Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

Ok so my wife didn't mail my AMA application so I decided to just do it online. Well while reading the small print I found that although I am paying the flat rate of $58 for a ONE year membership I am really only going to be a member for 6 months. *** over... Seems they have so conveniently made Dec 31st the drop dead date meaning your membership no matter when purchased is only good through Dec 31st. Ok I can understand this if it was 1972 or so but come on guys it's the 21st century, a program as simple as Excel could make a spreadsheet capable of telling the AMA membership office when people need to reapply and what not. Ok well I hope they let me into the club as I attached a message to the end of my application in the space provided to voice my opinion, tell me what you think :) here's the message.


"Although I am new to this sport, I find the policy of having the membership end on December 31 regardless of when you sign up and pay absolutely ludicrous. With the AMA claiming to be the largest sport aviation organization boasting over 170,000 how is it the AMA still uses this sort of outdated system of membership renewal. Welcome to the 21st century, maybe a new system is in order. I feel that I have been forced into buying into this membership at the flat rate of $58.00 yet I am only receiving half of the benefits as I am only getting 6 months of membership. With the ever increasing cost of starting in this sport I find this way of conducting business completely unacceptable and I do believe it is hindering your ability to recruit new members who may not be as able to afford getting ripped off in the middle of the year as some. Thank you for the warm welcome into your association."

Zachary "Furby" Kirby
LTJG USN
VS-41

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

I think you should get over it, it's only $58.00 , think of what you get in return in terms of liability insurance. We have MAAC in Canada, but it's basically the same idea. Try purchasing that kind of insurance on your own, won't do it for $58 bucks.

Besides if $58 bucks is a big deal to you, your in the wrong hobby...

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

Uh..............you may want to send a apology. When you get your renewal, you will get a credit pro rated back to when you joined, so next year you will only pay half.

Ditto on what Tony posted
 

I joined later in the year also the first time, and they basically prorated it towards credit on the second year. I felt it was fair.

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

Just think this way. You have no choice.

Hmm looks like I spoke too soon
 

I guess I did speek a little too soon. As for what i get for the $58 I agree it is more than well worth it, but as I understood the fine print at the time I still fealt it was an unfair system. As for getting it prorated the next year, why didnt the fine print say that? I would have been totally cool with it then. In the wrong hoby? Well it seems that way considering the cash i just dumped into my new Futaba 9CAP, Avistar Mk II, O.S. .46 FX and all the rest of the gear I just purchased last week... Just a bad time to feel I was getting ripped off is all. As for the fact that I now know the system is not as I believed it to be, I AM THE BIGGEST JACK@$$. And to Impulse.. You are right on bro, I had no choice and with that said I am off to the AMA website to see if there is any way to edit that. Last but not least, I do owe them an apology. Thanks for letting me vent, and thanks even more for setting the record straight.

Zachary Kirby
LTJG USN

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

I just joined the AMA last week and had the same concern you did. I received my AMA card which said it expired December 31. I emailed the Membership Supervisor and she replied stating that since I joined in the second quarter I would get a credit of $14.50 that will be applied to next year's membership fee.

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

Don't feel bad. I ***** about them a lot too. If either of us ever needed the coverage, we would be very thankfull we have them. They do provide a pretty good service, if you just look at the insurance aspect. There are a lot of other things they do too that help the hobby. Over all, they are pretty cheap for what we get.

Yes I fully agree
 

Flyboy I completely agree, and I tried to edit that membership form, seems there is no way but I did get a confirmation email saying my membership app and $ was received and membership was under review so maybe I will send that address an email of apology :)

ZK

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

Zach,
It takes a big man to acknowledge when he's wrong, and to do it gracefully. Thank you for doing it so promptly.

I see enough AMA bashing and have never really understood it. Yes it rankles me a bit that there's no alternative. The one alternative that did exist bad mouthed the AMA all over the place, to the point where the AMA sued and won. They went out of business.

Many say the magazine is trash, but I've read all the articles for years, free flight, control line, you name it, and have learned a LOT from each of them. Stuff I use all the time in RC. I think they do a great job of covering all aspects of model aviation.

They have driven noise reduction in the industry, which saves flying fields every day.

They were the organization that petitioned the FAA and won us all the frequencies we now have. (Used to be ten channels.)

And yes, the insurance is secondary to home owner's. So what. How many of us have 2 million plus in liability coverage? In this litigious society I don't want to loose my home and have my income garnished because my switch failed and I hit someone with my plane (God forbid).

Anyway, enough from me. I'm gonna go build sumthin. :rolleyes:
Dennis-

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

HoovDriver, I understand your frustration, but the AMA is not exactly a business, and you're not exactly a customer, so I think the tone of your response might have seemed a little strange to the AMA folks. The AMA executives (who are not paid, and you get a chance to vote for them) have thought a lot about the membership renewal process, and concluded that the current system is the most efficient. You're welcome to disagree, but the tone of your message is angry and disrespectful. Think how you would feel to get a letter like you wrote after spending a life-time to support a hobby that you love.

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

I thought the AMA prorated their membership dues too. Besides, they have to pay the publishing expenses for their awesome monthly magazine somehow, don't they? And, you're a LT (JG) in the Navy, stop your whining, you make the big bucks, not like us enlisted Air Force folks who have to scrape up cash to pay our AMA dues, even after serving for 17 and 1/2 years! Gotta love being a Government Servant!!! Rich

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

I was under the impression that there were quite a few folks on salary at the AMA.
I read something from the Indiana development finance authority, regarding the
$4,200,000 501c3 bond the AMA received a couple years back, and it had stated
that the AMA was expected to create 3 new "jobs" in the next three years.
Do they count volunteer positions as "jobs" now?
Or is it just the "executives" that don't get paid, and other employees do?

Just curious... I'm always reading contradictory statements with regard to this,
and so far I haven't seen anything online that actually gives full disclosure.
(not that it isn't out there somewhere... I just haven't seen it)

Sorry to drag the thread offtopic.
I always felt like the dues should be prorated, too... but we gets what we gets, I guess.

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

Well, as has already been stated, the dues are prorated, always have been as far as I know. By the way, if you join from sometime in September on (or there abouts) you're actually paying the following years dues, even though you become a member immediately.

The AMA has a full organizational financial statement in the back of the mag every year. (December?). I don't recall details, but as far as memory serves, the administrative staff; admin ass'ts, accounting, membership, grounds staff, that sort of thing are paid employees. The President's position may be as well, but I don't think so.

All District personnel, VP's etc, are voluntary. They have some communications allowances, and I believe their trip to Muncie for the annual meeting is paid for.
Dennis-

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

Zachary "Furby" Kirby
LTJG USN
VS-41"

No longer an ensign the silver-bar is getting ripped off and finds it unacceptable.


Mr. Watkins: "I was under the impression that there were quite a few folks on salary at the AMA. "

Bad World here we got ourselves into. Furby and C_, may I suggest that you spend some time reading your AMA "MA" mag. and that Membership Manual. Will save you a lot of confusion.
Then you can really find something to complain about when you find the real problems in AMA administration.

HC

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

I remember them being prorated back when I first joined, in 1980-something.
When I re-upped after a few years off, I think it was in March of last year...
there was no prorated fee. Maybe it's only if you join after a certain date or something.
Maybe it's the 6 month mark... I dunno. I just figured prorated was prorated,
whether it be .5 for joining 6 months into the year, or .25 for 3 months into it.

Like I said though... we get what we get. It's only an issue for the first year, anyhow :)


As for the paid employees thing... not sure how many it is, but I see people
spouting the "volunteer" thing enough that it makes me wonder if a lot of
people really are under the impression that there's "no" money being made by
*anyone* working for the AMA. I've always figured that wasn't the case.
(Much the same as most other "non-profit" organizations. Most have at least some
"employees" in the wings, who make a quite "righteous" salary :) )

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

If you join after Oct 1st you get the rest of the year and the following year for $58.

I am waiting til Oct to join. No big deal for me now. I don't fly right now except on Realflight 2.

Ron

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

open foot insert mouth ...er...uhh well something like that

A copy of the letter I sent the AMA membership office
 

Attached is a copy of the letter I sent to the AMA membership office. To everyone who responded, thanks for not being kicking the crap out of me on this forum, I deserved everyhting you all threw my way. Gotta be able to take a spear yourself if your gonna chuck em!! Thanks for setting the record straight all. Heres the letter.


Dear Sir,

I recently sent my membership application along with my payment of $58.00 via your online registration form. Along with the form and payment I included a message that now after careful consideration of the actual policy and standard I feel may have been a bit rude and inconsiderate, (see text below for actual message). I have been told that although my membership will expire on December 31st regardless of when I sign up, I will be prorated a portion of this years payment that will be applied to next years renewal fees. I wish to take this moment to apologize for my uninformed statement and rather rude temperament within the afore mentioned message. I hope no ill feelings have been formed towards me and I thank you for the great support you and your association provide the model aviation community.

Respectfully,

Zachary Kirby
LTJG USN

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

As for the paid employees thing... not sure how many it is, but I see people
spouting the "volunteer" thing enough that it makes me wonder if a lot of
people really are under the impression that there's "no" money being made by
*anyone* working for the AMA. I've always figured that wasn't the case.
(Much the same as most other "non-profit" organizations. Most have at least some
"employees" in the wings, who make a quite "righteous" salary
C_Watkins,
As I stated in my first reply, the people who make "righteous" salaries in the AMA are essentially clerical positions. I somehow doubt that the AMA is paying "righteous" salaries for these postions. The people who typical make the serious decisions are volunteers and modelers.
Dennis-

Re: A copy of the letter I sent the AMA membership office
 

Ahh Yeeessss! Another shave tail whose tail just grew a little longer! Pretty soon we'll be able to walk behind him again! :p

Well done Lt.

Thank you for putting your butt on the line everyday!


T. Solinski
Maj. USAF(ret)

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

DBCherry... my response was mainly aimed at those who might think "all" AMA
workers are volunteers. And the "righteous" remark was an allusion to yet
another set of 501c organizations and their more visible, and often loud, employees.
(where again, lots of the public have the perception that they act altruistically,
while in truth, many are driven by the almighty dollar, at least in part, if not in whole)

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

C_Watkins,
You may very well have been aiming to educate those who think the AMA is an "all volunteer" organization, and that's fine.

I also agree with you about many "non-profit" organizations being in it for the money. Those that actually burn up 90% of their contributions in "administrative functions", come to mind.

I simply wished to clarify (for the same audience) that the AMA does not happen to be one of those organizations.

Enough from me on the subject. :D
Dennis-

Ripped off by the AMA ?!?!
 

Go see a insurance agent and ask how much a couple of million dollars in liability insurance would cost you personally. Also tell him that you control a object that moves through the air around sixty miles an hour and my at any time it could become an unguided missile that could hit anything or anyone.

I bet he premium would be more than $58.00 dollars a year, and I doubt if you could find any insurance company that would write you a policy.

Tsk tsk
 

Zach,

You definately shouldn't have sent the second letter...

When they read it they will be so shocked that someone sent them something nice they'll drop dead of a heart attack!

snicker

"time to go buy some more stuff"

Tim