good post Taildrager!

Well, STL, you and Joyce would both be wrong. EAA doesn't offer tiered memberships. Plenty of options, but only one level. Your hyping the e-ticket as something it's not is getting real old.

There is still a problem with the light sport aviation: Once a pilot gets denied a medical, they can't ever fly again. So again, it's that FAA medical that gets in the way of anybody wanting to be a full-scale pilot. It makes me wonder if it was actually worth wasting the administration's time creating the category in the first place.

Also, I agree that the light sport aviation can indeed put more of a dent in the modeling hobby. Not necessarily because modelers will go "full scale", most of them at the local club around here are either already full-scale pilots, or just don't have an interest, so that issue is moot. Since the light sport aircraft don't cost a quarter million dollars each new, perhaps more folks will choose to get into it and not opt for a full private. In fact, a brand new light sport aircraft can be purchased for less than a Hummer H2, making the cost more reasonable for the affluent. The "average joe" who drives a 10 year old beater will just have to do without. The "driver's license physical" applies here, as long as they don't gamble on the third class medical. So, it should be as easy as getting a driver's license. In either case, it will put more full-scale planes in the air, making the NAS considerably less patient with modelers (actually more hostile, in fact). The FAA could easily impose the 400' limit and disallow any flying near people if they wanted to. If they wanted to bad enough, I suppose they could severely restrict any use of R/C planes and require a license and possibly some type of medical certificate. It looks as though the RCAPA is preparing for such a scenario.

If model aviation goes commercial without leaving room for hobbyists, then take heart. Building may be non-existent (except for display) due to air worthiness issues and time-limited parts. However, I am sure better technology may indeed become available for "unmanned aircraft", with improved safety and flying characteristics. There may not be as many ARF or RTF kits, however. Hobbyists will just have to jump the hoops like folks who are into high-powered rocketry if they want to keep their fingers on the sticks. Will situation like this ever happen? I seriously doubt it. Most likely, there will just be fewer and fewer places for modelers to fly, and that ultimately will kill the hobby (unless, of course, the AMA can keep a strong enough lobby).

NorfolkSouthern

We were talking about the Sport ticket as compared to the Private ticket and so forth. Developed mostly in part by the EAA.

Problem? Re-read the FAQ's. Denied pilots can once again take the 3rd class test based on a new set of guidelines. Also you really don't want to take safety away 100%, do you?

http://www.sportpilot.org/faqs/Medical%20FAQs.html

This is something that can be worked out in time as well. If you know that you are going to fail the test before you take it, then why take it? Most people know their bodies pretty well. You can always get a physical from a non FAA doctor just to make sure. But even again, safety comes into play. There's no way to say that the Sport ticket does not open up more doors then it closes when you see 28 certifications by 1 class of airplane in a single year, just no way. Again, this Sport ticket like everything the EAA and AOPA does it aimed towards the vision of the future, not just for today.

why the heck do they call one exam a class3, then a different exam with lower qualification is called a class3... not 3A ar 4 or even Class S

To comment on Taildragers post. The VSC article was 8 pages long. As said, the AMA is mostly us old geezers. So there we are out in Tucson, in our second, third, or whatever, childhood, having fun. There is no BOM rule in either Old Time or Classic Stunt, but most of us flew airplanes we built ourselves. Imagine that; how retro! Taildrager does have a point there, however.

I do think the AMA does some things to attract young persons. If more publicity was given to the activities of the Education Committee, we might feel a little better about it all. And the folks who do control line instruction at Oshkosh have a lot of fun and deal with a fair number of young persons.

People like Taildrager aren't going to join anyway. Quite frankly, I don't care if he joins or not. The AMA's needs to work on it's relationship with it's membership first. After it's become more valuable to current members, it will be more attractive to him. Until then, I don't see any reason for him to join! It's wasted money if not required by your club. Solve that, and you will replace the lost membership.

I was at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh over the last weekend. One of the things
they do at Kidventure is let kids fly a 1/2A control-line trainer
hands-on. This is run by the same "old geezers" who enjoy flying their
"old designed vintage stunt planes" as taildrager put it.
Last year 2400 kids got a chance to do this, this year's totals
aren't in yet but it was probably higher. This year there was
also a demo of RC electrics.

According to the EAA, if you have been denied a medical, you
should get a provisional medical, let it expire, then you can use
your drivers license to apply for the sport pilot certificate.

I would like to know more about his provisional medical, you gave some good information that could help someone fly full-scale at some capacity. For the most part, that's what most folks who are interested in aviation want to do. They want it reasonably easy, like getting a regular driver's license without the excessive bureaucracy and red tape. Besides, there are devices that can be installed on a light sport plane that will bring it down safely should something go wrong.

NorfolkSouthern

I agree the AMA needs to make its membership more valuable that will be one way
of attracting more members. it seems with more electric planes available that dont
require facilities that necessitate joining a club the AMA does not have the hold on
rc modeling they once had.

with less than half their members in clubs before the boom in electric stuff, it would seem that the AMA was already way behind the curve because of sticking to the club structure.

Amen, bro.

Clubs are good, but the choice of a real 'silent majority' is good too. AMA has a business plan so utterly concentrated on clubs they never saw the real meat in the marketplace whizz right on by.

Abel

Ok, time for being pretty is up.[>:]

The lack of growth comes only from the old farts sitting on their decrepit posteriors and doing nothing! The problem is enhanced by the younger modelers who don't give a care. Now, where's my $15,000??

This evening, I was talking to a nice gentleman(he's more than three times my age) and he said: " The biggest aspect of RC is electric parkflyers." T

he AMA attempted to rectify their problem in this area, but the EC shot it down!!! How out of touch with RC are they???? Do they ever fly??? STLPilot, When can I sign up with your "AMA"? I will do it this year if you get it up and runnin in time. If not, I will get it next year. I probably will not need to use it as I have AMA, but I support anything that helps the modeling community. This will help tremendously.

I support anything that helps and encourages model aviation by doing more than sleeping on the job. The AMA is doing NOTHING!!



50%

50%, what exactly could he offer that would be so much better than the AMA? Club structure? Don't feed the trolls, man! I sure wish people would quit blaming "the old guys" or whatever group comes to mind. The fault lies with the people running the AMA. Mostly the problem is communication. They don't. Well, either that or they are just wasting the money... Gee, wonder where they'd do that?

The part that I like about it is that it is catered to the biggest segment of our hobby. Something that I doubt the current AMA would do.

Dude, pick up your MA again. All they do is cater to electrics!

I see mainly vintage stuff in my issue. Did we get different versions??

You mean the one with some vintage style electrics? I remember seeing that on either the current issue or last. To tell the truth, I don't read them much anymore. A quick skim looking for good articles, then into the "file 13" stack.

50%Plane is a FOOL