BradSD

My Feedback: (9)

I do not hate the AMA but I dont really care for them either. I think my problem is I do not feel that I get anything for the $60 that I spend. Im a home owner, they are not going to pay anything for me should I have a accident. So for $60 I get a really crappy magizine and the RIGHT to fly at a field that my tax dollars are paying for. And it troubles me that they built the Walt Disney Resorts of RC in their backyard. Seems to me that the money could have went to lower insurance cost to me. It reminds me of big government, to big and to stupid. Im really hoping a compeitor will show up and offer primary insu for maybe 30 bucks, now that would be nice. Probably wont happen though as im sure it wont be allowed to be used in a ama flying field (even though we own the field). Hard to cut into a monopoly controlled buisiness.
Again I have no hate for them and really 60 bucks is not a lot of money but I dont have to like it and im free to have my feelings. Hope I dont offend but these are my true feelings on the AMA, to me its a big monopoly rip off, they get my 60 bucks and I get nothing.

tonyg11780

The AMA is, for lack of a better term, a governing force in our hobby. Most clubs require an AMA membership, so therefor we must follow the rules and bylaws set forth by the AMA. Do I agree with them? Heck no...

However, it is just like the government that now runs this country. Do I agree with it? Heck no...Would Americas forefathers agree with it? Heck no...but what is there that we can do with it....

Either way, unless we are all going to form a resistance, there is no reason to start threads inviting people to complain. If it isnt worth getting up and doing something about it, there really is no reason to sit around and fuss.

I dont approve of the AMA or the local clubs requirements of an AMA membership but really...what can you do besides start your own club....? If I had about fifty acres of flat land I would do it in a heartbeat..but I dont..soooooooo......

Just my thoughts, but if I cant do anything about it there isnt any reason for me to fuss.

TonyG

K-Bob

My Feedback: (1)

It seems as though there is a new equation that must be used whenever addressing AMAissues now.

Red=AMA

or

AMA=Red

Folksthink they have found their boogeyman. All the time and energy they spend spewing hate and vitrol could be spent improving the AMA (If they are a member).

Some have said the AMAoffers them nothing ....... but they join anyway.
That logic doesn't make it too far. It must offer something or you are a fool to send in your money.

Some have said the AMAis a monopoly.
Do they mean a monopoly on insurance?How can that be as we have seen post after post saying that folks HO insurance or PUP has them covered? No HO or PUP? You have the option of USAMA. They will give you primary coverage for $20. Flying site requires AMA insurance?Get the rules changedorfind another place to fly.LCS , it seems, worked out a pretty good arrangement at his site.

Maybe they mean a monopoly on competion rules, education, government influence, club support and flying field retention among many other benefits.

You want to belong to AMA? Send in your $58.

You don't want to belong to the AMA?Spend your $58 somewhere else.

How simple is that.

One thing that won't improve anyone's ability to fly or enjoy the hobby, is constantly griping and obssessing over Red.

skipperwayne

BradSD, you do know that the AMA insurance will pay the deductible for you HO insurance, right? So, even though it's seconcary, it helps you.

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

'tis better to curse the darkness than to light a single candle."

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

Wud he say?

Mr. Mugen

He said it's easier to sit in the dark and ***** than it is to get off your ars and turn on the light....

Mr67Stang

If you don't get anything for your $60 ($58) then quit paying... or are you getting something that makes it worth it to you? The privledge of flying at an established field? Is that worth the extra $58 a year? If not, then quit paying it! It's not like Auto insurence that is compulsory. You do not have to belong to the AMA. If you chose to belong then you can participate or take what advantage it gives you and go color quietly. Complaining about doing something you do not have to do is just rediculous.

For me my $58 a year are part of my club membership as far as I'm concerned.

The Toolman

Heres why I don't like the ama, anytime they get a field somewhere they have this can't fly without ama card bs. If it is a taxpayer field, that even makes it worse IMO.
Like I always say, the ama would be tickled to death to be able to have it outlawed to fly anywhere without their ins card IMO.

The ama heads are no more than politicians trying to protect their jobs, an force their rules an beliefs on anybody with a model plane within their reach.

Reply all you want, but you will not change my mind on this.

This is not directed at anybody in particular, it's just the way the forum adds replys to the last poster.

Mr67Stang

I have flown at a feild like the one you described. It was in the George W. Bush Park just outside of Katy, TX. The feild is on state property and the club linked to that feild required AMA for membership. The STATE of Texas required all flyers to have AMA insurence. So, direct your disgruntlement at the state, not the AMA. You can always go find an abandoned country road or get some private farmers permission to fly elsewhere and not pay for AMA if you so chose.

My point is that the non AMA member options are limited as to where you can fly. Therefore for many of us we pay the $58 a year for the convenience to fly at an established air field. If it's not worth it to you... then don't.

Woody218

My Feedback: (24)

I really dislike it when someone spends their time complaining about an organization, yet they don't exert one ounce of effort to improve it. I really dislike it when a whole organization gets blasted over and over because someone has a personal grudge against another member of that organization. C'mon, man up! If you don't like the way things are done in the AMA, you can run for a district VP slot! You have as much right to do so as anyone else. Present your case to the members in your district. If enough of them agree with your points of view, you will be elected.

I keep hearing guys complain that they "shouldn't have to be an AMA member if they're flying on public land". Guess what? I belong to two clubs here locally, both clubs are on public land, and the landowner, which is the local parks and rec department, REQUIRES AMA membership to fly at either field! The site insurance from AMA protects the landowner in the event of an incident.

Some of you guys remind me of a woman with a perpetual case of PMS, you'd just rather sit and b*tch instead of trying to make things better! Grow up, fer God's sake!!

Oly

I think it is more of a control issue than anything. The "haters", whoever they may be, don't have total control over AMA. No one has total control, and that just drives them crazy.

Just a theory.

Oly

The Toolman

Control over it??....haha If it was up to me I'd disband the whole dang thing an just make sure everybody had their own ins.

You cuddle up guys don't impress this ol' Missouri farm boy one bit.

The Toolman

The more I think about it you fellers are always calling us haters

Well I think I'll start something new an call you all "Cuddle Ups"

It sounds more y'alls style........


edit. sp

Mr67Stang

While this started as a discusion of why one might dislike the AMA and possible solutions for it. It has now debased to name calling... Congratulations!

No, this is not directed to you Mr Toolman. The name calling started earlier and has now reared it's head again. You just fell into the trap laid before you.

The Toolman

OK

icerinkdad

You guys fly airplanes at all anymore or just spend time on forums?
Bob

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

At one time, in the Sixties, AMA did not have a monthly magazine or insurance. I sent in my $4.00 (it could have been less) to join the national organization for my hobby/sport "just because". It seemed like the decent thing to do and it was good to have a lobby in Washington D.C. looking out for "my" interests. During this time, R/C was not that large of a contingency and control line and free flight were the most popular forms of model flying.

I never heard of anyone "hating" the AMA back then. Of course, most flying was done without a club field, so to speak, and no one was pontificating upon the proper way to do anything. That did not come along until the AMA began offering insurance coverage. Then, we had to dance to the jig of the insurance companies, after AMA discovered that it was wiser to let an insurance company do the insuring, rather than insuring the membership themselves.

Anyway, things got more and more complicated as time went on. Whenever things get complicated, you can rest assured that someone won't like something or another. That is what happened. After a while, many members thought that the AMA should drop the competition aspect of their organization. They blamed the contest folks for the high price of this and that and said that it would be less expensive (annual dues) and less complicated if the AMA was an insurance only organization. Of course, they were right, but they did not represent all of the AMA membership. It just so happens that the competition crowd are generally more in touch with current events and they tend to be more in contact with the AMA during a normal passage of time. Meaning that the whiners that hated the competition guys weren't really paying attention to anything, while they waited vigilantly for an opportunity to belch forth their well memorized schpiel about the evil AMA. Me. I just stopped listening to either side. I'm into mellow and smooth. Neither side of the arguments appeals to me directly these days and I'm too damned old to get caught up in some minor point of Robert's Rules to give a darn.


Ed Cregger

ec121

My Feedback: (2)

A couple of thoughts. 1) If you hurt someone or their children, your HO insurance will only be a drop in the bucket. You are liable for your actions. A lawyer will take everything you own and then some. The AMA insurance will cover a lot more than the HO. It is worth $58 to me to have that backup after the HO. A minor sum in the amount I spend an the hobby/sport. I have never seen an AMA rep at our field and hardly expect to. So my contact with the AMA is little to none, but we are protecting our landlord to have a nice field. 2) Without some sort of governing body for competition you would never know what the rules are until you get to the contest. That would be frustrating. The rest of the comments are just personalities and people with too much time on their hands not comments on AMA policy.

Jim Thomerson

I like the AMA because it sanctions contests, maintains the rules we want to compete under, recognizes national records, etc. That's the main benefit for me. It has also contributed money to one of my clubs for field upgrades. It paid me for a couple of articles in Model Aviation. However, I really wish headquarters would put some focus on informing the general public about model aviation, so I'm not completely sanguine.

If you don't think the AMA contributes enjoyment worth $58/yr to your model aviation activities; then it is reasonable not to be a member. But, if so, it is not reasonable to expect to enjoy the specific benefits we AMA members pay for.

The Toolman

Been below 20 deg here for the last coupla weeks

The Toolman

You guys always use this what if deal, like this is happening somewhere in the US daily

K-Bob

My Feedback: (1)

Wonder who the "you guys" are.

Must be folks that wantto improve the AMA from within.
Must be folks that appreciate the numerous member benefits of the AMA.
Must be folks that like to offer constuctive change through proper channels.
Must be folks that know and honor the history and progress of the AMA.
Must be the vast, overwhelming majority of AMA members.

The keyword here is "members" of the AMA.

The Toolman

I said guys, not you

Mr67Stang

Must admit that I am a bit of a fair weather flyer myself. It's got to be at leat 50 F for me. It's supposed to snow tonight. ***! So between the building board and the forum board I will be untill warmer weather prevails.