AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Anyone care to comment about Hobbico taking over ACE RC? There are a number of factors that might bear consideration.

1. The Hobbico conglomerate, Tower, Great Pains er, uh, Planes (just a joke!) has a vast history of taking over smaller companies and throwing away everything but what suits their easy markets, especially the better wood kits.

Gone from the scene, via Hobbico, includes the original Bridi, Goldberg, Top Flite, Marks Models, Laneir, Wildcat Fuels, and I'm sure you can find others. Of course some are still marketed under the original names, yet I find there is no real connection to the originals.

2. For example the ACE distributed Thunder Tiger engine line. The little TT .40 is one of the most user-friendly engines that I know of. Have you a recent Tower catalog? IIRC it sold for about $90. Go to the Tower website and that little beauty is now $139.99, and "limited stock". So where will the other prices stop?

3. Of course the operation of the business world is not what AMA can, or should even try to control. OTOH when I see AMA's Marketing Committee having ONLY the top 3 players in the industry along with the current AMA Executive Vice President, I just cannot help but feel that there is something missing. IMO, missing are at least three - an equal number - aeromodelers that have NO connection to the aeromodeling business world outside the $$$ they spend to fund their own individual sport/hobby.

IMO that is the only way the committee can equally represent the modelers in these big business deals.

4. Remember that Hobbico does not restrict its business just to RC, airplanes, and/or cars. It covers the entire hobby spectrums including plastics. As a model airplane person you are in the minority. So do you want your AMA representatives to be beholding to just the top level individuals that don't really need YOU ????? [sm=pirate.gif]
Think seriously and objectively about what is happening.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

If those companies act in a purely advisory capacity and their input is understood to be biased ( as all company reps should be) then there should be no problem getting other companies to give us advice. My question would be (and maybe Hoss knows) has the AMA ever asked any of the smaller companies to be on the marketing committe. I think Guillows has been around longer than the AMA.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Hoss, go all the way back to the earliest magazines you've got laying around and look at the list of the advertisers, then keep checking those lists as you advance through the years.
You know what I'm getting at, that this business is a very fickle one. Suppliers come and go, get swallowed up by bigger fish.....
As the years go by a few big fish have emerged from the muck and like all big meat eaters feel like they must do they gobble up the competition. Some of the people behind the controls probably don't even know what a needle valve is, they are just hard working businessmen doing what they do best.....survive.....well, survive in grand style.......[8D]

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Corperations are people also.

At least according to the activist conservative court. And BTW, does this really have anything to do with the AMA ?

I don't think so.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Very true, but is it in the best interest of the AMA to have only the top predators?
Sort of like the gov't asking only Microsoft and Apple for computer help, what do you think their solutions would be? Think they will explain the cost savings of open source products? More like they will advise the Govt to make open source illegal.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

I think there should be a new "playa" on the scene. Give it the name "Hossfly Hobbies." j/k :D

I am ready to put my order in for one of those old kits from the by gone days :)

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

They are marketing advisors for the AMA, I think that more than qualifies it as an AMA topic of discussion.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Hoss kinda slid this one in. He's PO'd that another great small guy got devoured and wanted that info here.

Anywho...........

If you have a choice of marketing team members, who would/should you pick? The predator or the prey?

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Answer: The ones who can give the best advice to the AMA for the members benefit.

I know that everyone in control of the AMA is a saint and that the Marketing Team members are only there out of pure altruism.. oops I was having another delusion.
The only reason they are their is because some how, some way the AMA can/is making money for them. For all I know they might have come up with PPP as a way to sell more parkflyers and foamies. OTOH, maybe they killed it because it was hurting their big buck lines. In either case they are advising what is good for them, not the AMA or its members.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Its AMAs involvement in social justice of the hobby:
Given the number of folks that say its important that AMA subsidize MA ads to help the smaller hobby companies,
how could talking about what AMA did / didnt do to socially protect this company
not be an AMA discussion

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

I still do not get how you see this as making the AMA beholding to anyone?

BTW - Ace was a wholly owned company under Thunder Tiger. TT decided to let Hobbico do their distribution in the Western Hemisphere, so how exactly is this an AMA issue or even a dreaded big bad Hobbico devouring small companies?? TT made the decision. Hobbico did not force them to do anything. Just like when Futaba decided to have Hobbico do their sales and service in North America, it is a business decision on the part of that company, not something Hobbico has forced anyone to do.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Suppose your church has on its advisory board two of the biggest suppliers of bibles and religious objects and no one else?
Think it would/should raise eyebrows?
Get out of the "never question Muncie" mindset. The members (although having little real power) are the AMA, not Muncie.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Huh?? I think this is a huge stretch.

And I am weary as well that anyone who is not on board with the latest outlandish theory of how the AMA is acting badly is immediately labeled as an unthinking robot.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

One is an unthinking robot only when they dismiss everything immediately as outlandish theories. Weren't the Wright Bros. considered to have outlandish theories? Yup, a couple of lunatics telling people that controlled, powered flight was possible.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Outlandish theories?

The conflict of Interest bruhaha was decried as an outlandish theory (and of course Bashing & AntiAMA),
right up to the point when DM confirmed it

Look at all the folks that condemn Paintball as an outlandish anti ama theory

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Kind of like you turning in that teenage smoker to save your hide?:eek:

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

These posts have gone to the dump now! Outlandish theories? I love it!

Some nice mental humor is always good for the soul. Next it will be "welcome to the dark side." HAHHAHHAHAHAAAA :D

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Another day, another conspiracy theory on the ole' AMA forum. Someone needs a girlfriend.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Yikes! I am glad all these guys are not shooting real guns. If they were someone would get hurt [X(]

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

You are correct. But this is the law of the land now. The corperations have the right to sell to the governement and to lobby the governement and to contribute all the money they want to the candidates. This is all legal now. You are arguing my point.

As for one company selling another, it is hardly news in this country.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Wow, that is quite the statement there. No "alleged" or "in my opinion", just "this is the way it is". In case you missed it - " In either case they are advising what is good for them, not the AMA or its members". I would have thought that a teacher would know the definition of "libel". Don't know you, and don't think I care to, but if I were you I would pay attention to the thinning ice. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, USA and all, but you seem to spout off fact after fact without anything to document it. You wonder why you get nastygrams in the mail.....

BTW, before you label me an AMA lover, I'm not. Joined because my club requires it. I too have other things to do with $58 - and - the magazine isn't that bad. You try and create something that appeals to free flight through jet guys....

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

What are you smoking?[:o]

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

SPLIT S is just trying to take this thread off-topic and locked like the others.
Only reason I can see for attacking me here.

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

No attack. Just an observation. You may be the world's nicest guy but disguise yourself in smoke and mirrors. Those were your words, not mine or anybody else. You posted them, not me. How can a response to your post take the thread off topic??

RE: AMA after Hobbico's Takeover of ACE RC
 

Just like yo did again. Go kill some other thread. I'm done with your games.