Todd M

My Feedback: (1)

I am at the point where I am looking into joining the AMA. Before I join any orginization I like to find out just how my dues will be spent. Does anyone know where I can get info on things like how much is spent for insurance, advertising, employee's, real estate, events, lobbyist, etc, etc.? I just want to make sure that my money isn't going to be wasted on things like conventions that are 2 thousand miles away or outrages payroll for upity up's and such. I dont want to hear from people who just say it's a good investment in my hobby, I want facts and figures. Anyone know where to get this info? I searched the AMA website and couldn't find it.

Crashem

Oh my god due us a favor don't join!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE already have J_R and Hossfly

Find a wide open space away from from everybody and have a ball

PS because they are a non-profit organization ther'ye books are basically open for inspection feel to look around!!

bulletbob

Go to modelaircraft.org and check them out. Then join and kwitcherbellyaching. Money well spent for insurance, guidance and portal to club and members for social and flying fun.

FHHuber

If the AMA's convention is held ANYWHERE in the US... its 2000 or more miles form some members. Its physically impossible to have it within 2000 mi of Hawaii, Alaska, Florida and New York all at once.

taurus02914

I would check out the United Modelers Of America it seems as though the coverage might be equal to or greater than the AMA although it isnt accepted as widly as the AMA, good alternative though, thats what we are using.
Good Luck

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Go to the ama forums and read there.

As far as how your duse are spent, Ummm, I would just join and consider it cheap insurance and forget it. They will spend your money on anything they want, and you won't see much for it. Conventions that you will never go to, the monstrosity in Muncie that you will never probably see, and stuff like that. If you want to fly at most RC fields in the country you have to have it, so get it, consider it cheap insurance and forget it, otherwise you will always be fruserated about having to pay it to fly with most clubs.

Jim Finn

My Feedback: (2)

Paying to join AMA ,to me, is a purchase like any other. of a magazine and insurance. Do you ask or care where the money you spend on a Honda or a banana or car insurance is spent? ................................ Join if it is a good deal to you and do not
join if it is not.

Montague

Btw, the AMA has actually been running some pretty good financial statements in the EVP column of MA for a while. The articles might be online in the members-only section of the site, but I'm not sure.

Ok, from memory (read, I could have this wrong):

Insurance is far and away the AMA's #1 expense.
There is a fairly large expense for the office building and site in Muncie, I think the site works out to #2 expense.
Salaries are there, but no one is getting rich working for the AMA, so you aren't paying for anyone's yaht or sports car.

I'm not a huge fan of the AMA, but I fly in some competitions, and you have to be an AMA member to fly in just about all of them. (Anything hosted by an AMA club will require AMA membership). Also, all the club fields in this area are AMA clubs and therefore you have to join the AMA to fly.

taurus02914

Sorry for getting off the subject but, does anyone know why the AMA does not allow pilots with other insurances to fly at the AMA sanctioned fields ? I know in some cases the other insurances are a primary insurance not a secondary like the AMA and usualy carry much more coverage than the AMA in some cases double,but they will allow all insured flyers including AMA pilots.
Any ideas?

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

If you had a monopoly like AMA, would you let another company play? They can whine about not being covered, but if they couldn't make everyone pay because of competition, they couldn't afford the muncie site or the new offices or the museum or.......

They would go broke fast if there was a cheaper alternative that people could use anywhere AMA is used. Plain and simple. Of course they will give you a lot of other BS excuses just like telling you most of their expense is the insurance, when under $15 of your dues pays the insurance. The rest just goes away.

Todd M

My Feedback: (1)

Come on guy's, I wasn't trying to start a war, just find some info. I know that every convention and/or event will be a long way's from some of us no matter where it is, but how much do they spend on them. I know I have to join the AMA to fly at almost every club too, including all of the local ones, thats why I'm looking into joining. I am not now nor have I ever been classified as a sheeple, I suck up info, it's just my way. Geeezzzzzzzz...... I think some of you guy's just troll the newbie page looking for someone to hammer on, get a life. Does anyone know where I can find this info?

randy41

Well: If you join than you will get a yearly break down of how the money was spent.
Might check with a few local clubs and see if someone will let you see the report.
I think also that it has been reported in the model aviation magazine a few times.
Other than that i dont no what to tell you.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Taurus (and FlyBoy )
Just HOW would the AMA KNOW that you're actually covered? If you show up at a sanctioned event and say, "I don't have AMA, but I do have "UM of A", or East Podunk Modelers' Insurance, are you going to bring the insurance policy and expect the CD of the event to read it, then let you fly?

The only proof of insurance available right now is AMA membership. There was another organization a few years ago that was making good inroads for direct competition to the AMA; they were stupid though and started making false claims/ statements against the AMA. The AMA sued and won, which essentially closed them down.

Had they stuck with above board practices we might have a lot of "dual sanctioned" events, but we don't.
Dennis-

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Yea Dennis, you are probably right. I guess just showing a card that you have the competitor doesn't work, but it should. Kind of like car insurance. You don't have to have just one company.

Todd, you have been given the AMA web address. All the info you could want is there, and if you can't find what you want, go to the AMA forum and ask JR or Horrace. They can find anything. As far as finding exactly what they spend money on, good luck.

Montague

Dennis,
I agree, it's too bad that other group went that way, a little competition between the AMA and another group might be a good thing.

It would be nice if there was another insurance group out there that issued cards like the AMA card. If that group offered to allow the AMA to see the insurance policy info in exchange for seeing the AMA's, then the AMA really would have to explain why they wouldn't honor each other's insurance. I have NO IDEA how the AMA would react to such a thing coming in to existance, and offering to co-exist and reciprocate.

Of course, the AMA does exactly this with guys from other countries all the time. AMA honors MAAC and vice-versa for guys who live on the US-Canada boarder.

Suncoast

My Feedback: (1)

I gotta tell ya, as a new member of AMA, I'm starting to feel like I have joined the MAFIA or something. Sure the insurance is there, but why do they need some eyesore office building when this could be done from less expensive digs. IMHO, for a NON-PROFIT organization, they sure do seem to be mob affiliated in the way things are run. Sorry to ruffle feathers, but Like I said, this is my Opinion.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

you'll get that info your looking for in the magazine after you join...its like $5 a month to fly $58 a year for membership and a magazine.. not the best of publications but thats another thread for another time....I personally would prefer to pay less say $30-40 and not get the magazine at all but its not an option they offer.....Rog