Rebsix

My Feedback: (8)

Thanks for responding Dan. The reason you didn't see it, is because I never said it. My post was simply to point out how silly it is to complain about getting this in the mail.
I take it, from the tone of your post, you didn't like it or want it , correct me if I'm wrong. If I'm right, can you answer my earlier question, would the AMA be so bad in that case? Do you get mad at Tower Hobbies for sending the rebate codes, or slipping those nasty coupon books into your order trying to "scam" you into buying more from them? I have never ordered a coupon book or a magazine from them, but they still keep showing up, terrible isn't it? Let's impeach the President of Tower and fix this matter! c'mon.....

Jeff

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

I neither like or dislike and I only looked at part of the first chapter as I rather build something with my time. Since it was unsolicited, I do have an option and usually things like this go straight to file 13. However, I will pass it, metal and all, along to another club member and save AMA the postage both ways. I'm not paying for it.

I was just questioning you, since you apparently liked it, if you had sent your money or what you plan to do with it. I still have not seen the answer.

timothy thompson

My Feedback: (1)

i found it rather enjoyable and the coin is nice! man joey may be right afterall. ama sends you a dvd and coin and you bit##

Rebsix

My Feedback: (8)

LOL, well if you do get a free 4-stroke in the mail that you didn't order, please pass it on to me instead of the garbage.
What I did with it still isn't the purpose of my first post. I'm glad to hear that you passed yours on to another club member though. Since you need to know, I don't plan on paying for it and getting more of them. Using some of your thinking, I'd rather spend time watching my own planes fly. A guy I work with wants to see it so I will give it to him and maybe he will join the AMA and start flying. But I'm still not outraged that it was sent to me. I didn't read between the lines of the letter like some and conclude a great conspiracy by the AMA to suck the money out of my pockets.

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

Good enuf'. Now I know the whole story. Believe it or not I think we agree!

goatboy

Did the second video come out yet? I DID pay for the first one AND got the letter wanting money, I also was not happy. If I recall, another is supposed to follow? I agree I dont like unsolicited mail but thought it might be nice to see different(opinions) aspects/ideas/new products of this hobby after a ten year hiatus. Whether I agree; like,or dislike the video I have yet to decide. From what I read on this site a lot of people dont like the unsolicited mail issue, And some the video. As some one wrote earlier, If it came unsolicited in the mail you DONT have to pay for it! The law is the law. The best way to solve this is to write/call AMA. This way they will hopefully get the message that some bad decisions have been made as to the handleing of this video caper. As far as quiting the AMA and joining another organization, that could be tough if you fly at a AMA sanctioned field (or event)and its the only one around. So until something else comes around, voice your opinon to the people who run the AMA or else this will continue to be a festering sore that can do no good for the AMA or its members.

volcanogod

My DVD shipping box was already open when it got to my mailbox. Ummmm, I accidentally watched the video and then mailed it back the next day

Since when did AMA turn into RCA Record Club???[>:] What were they thinking???

edessa

My Feedback: (1)

I was thinking of renewing my AMA membership after two years without one but now I dont know if I should. If I do I'll make a copy of what ever dvd they send me and then send it back.

RC-Captain

NEXT TIME READ BEFORE YOU RANT AND RAVE .......... [:@]

I may be the biggest complainer here in RCU but at least I have a sound reason to do so.

1. the guy who typed all of the stuff about the postal laws , you wasted your time.
2 the guy who sent it back you didn't have to , but it was a nice jesture.
3. gringo I agree sending you 2 was just uneccessary, but hey you pay for both you and your wife so why
not get 2.
4. I didn't read all of the post in here but I would bet my left arm half of you didn't read the entire letter sent
to you


THE LETTER STATES: Now go hang your heads low and think about exactly the confusion you all have caused. And by the way I have decided to watch the movie ,not send a dime, and keep it to show or give to anybody getting into this hobby.

P.S. one day you will miss your water when the well runs dry.........

Capgains

My Feedback: (4)

Ok, I think I got it figured out. The marketing scheme of it anyway. AMA doesn't have money invested in this project, it is a third party company that produces the CD, and the packaging material, as well as the content on it. Not counting the filming costs, only the burning, packaging and mailing there is probably about $2 of material there. They are probably banking on the idea that 4 of every 10 mailed will send a check back. So that's $16 of profit for every $20 sent out. That's 80% gain with heavy weighting to rejections/ignore responses.

As for the follow up letter, which is sent regardless if you paid or not. Everybody receives one... why? It's cheaper to just send a bulk letter out with the phrase "if you have already paid....... crossed in the mail....disregard..... etc." to every one that was sent the DVD rather than pay employees a wage, benefits, etc to keep track of who has paid and not paid.

Brilliant!!!!!

So what are the costs?

1. Our lending of trademarks, appearant endorsement, use of property.
2. Our reputation - boy are some folks upset about this.... read the threads.
3. Use of our membership list to a mass mailing operation. In the world of information trading and solicitation lists, I like this one the least.

The gain?
1. Probably money... there is an educational message in the content, but marketed this way is aimed at getting numbers of people to respond with money.

No big deal. I don't think it's a bad product, I just think the marketing approach was unsuitable for our members. We have a large, highly concentrated, captive group, and that's what attracts these marketing companies to us. If you can get a buck from 1 billion people, you have a billion bucks.

You notice I say "We" and "Our" referring to AMA. Don't ever forget that. If something ever happens that you don't like... take the steps to get elected to some position, get involved and take ownership of the problem. The buck stops here... we are the members.

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

Shoot,
I'm still hoping I get a DVD in the mail. What's the big deal? How can you complain about getting something for free? You guys want to see annoying......join the NRA. Every piece of mail(at least once a month) is trying to pry more money out of your pocket to fight for the cause.

Marty

RC-Captain

HuH All they did was give you and I said G I V E you a coin and a free DVD.... I dont see any marketing approach at all IT'S FREE ...

Capgains

My Feedback: (4)

Oh Mr. Fiend,

Surely you realize that nothing in this world is free... there is always an ulterior motive, message or diabolical plot. Mooooooohooooooo ah ah ah. I didn't go to Evil Medical School for eight years to be know as Mr. Evil thank you.

stryker_kyle

I know I'm beating a dead horse, but I just opened the letter asking for me to send the DVD back and I put this in another thread:

[:@][:@][:@]

This DVD collection is the most horribly deceptive form of marketing I have ever seen in my whole life. They send this unsolicted package containing the DVD to AMA members and send a seperate letter that says, "Oh yeah, if you don't return this DVD in the original package with this prepaid label, you owe us $9." What!?!? I didn't request this DVD. Legally, I can't imagine that I am under any obligation to take any action whatsoever.

First of all, most AMA members probably assumed it was some benefit of membership, threw away the packaging and forgot about it before receiving the secondary letter - especially new members like myself. Secondly, I have to stress that this was an unsolicited mailing, and I made no request to receive anything at all. To ask that I take time out of my day to prepare and mail the thing back to them is an atrocity. I live in a condominium, so I have to go to the post office to mail something this size - it won't fit in the mailbox, not to mention the fact that I now need to retrieve a box to mail it in. I am so angered by the whole notion of this marketing scheme that I could just scream. The content of the DVD is now just a side note. I have lost all respect for the AMA for conducting business in this manner and will now pass on renewing my membership in the future.

I am going to post this same message in a seperate thread and ask that everyone else that was angered by this action reply to the post with their complaints.

Capgains

My Feedback: (4)

Don't get all mad about it stryker: life is too short to get mad over something like this.

Just keep it. It says right in the letter you have no obligation to do anything which means; you don't have to pay them, and you don't have to return it. And to vent your frustrations over the AMA, you can go out and run it over with your car if you want, and still not pay them. Although, it would be kind of funny to run it over with your car, and then use the mailer to send it back, or attach a brick to the box and send it back, since they charge by weight.


But once again you have no obligation to do anything.


By the way, I'm not a lawyer, but I saw one on TV.

ckangaroo70

My Feedback: (51)

I thought the video was pretty good, and liked the coin, but it would have been more appropriate if they would have sent members an email, or letter of some sort asking if they would like to recieve this item to preview. I don't really think it as big a deal as some are trying to make it into, but "WE" the AMA should try to excersise a little better judgement in the future. Everyone here has probally made a bad judgement call once or twice in their life, but the lesson should be not to try and make the same bad call twice. So I would like to thank the AMA for the FREE video and coin, but please ask my permission next time to see if I would like to recieve any offers. Or at AMA Renewal time you can put a place on the applications that ask if you would like to be part of any AMA promotions or the like. Then it would be appropriate to send stuff like this to members who have checked a box that says they would like to participate in such mailings. Aside from how I recieved it, I thought the video was entertaining, and even my wife sat and watched it with me.

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

I just received my video yesterday and sent it back today. It did take all of three minutes to check off the box on the paper, put the DVD back into the box, peel off the return postage sticker and tape up the box. Whew, I think I'm still sweating. Actually, I enjoyed the video and would have kept it but I had about 95% of what was covered in it on other SKS videos in my collection. Unfortunately, there was no option to check off stating that I'm not interested in this video but they can send the next one when it's available. Oh well.

GULFLYER

My Feedback: (16)

Well I liked the DVD and my kind wife ordered the AMA DVD's for me. That was some time ago. We will be requesting our money back if I don't recieve it soon.
But I realy get tired of all the negitive additudes. I listen to a guy complain about how expensive our hobby is at the airfield today. He did not fly becaues he was driving off in his $45,000 truck with his $60,000 bass boat to go fishing. After having a new sod yard put down in his back yard of his $350,000 house. But what realy is hard to listen to is when he talks about the boob job his wife droped $25,000 on!
I do believe we need better leadership and positive message sent out by the AMA. Or vote in the biggest ape with the biggest stick to give some additude adjustment.
Howard Rich

e-sailpilot86

Many guys on this forum need a serious attitude adjustment... And E-zone, I've never seen such an unrealistic vision of the world, in such a hostile way! [] I think it makes sense for a bunch of people to step back from the forums, It's really appauling to see people complain about these things... The last thing we need is more people with a negative attitude. Yes, the AMA should try to make clubs a more positive experience. So many people are just plain rotten! I think this thread is going to help me change a bit, and get off the forums, the last thing I need to see is more of this negative attitude garbage. Go ahead and rant guys, but you're not getting anywhere in your life by becoming old, grumbly, litigious, codgers.

Can't wait to get the DVD, and guess what? I won't pay a penny!

Live Wire

Would you believe this is the advertisement they want!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just got another Dunn to day and wonder how much more money they will spend to get these CD's BACK
Edit
A dum RCer and a good Lawyer could make a few bucks if they wanted to!

crash99

My Feedback: (3)

Where is DVD #2? Send it to me and I will take as free. I think we pay the AMA to much all ready.

FlyinTiger

My Feedback: (45)

I think these videos would better serve the "newbie" in the hobby by having a stack of them in the local hobby store for the casual shopper to grab one if they want. Yes, the content could be much better, especially if my dollar is going toward producing or sending these out in ANY way.

Who do we talk to to pass on our suggestions?

1. Make a better video, I liked some of the suggestions mentioned earlier.

2. Send a bulk package to the hobby shop instead of wasting so much postage on individual packages, where people could take one if they want, or leave them there for the next person.

3. Create an ACCESSIBLE forum on the AMA website to poll the membership and talk about AMA right to their faces, not in RCU or other forums. I like the Admin. RCU polls, it gets things done the way the "membership" wants it done.

4. Send us all free round trip plane tickets so we can all fly at our "National Flying Site" in Muncie, IN. []

My money is sure going to construction, upkeep, tending to the flyers that do live close enough to fly there, and people to tend the museum I pay for too!

SORRY, got off topic! [sm=drowning.gif]

jorgeron

I am a newbie to flying, and I am reading all the post on the FREE AMA video.

I just received the AMA video #1. I didn’t order it, but I am keeping it anyway. And I'll sleep just fine tonight doing so.

And if all the subsequent videos were approx $9.00 total and if they were a bit more technical in the "how to" I would getting them.
BUT
Some AMA members act like you were sent an envelope full of poison.

All the complaining over this video is pathetic!

I'm not upset at all with the AMA and the video. If I don’t like it I can throw it away, send it back, or pay for it. It’s an amazingly simple thing to do!

But if this is how some AMA MEMBERS act over such matters as this video, you WILL loose people interested in this hobby.

Members who complain about such trivial matters really put a bad spin on the whole hobby.

The complaining is EXACTLY why some people (including me) don’t like to join organizations/clubs!

If you don’t like what the AMA is doing, then complain to them about it in an intelligent manner.

Remember, the AMA could just take your money once a year and you never hear from them until renewal time.

jorgeron

Groucho Marx once said " I would never join any club that would have someone like me for a member".


With all the complaining about trivial things I see on this site, he must have been talkng about the AMA and some of its members.


I have never in my life seen, so many, complain so much, about so little, as I have seen here.

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

Jorgeron,
If you're a newbie to flying then you probably have'nt been to too many club meetings. Wait till you hear the moaning and groaning[:'(]. It always seems to come mostly from the guys who don't even fly anymore and they just sit at the field and complain about everything. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, they are usually the ones who are in control and it takes a concerted effort by what usually is the majority to oust them. You can't seem to avoid the politics. They'll pick on everything right down to the toilet paper in the porta potty.

Marty