franklin_m

Ultimately, this is a hobby, and we don't want to see anyone hurt from a sUAS or disease.

With Disney, NBA, NCAA Conferences, NHL, MLB, MLS, and other organizations, as well as countless schools and major universities across the country closing or cancelling events to limit public exposure; plus a growing list of state Governors prohibiting public events (indoor or outdoor), I urge caution as we think about the sanctioned events scheduled over the next month or so.

We have to admit to ourselves that the median member demographic is on the high side, and they are at much more risk.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Yep, I was thinking about that today

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

Agreed, was second guessing attending the swap meet in McMinnville on Saturday and just got notice it has been canceled. The typical club events usually get 20-30 guys in attendance, I'm not too worried there not to mention that in my region there are no events for another month. I'm a bit more concerned with Disneyland being closed, the wife and I have a trip planned late next month.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I'm at Florida Jets but for the most part I'm keeping my hands to myself and I have Germ-X in my pocket that I bought for our trips to Universal

init4fun

I see this as a legitimate concern , especially the avoiding large crowds part . Gotta admit , I was never a fan of being in large crowds anyway , but that's just me . They say to avoid crowds of 200 or more , I don't think I've ever seen more than 20 at my club's field on any given day , so I'm good there , no "Social Distancing" required

franklin_m

Yeah, why think about it?
- You know or should know your member demographic is biased toward 60+
- You know or should know CDC and any number of state agencies have banned gatherings
- You know or should know mobidity rate of 60+ rises rapidly to 30%

Yeah, height of responsibility. EC member mocking CDC recommendations. Yep.

franklin_m

Reality is that it's the right thing to do. It's not just the number of people, but the age. With morbidity rates of up to 30% for those older than 60, it's patently irresponsible for events to go on. A number of states have banned events for more than 250, but also those where attendees aren't at least 6 feet apart. I think it would be REALLY embarrassing for the AMA to continue holding events in light of CDC and various state health department admonishments to NOT hold such events.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

Franklin, your first post came across as a human being showing concern for his fellow humans and as you can see I replied as such, that one post gave me some hope that deep down there may be something good about you that I had missed. Due to that one post I had a sliver of respect for you. Then you had to show your true colors and attempt to use the current health state of emergency to yet further your crusade against the AMA. That is a new low even for you! You actually want to take people's fears, fear that their children may have been exposed, that their elderly parents are at a high risk, that their loved ones that have jobs that exposes them to hundreds of people each day and may have or will soon be exposed? Do you really want to use a situation that has made millions of people feeling vulnerable a helpless as a pawn in your ridiculous chess game against model aviation?

You sir are indeed a horrible person.

franklin_m

I could care less whether you have any “hope” for me or not, for while you may be a five digit nobility, I do not seek your approval, noble blessing, or praise.

And therein you show your true hypocrisy. As it’s apparently perfectly fine by you for an EC member to trivialize my OP with a “Yep...” as he did above, my calling attention to that trivialization is somehow bad?

It is a time when the EC should be leading. It should be THEM raising concerns, not sitting back and trivializing it when others do raise legitimate concerns. Note how bad NCAA looks now because they waited so long to cancel the March Madness. ALL of the other conferences and leagues acted far in advance of them, and the NCAA decided only when they really had no other choice.

So again, we have any number of organizations, health agencies, and governors telling organizations NOT to do hold events that congregate people in groups ... and noting that here draws a mocking comment from an AMA EC member - which is apparently ok by you.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

Bull Crap! He agreed that he had been thinking about it. For your information I have been contacted by 3 different CD's in the last 24 hours cancelling events until further notice. Just because AMA has not made some sort of huge public announcement does not mean that events are going forward as planned in spite of the current health crisis.

That fact that you are using this crisis as another tool to slam the AMA is in poor taste and demonstrates just how little empathy you have for your fellow human beings.

franklin_m

It would have been so easy for the EC member to just say "You bring up a really good point, I'll shoot a note to the rest of the EC." But no, he trivialized it.

Additionally, it would have demonstrated a modicum of leadership had AMA come out with the following statement :
But noooooo. A mocking statement from an EC member and an NCAA-like lack of leadership from HQ.

franklin_m

Because making a public announcement is EXACTLY what an organization or member of an Executive Council does if they want to be seen as a leader.

But the EC member mocked and trivialized the initial post with the dismissive "yep..."

And not a single email from the HQ on the issue ... plenty on Remote ID, but on something that can be a big risk to a lot of members, zip, nothing, nada.

astrohog

My Feedback: (1)

That has absolutely NOTHING to do with Franklin's point. STOP moving the goalpost!

Astro

FUTABA-RC

California has requested that all events with more than 250 people be canceled. I plan on attending a F5J contest next week with 21 other pilots. All of them known to me. This is markedly different from being in a crowd of 200+ strangers. I am not in the smallest possible way concerned about attending this contest.

franklin_m

Yeah, I saw that exception in the California notification. That such gatherings are allowed if you know people, because it's "markedly different."

The issue isn't that YOU are at risk, but rather YOU can become a carrier. As is it possible for EVERY other person there to be a carrier, and thus expose HIGH RISK populations as a result of your other contacts - which you presumably don't avoid either because those too are "markedly different."

NBA suspended. MLB suspended. NHL suspended. MLS suspended. Disneyland and DisneyWorld closed. Countless Universities closed. Countless School Districts closed. Businesses closed. And the list goes on. -- And then there's AMA clubs, still sponsoring events.

FUTABA-RC

As usual there is nothing to be gained in arguing a point with you. If you honestly cannot tell the difference between an NBA game and flying with a small group of friends there really is nothing left to discuss.

franklin_m

I could say the same - just go ahead and keep rationalizing why you don't need to follow the Federal and State recommendations. I'm sure your expert opinion that your situation is "markedly different" will satisfy anyone that might be exposed.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

Hey Dr. Franklin.....

COVID-19 and Modeling Events |

franklin_m

Hey speedy .. dated 12 March, but that doesn't mean much. Just means it was LATE ... just like the NCAA ... who is rightfully taking heat for being slow to make a decision. Oh, and I'm still showing many events still happening as we speak (including VERY large one with "1000 seats") as well as others in states that have specifically said not to do events.

A. J. Clark

I'm not worried yet . Going to a swap meet tomorrow which has around 50 to 100 attendance . Wont worry to much until the cases get high in this area. Then I'll just stay home. I'm retired.
Did some research on aging in the mid 80's for a speech class. Then it was said that by 2010 a quarter of the population would be over 65. Probably higher now.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

The fact remains that the AMA issued a statement recommending that their members follow guidelines set by the CDC and their state governments on the same day you fabricated yet another trolling effort.

Look who is moving the goalpost now? Now you claim that events ( up to 1,000 seats ) are still being held yet you don't mention the EXACT event you reference. No reference no fact there Dr. Oh by the way, when did you become a healthcare professional? Oh wait.......YOU AREN'T! So I can either start referring to you as Dr. Troll or maybe it's time for another Ban the Troll campaign.

franklin_m

Again, a LATE statement, and only AFTER Toledo cancelled... They got forced into it, just like NCAA. Hence the comparison. And yet other events continue, like the 1000 seat one I mentioned...

"....or they may use any of the over 1,000 chairs set up by event management (emphasis added)."
https://visitcentralflorida.org/events/florida-jet-week

But I am formally certified in Emergency Management by FEMA. Which includes management of just such events. The majority of which means making decisions early, unlike AMA, and cancelling events early, unlike AMA. Why? So that you aren't out there making the problem worse by encouraging social contacts at events and multiplying your problem for clearly NON ESSENTIAL events.

Knock yourself out. But you're trying to preserve AMA's ability to hold events, I'm trying to encourage cancelling them so many of our ageing members are not exposed needlessly by any number of asymptomatic people. Each contact gets multiplied, which is why any number of states are taking significant measures to do just what I advocate - LIMIT unnecessary social events.

Matter of fact, I just heard the tail end of the story as I walked into the room, but I thought I heard the Governor of Ohio just announce that in his state they estimate 1 in 10 are asymptomatic carriers. Which is why they shut down events as small as 100 people.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

As stated MANY times.......AMA DOES NOT NEED OR WANT YOUR HELP. They made the suggestion to follow CDC recommendations. Also if you think that 1,000 spectators are going to show up at Florida Jets your just plain stupid.

Training for energency situations DOES NOT make you a medical professional. Attending a university and getting a medical degree such as my wife has ( who just asked me what we are doing/going over the weekend ) is what makes you a medical professional.


So perhaps in just about every subject you bring to the table, please leave policy to the professionals.

astrohog

My Feedback: (1)

Would you care to substantiate this claim? Pretty strong words, including RCU rule violations for a statement that holds absolutely no merit.

Astro

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

I knew it wouldn't take long for a Munchkin to show up to protect the all powerful Oz. So do you actually think that during this time of crisis that there are going to be 1,000 people that will attend anyways? Oh wait, they set up chairs.......we HAVE to go now! LOL. Maybe if you pulled your head out of Oz's rear you could see more clearly.