Maybe an AMA insurance card should not be required for beginners? Just like in the full scale world the pilot in training is covered by the instructor/FBO who is doing the training. When the newbe pilot finally solos then he or she will be required to buy in to AMA. Think about it.

Because it is far to much money and all you get is a #.</p>

I really hate to resort to the going nowhere fast....Name calling regime...
It is the easy way out...NO doubt....

I have too, defended clubs, stores, ect when someone posts a negative experience, (or so they thought)
And I looked at it as "hey, some companies don't even do what they offered so quit complaining, you haven't got it that bad"...

I have much, invested in the rc hobby...a large plane, is really in the eye of the beholder isn't it??
Too some, they believe a .25 glow engine on a combat plane requires a flying field, others may laugh at the others choice
Of choosing to flying at a designated flying field that requires an AMA license to use it..

Small electric airplanes and helicopters is ALL the rage nowadays..
Do you think they believe that an AMA license will be able to benefit them?.
What if the same thing happen to them??
Can we ascertain, that they wouldn't join back up with the AMA, and go fly in a nearby field??
Who really knows...

I love flying....Do not drink, smoke, or do drugs or have fast sports cars, bikes...I get MY rush from flying rc planes...
For me, 30-60$ is pocket change, when it comes to wanting to fly....and get together with like minded folk...

All I wanted was to share my experience....Take from it what you will....
In the future, I will leave my own prejudices and feelings out of the post and leave it as a
"Here is what happened, what do you think?"
Think the AMA is affected by handling things in this manor.

Mike31,

Yes the AMA agrees with you!!!!! New pilots shouldnt have to pay the AMA dues while they learn to fly and in fact they do not ! The program is called Intro Pilot and its been in existance for years. Does your club have any instructors ? If so they should be involved with Intro Pilot. I have been training folks under the program for the last three years on our PAL provided club trainers.... 100% free of charge. Check into it and if you have instructors get them involved with Intro Pilot. It works...........

If you need help with it let me know at [email protected] and I wouyld be glad to help you with it. I am in Northern NH so I am not too far from you.

103/17
AMA 4345

Here's the dues policy.

http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/912.pdf

Regards

does anyone know how long it normaly takes a ama membership to process and get back to me?</p>

If you do it on-line its a matter of a day or so. If you do it through the mail it takes longer for the app to get to Muncie so you have to add some time for that.

103/17

I get mine in about a week and a half when I renew online.

I became a pilot instructor last season and found it rewarding to get new folks up and flying. All they had to do was fill out a form from AMA and they were covered. 3 out of 5 became members of AMA and our club. Considering our club is around 30 members this was a significant increase for us.

There are over 5 years worth of comments on this topic/thread, has there been any positive results towards growning the AMA yet? (trends, demographics etc?)

Yes, there have been. Every time someone logs on to chime in here, RCU gets just a little bit stronger....and that is a good thing.

Of course no reasonable person [who isn't still wet behind the ears] would expect this thread to really solve anything right away.

The worst are those who come here with nothing of any substance to add to the topic...it's just as bad as clicking on SPAM.

Anyway, my take on the subject is that it is out of the AMA's control and not economically feasable to pursue with any "aggressive marketing".

Very true!! Well, from reading many of these pages, the AMA has implemented changes and initiatives to boost membership. I've also read many RCU members comments about how the "modeler" today is not the same "modeler" of yesterday, which I agree. Perhpas the AMA can work with each of the manufactures and provide AMA coverage as part of the ARF package (plane, radio, charger, engine, ....and AMA coverage!) Obviously this would be just a few, select models specific for the park flier and intro trainers. I think that would be great, get a trainer plane almost ready to fly from your hobby shop and you get AMA as part of the "bundle package".

There's my constructive solution... HA!

There is a longer time than 5 years since the last loss of members began, 2003 to be specific, as 2002 was the highest member number yet. The Executive Council and their staff heve been there for Seven (7) years, working on the Eighth (8th) year, and have not yet turned the tide. [sm=drowning.gif] Just how much do you expect from us poor peons? [8D]

For phlpsfrnk, and k-Bob, I think I threw a monkey wrench into the posted answer to Muroc over there. You may wish to check that out. At the last EC meeting, a new ruling was passed by all that may have a definitely different outcome on some currently posted information. [sm=47_47.gif]

In my email I found this:
>>>
"Mr. Cain,
I am going to run this by the decision makers and see what their input is on the subject. I will respond to your personal email and respond to the forum when I get a direct answer."
XXXX
XXXX"

Dadburn, it's difficult having to keep so many on the straight and narrow. [sm=lol.gif]

cde, the PPP was engineered by the captains of the toy airplane industry and I would think that they explored all sorts of possible "combo deals" and incentive plans....but who knows?

You know, recently I don't really remember seeing anyone show up at our local flying field wanting help in learning to fly. So I am not sure where they are going at present. it is winter time though, so that might be a reason. last summer a number of people came out to check it all out and the flyers were all pretty cordial with them. The instructors even let a few fly the club trainers under supervision.

But in the past the few occassions someone showed up with a RTF or a ARF they had put together, the others have helped them out anyway. But the beginners who have come out have all been helped out a lot. The club even has club trainers that they can use to let someone try out radio control flying without having to buy something right away. They do use trainer cords and stuff too.

But I do remember a couple of flying clubs in another state who for some odd reason drove everyone away, including other flyers. They were all bent on having a lot of obnoxious rediculous rules setup to keep people out. So their membership would just plummet down.
Fortunately these obnoxious groups lost their flying fields. Unfortunately it is two less places anyone can fly planes at now.

I think way back a number of years, at one club field, the others couldn't help teach a new guy to fly as he had a mode one TX. So I stepped in and helped him out as I just happened to be in mode one frame of mind that year and had my TX's all setup for mode one then. so it worked out Ok anyway.

But if you have club members at some flying fields giving new people a hard time, someone needs to straighten them out quick.

I think that that one sentence sums up the problem and the cure for a decline in AMA and club membership.Like politics, it's all local.

Pray Tell, just who is going to straighten out whom? [sm=confused.gif]

Clubs and individuals are entitled to do as they please on their respective turffs. If I don't like the way my neighbor does his lawn, that does not give me the right to go over and start "Straightening him out." I may well be the one gettig the "straightend out". []

OTOH when a fellow club member is bad, I usually say something. After all, the club's turff is also MY turff. When I do badly, then I have no reason to argue as my turff is also HIS turff.

Checked it out. Good catch! I think I heard stuttering in the reply.

JMHO, but I don't see the AMA gaining membership in the near future, in fact I'm rather certain that short of hiring a bunch of good looking dancing girls to show up at the field on nice days, it'll probably steadily decline.

I say that because today's young aspiring flier wants instant gratification, and the market is increasingly geared towards that end. You know as well as I ,for $150 or less, you can walk out of your LHS with a little electric foamy airplane, and within an hour, more than likely get it into the air and even maybe land it successfully in your backyard or neighborhood street.... If it breaks, NBD, just get another one, or go back to your video game...whatever.

Anyway, that kid was supposed to be the AMA's future, but I just don't see any reason for that kid to have any use for the AMA <u>in any form</u>today. It used to be that a guy would spend weeks saving allowances, buying a kit, getting an engine, finding a place to fly etc. But those days are gone, and along with it the sense that you were doing something "special" for want of a better word. Heck, I remember when one couldn't wait to join the AMA, participate in a club, and get out there with the big boys! Good luck getting much interest in that these days.

And I don't mean to say all youth are this way of course. Just recently we had a 10 y/o solo on a trainer his Dad and him built from a kit. Good for you Kyle! Dad too.

I'm done.

Horrace,
With all due respect, the dues policy has not changed. Motion III of the last EC meeting a month ago clarified the definition of a NEW member as one not having been a member in the last 5 (five) calendar years. Your correcting the membership director about the new definition did not change the policy. I saw no “monkey wrench” thrown.

Regards
Frank

dude
the AMA Dir of Mem said
"If you have been a member at any time in the past you do not qualify for any kind of reduction in dues. "

and the actual policy has been defined by the recent EC action
that folks DO get the discount if they have not been a member for 5 years.
Why do we need a big cover-up and spin to say he didnt simply make a mistake as unaware of the change?

Did he make a mistake? YES!
Is it a big deal? Not so much.... we get a chuckle and move on.

What IS a big deal are the folks that feel they need to spin the truth to paint muncie as infallible

DUDE,
No cover-up, No spin. What's your point?

sorry, but it looked like spin to me... and that is my point. and I think it was the Kid's as well but spin on...

The folks here were quick to jump all over a poster for not knowing whatthe prorate details were,
yet they will try every way to weasel the Dir of Mem out from not knowing the prorate details either.

Cherrypicking a soundbite and then getting semantic on it.... thats spin.
Sure the guy said the new member policy correct, right up to the point when he incorrectly put in that whole 'at any time in the past' part... which was clearly incorrect. So when MrP snips off the incorrect part to say the guy was not wrong about the policy
.... El Spinno and some goold ole fashioned Truth-Modification

Its ok for the muncie staff to be unaware of the details,
but they blame the potential/new member for not researching the details.
Some folks refer to having one standard for some and another standard you hold others to
as a Double Standard

So, you don't see. Neither do I in total, so that is why I ASKED A QUESTION.

THIS STATEMENT WAS MADE CONCERNING THE PRORATED DUES POLICY FOR FIRST TIME AMA MEMBERS:
>>>>>>
"Remember this is for first time members only. If you have been a member at any time in the past you do not qualify for any kind of reduction in dues."

"If anyone has any further questions please feel free to contact me."

Signed by an AMA Person
<<<<<<

I DID NOT CORRECT, I ASKED A QUESTION OF THAT AMA PERSON. Please notice that said person did invite questions. [sm=confused.gif]

How does your ".... any time in the past does not qualify ... play out with the latest EC vote? Emphasis added.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"MOTION III: Moved by B. Brown (III) and seconded by B. Teague (IV) that a new member is defined as a person who has never been a member or a person who has not been a member in the last 5 (five) calendar years.
MOTION passed unanimously

I received the reply that my question was being passed upstairs for additional study. Now that just has to be a good and proper thing.

IMO, no one made a mistake. No one should have any problem with the proceedings. OTOH for those that state something referencing the entire subject as set in concrete does, IMO, have a personal problem. Reading comprehension does, every so often, present personal problems within the walls of these forums.

The use of "may have" "could have" "might" and such other probables does not constitute DEFINITES!