AMA's Introductory Pilot program

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02-03-2007 | 11:03 AM

#26

BG35660

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From: SHEFFIELD, ALABAMA, AL

RE: AMA's Introductory Pilot program

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ORIGINAL: gbzflyer

I am the Secretary Treasurer of our club and the contact person for those intersted in joining. I'm also one of a handfull of instructors. None of our instructors is currently certified as a Introductory Pilot, but I'm looking into the pros and cons of the program. I'm curious how other clubs with Introductory Pilot Programs handle the subject of AMA membership requirements with prospective new members. Do you give them the option of joining the AMA up front, or suggest that they make use of the Introductory Pilot Program and deferr the cost for 60 days? Do you require club membership up front or do you give them a 60 day grace period also? What percentage of the new members elect to join the AMA after the 60 day period? I can see the program being usefull to a young person who just shows up at the field with their new plane and wants to learn to fly. My experiance has been the perspective member contacts me and I explain the club's training program, membership dues, and AMA membership requirements. The new member then joins the AMA, pays the club dues, and contacts one of the instructors to set up a training schedule.
I'm very interested in learning how other clubs use the Introductory Pilot Program and if they find it usefull.
Thanks for any feedback.
Mike

I too am the Secretary/Treasure and contact person as well as webmaster for our club. The method you are using is the tested and accepted method of most clubs. We are a new club (less than a year) made up of members with years of AMA membership. I started our club into the Intro. Program because I believe it gives the beginner a chance to "try before you buy". If your club has traniner planes then a beginner could learn to fly with no out of pocket expence or little expence for fuel.
I look at it as a membership enticing program.

bill

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02-03-2007 | 11:07 AM

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BG35660

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From: SHEFFIELD, ALABAMA, AL

RE: AMA's Introductory Pilot program

edited to delete dublicate post

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02-04-2007 | 01:20 PM

#28

Hossfly

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From: New Caney, TX

RE: AMA's Introductory Pilot program

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Once they have AMA, there is no requirement for an Intro Pilot. As the senior Intro Pilot in my main club, I explain the options to a prospective new pilot. HE makes the choice. Remember that any AMA member can give any non-member one lesson as long as the AMA member does not use the student's airplane. I also keep a trainer in reserve for such situations, even though I am an Intro pilot. For shows and demonstrations, etc., there is no need to be an Introductory Pilot to give the visitors one time on the sticks. Why do the unneeded paperwork?

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Do you require club membership up front or do you give them a 60 day grace period also? What percentage of the new members elect to join the AMA after the 60 day period?

At my Club, any individual residing within 100 miles is limited to 3 flying visits in any 12 months. For more than that, they must join the Club. Then they have to be AMA to join. Again the Intro is no longer needed.
In addition I refuse to teach any person, appearing reluctant to join the club, how to land during those 3 "visits". Most of these people, once they can get it down without breaking something, they are gone to the country roads, someone's farm etc., etc. Peas on their table for my labor? [>:]

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I can see the program being usefull to a young person who just shows up at the field with their new plane and wants to learn to fly.

That is about the only time the Intro is really needed. However it is still, IMO, a good tool for most clubs.

Quote:

My experiance has been the perspective member contacts me and I explain the club's training program, membership dues, and AMA membership requirements. The new member then joins the AMA, pays the club dues, and contacts one of the instructors to set up a training schedule.
I'm very interested in learning how other clubs use the Introductory Pilot Program and if they find it usefull.
Thanks for any feedback.
Mike

In summary, you can adapt the program to most any of your club's requirements. It is time saving to differentiate as when the Intro Pilot is required and when it isn't needed. Sometimes the "status" is an ego trip for some, yet that may be a good thing as it gets the person out doing instructing when normally he would not do so.