Man, if only I had a nickle for every crabby old guy who prevented a future AMAer from joining, I could retire already.......

Great post. I agree 100%.

Pay to play...fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, boating, etc. etc.

IN fact, my field requires an AMA membership..AND a county permit. Which is fine...it's a nice field. I'm happy to pay for it.

Want to grow the AMA? Real easy and inexpensive. Just ask every member to send in an application for a son, daughter, niece, nephew, neighbor, etc under the age of 18. Cost a whole $1.00, or $15.00 with the magazine, but hey nobody likes the mag anyway.

You know, I just looked at my membership card and nowhere on it does it say LICENCE . It says membership. Maybe somebody is putting wrong information.

I suspect that statement would have been just as true 30 or 40 years ago as well as 20 years from now. It's the human nature thing. Nothing to do with AMA members in particular either. If you roll up on a club field it's likely to be AMA. It's also likely that the sun will be shining. Neither have much to do with personalities.

Ahem....

Question asked.

Ahem......Ahem.....

Hey Scotty,
You should become an instructor. You're a very good flier and the hobby needs caring members like yourself. You'd be quite surprise just how many beginners are out there looking for help, free or otherwise. I still can't figure out why anyone would pay if there is so many free instructors out there. lol I'll be glad to show you how to teach.

Take care,
CCR

$ 50 to much

I'v been flying for twenty years and have never joined AMA. Because club fees and AMA would cost me as much as much as my plane cost

I would love to fly with other guy but $$ that is the thing that really stops me from doing it!

Why is the ATA loosing members? I know many of you also participate in full size aviation. Those of you know that do, know that in our country we are loosing active GA pilots like it is going out of style...
Maybe there is a link between general aviation and model airplanes. In my world, if people loose interest in general aviation, it makes sense to see people loosing interest in model aviation (regardless of what the ATA does or does not do...) I guess it is a sign of change. Many of you, just like me, when we hear an airplane above we just have to look up, and most likely we will have identified the type before even seeing the thing... My guess is that there are less people that just have to look up when they hear a plane...

Gerry

Hey newbie,
to some degree you have a shallow point. I'm familiar with the club you discuss and I can tell you first hand, by the most part your field is almost always empty. Why is that? All I ever see there is the same few people.
Let me interject my opinion on the way your club offer's free flight instruction. It has free flight instruction by appointment only. Only there are no contact numbers on your frequency board. Hmm. That's not the way to attract the budding wonders of our hobby.
There are the brave few that offer flight instruction some by pay or some like me, for free. Unfortunately for the freebie, you get what you pay for and the only people that seem to be wanting instruction (,by the most part) are so desperate there willing to pay and those are the one's that actually learn to fly. There is one hobby shop in your area that offers free, fly before you buy and follows through with free lessons after the purchase but you clubber's steer people to the other places that don't do that and after they crash once or twice well, you don't see any new faces anymore.
So how about being part of the solution and not part of the problem. Put your name and number on the board as a flight instructor and let the next article you wright be of your experience as a flight instructor. Not just a little or sometimes but every time. I guess what I'm saying is, put your money where your mouth is.
I don't suppose it matters if it's the "buddy box" or not, as long as the job is getting done and hats off to those that charge because all in all, at least there getting the job done and are not criticizing those that don't, see.

Man you hit the nail on the head. That piece of paper is not now nor has it ever been a LICENSE, it is proof of, in my humble opinion, the worthless insurance you have been forced to purchase from the AMA.

RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT POST

As far "ronpaul" that took offense saying I know nothing of what I write I suggest that all who read this post go the the AMA web site, search insurance, and pull up 2009 INSURANCE SUMMERY Effective March 31, 2009. Read down to the eight dot quote "AMA Insurance is "excess" to any other applicable coverage, such as homeowners" Then go to ACCIDENT/MEDICAL COVERAGE Effective January 1, 2009 where it says "Reimburses medical expenses only after submission to OTHER health plan, including MediCare"

Your friend that got injured and received a timely payment from the AMA in the five figure range must have lived in a tree because for AMA to be the first coverage payee this guy would have had to have no howeowners, renters, or auto insurance. Check you facts before you throw a rock it just might fly back and hit you in your face.

SORRY ABOUT THE RONPAUL NAME MIX UP AT LEAST I DID'T USE RU-RAUL.

TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND READ THE RESPONSE I SENT TO chicj1 ABOUT HIS AMA LICENSE. I DIRECTED A PARTION OF MY REPLY DIRECTLY TO YOU AND THE 5IVE FIGURE PAYOUT YOUR FRIEND RECEIVED FROM THE AMA.

RU-PAUL, LOL

tpes, you know dick about what you post. The payout was $25,000 (OK that technically is low 5 rather then mid 5 my error). It was a medical claim and the actual bills exceeded that so he got the max. The guy had no other health plan and is still to young for medicare/medicaid. Uninsurable do to pre-existing conditions.

So wise ass it paid $25,000......... I hardly call that worthless for a $58.00 membership fee.

Your confusing me with someone else RU

You're putting out some information that says this:
1. You have not read your AMA Bylaws.
2. You have not had an AMA membership for over about 4 years, or if you have you did not read your AMA License membership card very well back then.
3. You like to jump into something you could do better with if you were more informed about the history of the organization.

Same Old Stuff, Different Day. "Let George do it!" If you can solo fly a model safely, you can assist someone on a buddy box.
Being a real flight instructor is not a requirement for helpin someone, depending on a specific club's rules. Those that blame others for not being available to instruct are just trying to get out of doing so.
You might have a decent argument, when after some 40 years, you have given your time and effort, week after week, to help newbies that once they can Take-Off and Land, they leave your club, and go fly off dirt roads somewhere else.

I don't waste my time with the free-loaders anymore. If they join join AMA, join my club, and pay the $150 per year to be a member of a fine club-owned private facility, then their flying training is free. Until they do, I will give three lessons, no TO and or landings and they are done.

BTW AMA allows instructors to charge for flying lessons. I was the originator of that allowance some years ago and worked with the current AMA President, then a DVP, to get it approved. I am all for charging for RC lessons. I pay school taxes in 7 counties in two states and have not had a kid in public school since the late '70s. Why the _ell should someone else get off free>

People pay for all kinds of lessons" Driving, Golf, Boating, Shooting, Fishing, Flying real airplanes, and a host of other things.
If we want this SPORT to be something recognized as worth doing, then we need to be paying people besides Far East folks that send their junk over here, for you to PAY for.

I worked for my first spark ignition engine and all those that followed. Other folks' economic situation is not my problem.

CCR you know im a good flyer but i just dont have the time really to instruct and honestly i just like going out there and flying and showing off my stuff. thats why i leave the instructing to the pro's. and i lead the newbies to you guys

Your friend got lucky dude, not because of the accident but because he had the worthless insurance from AMA. Had he any other insurance, the AMA is last out of the chute. We are still at 1 to 1.

Did you take the time to actually read the information concerning the insurance, or are you putting all your eggs in the one basket you saw get tipped over.

Don't know how old you are, but trust me you don't have the style it takes to use the word "dick" to anyone.

Damn straight! I have taught more people to fly over the years than I can remember, but each and every one of them was an AMA member before we even had the first lesson. If someone is going to ***** about paying $58 a year for AMA membership, that someone is in the wrong hobby!

Why the AMA is not growing???

Flying clubs end up representing the AMA!!....

A new person to RC planes rund into a self serving idividual at the flying field as a "guest"

that person then believes that all AMA people are that way......

All clubs have rules.....no way around that......IF you don't like the rules
then start your own club, your own rules and then find some land to fly on......
Give it a go.... Little harder than it sounds..... but I am trying one right now.....

Not because I harbor bad feelings twards the AMA, but because I will spread the
rc-love where ever I can!....

I will still be a member at the club I am currently at as well, and will pay AMA dues....

Hey everybody. I am not going to spend time reading all of these posts. I do want to tell everyone about an experience I had this past satuday. I am out of town for labor day and decided to visit the local flying field. When I showed up there was one person flying and six sitting in chairs talking under the sun shelter. I parked my car inline with everyone else and walked over the the six people sitting in the shade. It is safe to say that they were all over 50 years old. I stood there lisining to the conversation for about ten minutes. Did any of them say a word to me? Not one! Not even hello. The guy who was flying by this time landed ad walked over he is about mid 30's. He walked up and saw me and immeadiatly said hello. Introduced himself and kept the conversation going. Why didnt one of the six guys say a word? who knows. I could have been a prospective member, or someone needing help learning. If I was a potentioal member I sure wouldnt have joined after that. One other thing I have run into is with another club was the "flight instructor" had to observe me complete some manuvers before letting me fly unassisted at their field. It sounded reasonable to me so I complied. He commented about my flying the whole time "not maintaining altitude" "your loop looks more like an oval". I have been flying for nine years and used to fly IMAC intill I found thermal duration contests. And this guy is commenting like a pattern judge. Im sorry I didnt know this was a competition! I just joined that club and I felt berated and mocked. It was my only choice in flying sites to accomadate my 1/3 scale aircraft. So I talked with the club president about it. If I was new to the hobby and had to deal with that guy I would find another hobby. In general I have found the glider guys more approachable. Its the only crowd that a guy Im competing against in a contest will come over and help me ace my round even though it could possibly hurt his placing. We need to reach out to the younger generation. If its particapation in after school programs or community centers. Get these kids together, get a airplane and start teaching them about aircraft. From flying to the mechanics of the whole thing. These are not only future members of AMA but, future engineers, technicians, pilots, etc... I employ all of you find a youth and next year teach him to fly. Better yet if your in a club contact a local school and host a science day at your field where the kids can come out fly an airplane and use a simulator along with a little knoweledge presentation about aircraft. With simulators and park flyers you can go to the school to host it and fly the airplane at their soccor field or the gym even. Lets stop complaining about whats not being done and DO something about it. WE are the AMA and its ultimitly up to us to make the AMA great or turn it into crap. LETS MAKE IT GREAT PEOPLE!

OK Hoss I would have to guess that you took the 3 day holiday not to be commenting on this mess until today.

Let's not go back to the License thing again. You and I both know that the only license we EVER needed to fly R/C was in the 60's and before, when we had a FCC License to operate our radios. I stll have mine somewhere and it is good for 10 transmitters. As you will probably recall the single application for the FCC License was for Class C and D, and when the Breaker-Breaker CB crowd hit the airwaves they elminated the license because they, the FCC, were being flooded buy the CBers with applications that just overwhelmed them.

Also, our buddy Baxter tried to charge a fee to teach someone how to fly at Scobe, did't work. FYI-The guy that taught Baxter how to fly was Jerry Bills (non deceased) and Jerry went to Baxter one day and demanded Baxter pay him $1,000.00, he taught Baxter to fly so what was good for one was good for the other. It was all done in jest, but Baxter go the hint.

The whole thing was mute as the county forbid any form of profit-making enterprise and that was strictly enforced. That and a guy by the name of Dean who would teach for free pretty well sank Baxter's ship. Truth be known, Baxter had his hands full keeping his own airplanes in the air, he was at best an adequate pilot having to do with the fact he only bought used equipement for cheap and it wasen't until he bought out Paul King's shop and moved it to Westheimer that he actually owned a new radio. I feel safe in making this statement as mentioned Baxter and I were great friends and I would bust his hump, in a nice way, every chance I got about his radios.

One day I stopped in his shop on Westheimer and gave him a 10 channel 'reed' radio and suggested it would improve his flying, we both had a good laugh, I miss Baxter.

Glad to have you back.

You shouldn't bash the paid flight instructor Scotty. No they shouldn't be ashamed. Just like the real time flight instructor or the paid tennis instructor, et al. These can be classified as hobbies as well. This is not the only end all hobby and for those that are willing to pay to get more, they will. It is there for them. Not to shame just to learn.
Your a pretty cool guy Scotty. I wonder what compelled you to pop that off? teaching anything (, not just r/c flying) is a bit challenging and when a guy like CCR that has been teaching for over 40 years takes a hit, you will see those that know him and all his efforts will rise to the call.
Over the last 40+ years CCR has done more for the AMA, this hobby and the local clubs than all of us members combined, in this area and a little financial compensation from the fruits of his efforts is well earned. He is not the only paid instructor in our area. There is another and I will go to bat for him too. Besides the other guy's teaching abilities are no where near CCR's but he can out fly all of us combined also. Compared to these folks we are the newbies and these folks can tell us what's wrong. They've been there in the trenches for many years and aren't clouded by club politics and AMA B.S., no pun intended.
Don't believe everything these club type's are saying. After all how many people do you see them teaching? How many new member's have they signed to the AMA this year? I haven't paid for AMA membership for about 4 years now due to the sign 3 fly free program. How many new member's have they signed to your club? Are your number's increasing or decreasing? Your a pretty intelligent guy Scotty, think about it and I'm just speaking for this area. In other areas it's different but here it is very lethargic.
How many new members have the AMA signed up to the park pilot program as opposed to how much of our money they have spend? Its all right there for all of us to see but some people need glasses. The AMA will still say there efforts are fruitful, but for who?
I would like to see the AMA start taking our money and start advertising in non related area's. Stop with the target market already. We know what's what. It's time to inform the people that don't know. How many people buy air hogs that don't have a clue about the AMA or flying r/c. that company is generating millions of dollars off the section of the public that want to, but no nothing because there is no information available as far as they know.
That's just my opinion. Not that I'm right or wrong. I'm more wrong than right anyway but I'm willing to put my neck on the chopping block to express what I may think is right, just like everyone else hear.

What is the current membership of the AMA? What was it 5 years ago? Ten?

jess