lead to duplication and data integrity issues.

As for saving money/costing money, I did get the FAA to admit that one did not have to be a member of a CBO to enjoy the exceptions, merely that one needed to follow the safety rules of a CBO. For those that don't have a need to fly at an AMA field, that saved them the $75 annual membership fee ... now $85 annually.

That's because you can't seem to see past your own BS. All you have to do is open your eyes and get honest.

Astro

it's a good value IMHO, less than the cost of one dinner for two. you just don't like the AMA and whine like a little girl about it.

AMA's proposal was for members' numbers to be used instead of FAA generated numbers, not in lieu of the fee.
It was rejected for the obvious reason that the FAA would have to create and maintain a two-tiered system. It was
an AMA vanity project and a waste of time and effort.

The main flaw in your story is that contrary to AMA's claims they have never had any sway with the FAA.

No ones whining. We pay dues and have the right as PAYING members to question and hold accountable the organization we all support.

Mike

(All numbers based on inflation adjusted constant year dollars using Federal CPI)

Total revenue since 2001? Down 20%
Total deficit spending since 2001? Over $5 million
Membership revenue since 2001? Down 29%
Total ASSETS since 2001? Down 49%
Model Aviation Losses (revenue - expenses) since 2001? $33 MILLION

And yet:
"Executive" compensation since 2001? UP 170%
Salaries as percent of membership revenue? UP 60%

A good value? I disagree.

Again is anyone listening Franky? Does anyone really care? As they say the silence is deafening. If you dislike the organization so much. Why don't you quit???????

Yep, and now they can spend that money on RFID modules.

Going by the low single digit percentage of AMA members who actually vote, the vast majority couldn't care less about the goings on inside AMA
and view it as just another cost of flying RC. The cost isn't the deal breaker, it's when you consider the catastrophic bad decisions made by AMA,
first and foremost the stupid decision by AMA Pres. Hanson to publicly lobby Congress to pass legislation for force drone owners (then 700,000),
and everyone else who flies RC, to join AMA.

The result of that arrogance was AMA being pushed out by Congress, losing 336, and the FAA taking over the hobby with no LOS carveout, a
carveout that AMA only half-heartedly came out for after it became clear that AMA no longer ran the show. Way too late. It was the fantasy that
AMA's financial future was with drone flyers,
people who have no use for flying fields or AMA.

How did that turn out? Model aircraft hobbyists now flying sUAS's under federal control (and penalties). So if you're happy with that, great.

Echo, the reality at the flying fields is that not much has changed. We now put an FAA number on our airplanes and take a test. Fly at a club site ( eventually a FRIA ) and no need for RFID. Bottom line, in actual practice it has had minimal impact. Until it does people are not going to care.

Until the CHP stormtroopers come and threaten to confiscate your stuff.......

LOL

Astro

Well being that I live in Oregon I find that highly unlikely. Not to mention that there never was a threat to confiscate equipment. Aren’t you the one always harping on meaningful dialog?

LOL. You get what you give. I gave up on meaningful hundreds of pages ago.

Astro

Seems to me that you are the one wanting to start the mud slinging.

A hog and mud LOL I like it. Good one speed

A little perspective of "just when you think YOUR day was bad" ..........

These two pics are of a B-17 that was hit by anti aircraft fire while on a bombing run over Germany. The plane actually made it back to it's airbase, although it appears the nosegunner perhaps wasn't so fortunate.

If all we have to worry about is things regarding our model planes, I'd say we're pretty freakin lucky indeed........





"After literally losing the nose of his B-17 Flying Fortress as the result of a direct hit by flak over Cologne, Germany on October 15, 1944, 1st Lt. Lawrence M. deLancey, 25, of Corvallis, Oregon returned to England and landed the crew safely at his home base. Lt. deLancey explained, 'A flak burst hit directly in the nose and blew practically the entire nose section to threads. What little there was left in front of me looked like a scrap heap. The wind was rushing through. Our feet were exposed to the open air at nearly 30,000 feet above the ground the temperature was unbearable.' Although the plane was off balance without any nose section, without any brakes (there was no hydraulic pressure left), and with obstructed vision, Lt. deLancey made a beautiful landing to the complete amazement of all personnel at this field who still are wondering how the feat was accomplished."

My AMA field went away and moved too far out so it matters to me. What's the average age at your club?

Was the relocation of your field directly related to the FAA? Right now I am a member of 4 clubs. The soaring club I would put the average at late 60’s. The other clubs I would have to say an average of 50 or there about with a fair amount of 12 to 20.

The farm where it was at decided no to renew. The paddock/airstrip and parking were probably not more than an acre but there was the comings and goings of
flyers and spectators on an entrance road that has to be maintained, which passed a house where employees lived. I'm sure flying fields have been lost for less.
It's a conversation for 10 years from now keeping in mind that 10 years ago, 2012, was not that long ago.

Spent the weekend with friends at the Wenatchee, WA field. Here is a great aviation history story from Wenatchee.

PDF+Worlds+first+TP+flight+new.pdf

Astro