something i don't understand, and i may be completely wrong as my knowledge is not to date, but I was able to compete in a NRA shooting match with out having to join the NRA. and I believe the NRA has done loads more for the sport of shooting than the AMA has done for RC flying.  Do i really have to be a member to compete at an AMA sanctioned event, and is there a fee to participate at said event?<div>I state i have not shot at a NRA event in a few years, and I have never flown at an AMA event, so I don't know if they charge to enter to fly, and require membership.</div><div>
</div><div>AMA is registered as a non profit organization, witch holds some credit on what they say they do, but it is just acounting tactics at that point.  </div>

Yes, you must belong to the AMA to compete in AMA sanctioned events.

Entry fees, if any, are assessed by the group (club, etc.) holding the event. Outside of the NATS, the AMA itself receives no payment from any sanctioned events. There is a small fee to process the sanction request however, but that is paid by the group actually doing the event.

I have not competed in the shooting sports for several years either, but as I recall most clubs holding matches did require NRA membership. I do know that the events in which I competed were held following NRA rules.

On the unrelated matter of AMA value I think the AMA is a good deal.

jess

http://www.modelaircraft.org/ambassador.aspx

Those wanting to gripe about AMA dues really should learn to use the search button. This thread has come up more times than I can count.

The fact is that AMA is cheap for what it does. They are going through a mission crisis at the moment, as the market has changed and they are behind the curve. They still provide all the good stuff they have before, but many modelers now don't see the need. I am in church work and the same crisis is going on there. Society is becoming less institutional and more independent minded. Instant gratification is the order of the day, and we have two whole generations of Americans who don't know the meaning of the word "sacrifice." All of this works against the AMA whose work may never directly benefit the individual member who pays dues. I give my $60, and I will never attend one of their big events, I will never visit the national headquarters, I doubt I will need flying site assistance, and I will likely not ever use the insurance policy. You could easily argue that I am throwing my money away because I don't get anything for it. But I am happy to pay because AMA benefits aeromodeling where they can, and that promotion of the hobby does trickle down to me in product availability, new club membership, and new product development. My club was started with AMA assistance. The leeches among us might argue that I shouldn't donate because it's already there. I say that I should support the organization that helped us so that others can be helped similarly.

Show me any other organization that does as much work advocating for its hobby, organizing activities, helping grassroots efforts to keep facilities available, and covering its hobby through its magazine? The NRA is the only one I know of that comes close, and it doesn't do nearly as much to directly benefit its members as AMA does. The AMA has some superflous activities, but you can't argue that their focus isn't on model aviation and promoting the hobby. As long as they are helping to keep the hobby organized and promoting it, I will remain a member.

I suppose this is another one of those times when
Jesters infomercial generally on how AMA cures cancer and is gods gift to humanity is welcomed
but any rebuttal to that infomercial is off topic



Jester,
if AMA wasnt expensive,
they (Muncie) wouldnt have needed to make the discount PPP.
Who decided we needed a discount serf tier? Muncie did.... not the guys posting on RCU.
Why would we need a discount tier if the regular one was not expensive

Humvee was the best there was,
then Hummer started up and decided to make discount versions,
('hummers' had, to quote a guy at the lot in the 90s, "Mandatory Options" like power windows)
how is Hummer doing today?

I believe that the AMA insurance is secondary insurance,and that your home owners insurance is your primary insurance,If you have an accident,then the AMA will pick up the balance of the claim.
The AMA has the best deal going for It self,Probably 99% of the flying sites require AMA insurance,and they have no competition.I love reading about the flying sites that they help to get.Out in the Midwest,where you can fly almost any place.I think of the AMA as just another insurance company like Allstate,State Farm,etc.Looking to make money for Itself.[:@]

deleted.

I keep an eye on their website and have never seen an insurace certificate posted there.

Yes you are right.... secondary insurance. Now imagine for a second that your homeowners insurance picked up the cost of your automobile accident. I can only imagine how my homeowner's insurance will balk when I hit them with the bill for "Fred" cutting off his finger helping me start my "toy" airplane. I won't have homeowner's insurance for one nanosecond longer. I have only heard of one guy specifically including RC in his policy as an add-on. Does anyone else do it? or are you waiting to see what happens? I have posed this question several times; does anyone know of anyone collecting on AMA insurance? I have never received any response.

I remember back in the 1970's people complaining about the cost, what was it then? $24.95 US if I remember right.
With inflation, the rising cost of insurance, and other incidental costs the current cost at $58.00 is cheaper than if we factored in all the real costs. So technically the cost has been lower than inflation all these years. I figure it might be $125.00 or more if everything was factored in.

But anyway, the argument that it costs too much, is way overused and overrated. People were complaining about it many years ago.
it never changes. Same old tired argument over and over again. it never changes.


Everything nowadays requires membership to compete in whatever it is you want to compete in.
Ice skating, firearms, automobile racing, motorcycle racing, custom car shows, ad infintum. With some of these events you needed multiple membership in more than one organization too. Like Drag Racing for example.

I do remember some renegade flyers doing .15 size RC combat someplace out here. That was the only thing I think of where they didn't have to join the AMA. At least for now.

People who think the $56 a year for an AMA membership is "too expensive" are in the wrong hobby.

It's like large yacht owners complaining about the price of fuel.

That inflation card is used by the govt also, to make ya feel good or bad, whatever they need it to be at the moment. $58 now is still $58, no matter what it may feel like back then or in the future. We're here now an your not gonna change inflation, so ya might just as well suck it up an live with it, an quit using it for a crutch everybody.

What's an inflation card. I only got a membership card with my AMA. Is that something you get from the new USAMA?

I'm sure there are many who share your opinion. Electric fliers who don't want to read about all that fuel "crap", but read and re-read the battery and electric power articles. Heli pilots who don't want to read about all that fixed wing "crap". Scale builders who don't like all the ARF "crap" and ARF fliers who don't give a "crap" about scale building. Free flight and control line fans who don't really want to read all the R/C "crap", and vice versa.

My own area of interest is with 60 to 150 sized fuel planes, and so there are sections of the magazine that I just skim over because it's not an area of interest for me. I do think, though, that the strength of the organization is a result of the diversity of interests that it fosters and supports. It's the Academy of Model Aeronautics, after all, not the "Academy of Mid Sized to Giant Sized Fuel Powered Fixed Wing Radio Control Aeronautics".

IMO the electric coverage by MA is a reflection of the growth that electric flying has seen recently. My impression is that electrics are the fastest growing area of model aeronautics. In my own club I've seen more than a couple of the "old timers" move from fuel to electric as more models become available, prices come down, and due to the convenience and cleanliness that electric offers. I'm not talking about "Fisher Price" park fliers here.

For me, AMA membership is a bargain. The dues that I pay support an organization that IMO does a very good job of supporting the interests of those involved in the many different disciplines of model aeronautics, including the segment that I enjoy. The AMA is a part of the reason I have access to a top notch flying facility with a 700' paved runway, two grass runways, shelter, power, and starting benches. AMA, like any large organization made up of individuals with different interests, isn't perfect, by a long shot, but it's doing a pretty good job, I think.

The $58 I send to Muncie in December is only about $8 more than I paid for the Robart nose gear for my big Cessna. That keeps things in perspective for me.

There are some meets that are free.
But usually the different flying clubs use the events as a way to raise money for the club. So they have a "landing fee" or something.
if the club is affiliated with the AMA, then yes you have to join the AMA to fly there and participate in the event.
if I remember right, the AMA keeps track of the scores and standings for competitors in some of the events, such as Pattern Flying. That is in order to separate the Novice, intermediate and advanced flyers from each other.
There are some clubs that are not affiliated with the AMA though. I don't know who they are, but I remember encountering a few over the years.
Quite a few of the RC car and RC boat clubs make one join the car or boat related racing organizations to compete in their events too. AMA membership is usually not needed for those unless it is a AMA meet.

The information is on the AMA website if you want to do your own work and look.

And yes my friend collected the max $25,000.00 on the medical after a RC heli injury.

By the way AMA is only secondary if you DO NOT HAVE homeowners or renters insurance. Since a few here are complaining about the $48.00 in these economic hard times, I hope you can pay your homeowners insurance bill.

Does anybody know what ama costs anymore?

one guy somewhere in these threads said $60
another guy " " " " $56
an here you are saying $48


I bettin' on $58 myself......

How can you possibly argue with all the people who silently choose not to join because of the cost? Just because you and I think it is affordable has no bearing on anyone else. People are voting with their wallets, as we speak.

If the magazine was made optional with a reduced membership fee, would membership increase? Subject for another thread.......

maybe this will work http://www.sportfliers.com/media/USA...-Insurance.pdf

my name is IVO60 and Id like to just offer my humble opinion. It goes like this: I respect any and everyones opinion as stated, but for myself, being my fourth consecutive year in AMA I think in comparison to other stupid stuff ive spent money on Bars for example and Ive personally blown twice a years membership in one nite! Now granted that was my problem, but I have gratefully stopped that behavior years back. that is why I say not just that but I bet if we all did a little thinking and were honest with ourselves, we would probably admit the same? Thanks for listening. By the way I really love this hobby too. IVO60 Rockford IL.

Dear Lord, it's so cheap I do not remember how much it is. My membership dues at our club is $100. If you cannt pay the AMA dues, well, unless you fly paper planes, you will not be able to participate in the hobby much anyway! (therefore you would not need the membership in the first place).

Some of the eternal anti ATA complaining crowd will have to come up with new ideas.

Are people naive enough to buy insurance from somebody is selling it off the back of his truck in a parking lot? From companies that have a webpage as only asset, and no history to look at? Really?

If you are really worried of getting sued because of damage you might cause with your model airplane, you can always get an umbrella insurance on top of your homeowners for a couple of mill (whatever makes you feel safe). It is dirt cheap if you think you need it. Oh, you have to keep in mid that your homeowners in most cases has a pretty steep deductible (mine is $1000).

If I mess up at the field, let's say I land one of my 1/4 scale planes on the side of a car, I am instantly out of $1,000. The good news is that I will have the home owners insurance company lawyer to defend my interests for nothing.

Gerry

Gerry, Your HO deductible doesn't apply to liability coverage. As an insurance agent, $58 is pretty inexpensive for anything these days. It's less than most people at my field pay for a single servo or a couple gallons of heli-fuel. I know some balk at the price and do not see the value but I'm not among them. I for one will morn the passing to internet only of the AMA magazine. The insurance will likely never pay for me but you can never have enough liability coverage these days......

AMA insurance is primary insurance for those that have no other insurance. That was my situation for the first 5 or 6 years in the hobby.

AMA does not cost me a dime simply because I refuse to pay for NOTHING! Myself and my flying partners are considered RENEGADES by AMA'ers and by AMA standards. Who gives a rip!!! We fly, we crash and we have a hell of a lot more fun than people at the AMA fields(all I hear from clubsters is whining and club politics). I was a member for a year back in the 90's and went clubs locally and to Muncie for what??? Basically I went to Tri-Valley R/C in South Bend, IN to listen to the old guys ***** about us young guys(kinda like NASCAR these days) and then down to Muncie,IN which is a nice place but was treated like a second class citizen. "I don't need that crap nor do I need AMA". I know where the AMA sites are and I simply stay away! I will continue to fly at places I elect to fly at for free and laugh my you know what off when reading stories like this. Grow a pair, take a stand and go fly. If you want to throw your $$ away to AMA that is your choice. If you want to pay club dues and argue about what you can and cannot do at the field go for it! I choose the more inexpensive route which is being a RENAGADE and is more fun and allows me the time to read all these horror stories. And don't let this fact scare you, I give instruction and help many people that are new in the hobby get started all without the AMA. I rarely hear a good story come from a newbie that has ever had the pleasure of going to an AMA sanctioned field to learn how to fly. AMA suck's, get used to it or simply elect to be a RENEGADE! ~FLYIN'J~ [sm=bananahead.gif]