Are you an AMA member?

[dbcisco]

Wondering how many here are AMA members.

[BillParker]

Not a member now, will I ever participate? Unclear.

Two kinds of memebership available:

Open membership
$58/year $2.5 million liability insurance Accident/Medical insurance Fire, theft, and vandalism insurance.
$2.5 Million Flying Site Owner's Insurance* Monthly subscription to Model Aviation magazine Flying at all AMA sanctioned contests
Open Members have access to the Contest Calendar when they receive Model Aviation AMA cards will remain the same format as in years past
No restrictions on type of aircraft that you fly other than established by the Official AMA National Safety Code
Voting privileges in AMA officer elections Open Members can remain members of existing clubs Open Members can still fly at the local club field

Park Pilot membership
$29.95/year $500,000 liability insurance No Accident/Medical insurance No fire, theft, or vandalism insurance
$2.5 Million Flying Site Owner's Insurance* Quarterly subscription to Park Pilot magazine Can only fly at non-rule book sanctioned events.
Park Pilot members will receive no such notice on any events other than Park Pilot Class C events Park Pilot card will be different from the standard AMA card
Can only fly park flyers or quiet-powered models that meet the class definition. Internal-combustion-powered models cannot be flown with this membership
No voting privileges in AMA officer elections If an Open member chooses a Park Pilot membership, you may or may not remain a member of that local club
depending on how that club views park fliers As a Park Pilot Member, flying may or may not be restricted to just the NEW fields approved only for Park Pilot
members (that decision is left to existing Open clubs)

I can currently walk down the street to an open field, and fly anything I choose, unmolested by anyone. Why would I involve myself in a "rules based" anything?

There's alot of arguments for the rules, all of which, in the Houston area are a problem. So far there's only a handful of Park Pilot clubs all of which have
closed their enrollment as they're full up at their fields. And then, any of you who know about Scobie Field, or worse, Bomber Feild, well, nuff said.

For now, no, not a member...

[dbcisco]

Park Pilot Program is going to end as the AMA is working on an "exit strategy" for it.

[dbcisco]

The current FAA regulations may state that in order to fly "anything" you will have to be an AMA member. If that happens I will quit the hobby entirely and try to get a USA wide boycott of the AMA.
I am not anti-AMA, I am against giving a small NPO dominion over the hobby because the FAA is too lazy to do their job.

[BillParker]

Park Pilot Program is going to end as the AMA is working on an "exit strategy" for it.

Is this because evrybuddy liked it, and joined it?

The current FAA regulations may state that in order to fly "anything" you will have to be an AMA member. If that happens I will quit the hobby entirely and try to get a USA wide boycott of the AMA.
I am not anti-AMA, I am against giving a small NPO dominion over the hobby because the FAA is too lazy to do their job.

Makes my case for me, thank you very much... But if some FEDERAL outfit wants to come to Texas and tell me what I can and can't do... They better bring a sack linch...

bp

[BillParker]

lunch...

[dbcisco]

The problem with PPP is that the AMA offers nothing but an insurance policy that is secondary to any other insurance you have. You are not allowed in most AMA clubs with PPP and most park fliers do not need the program. Like selling regrigerators to the Inuit.

It seems that what ever the FAA does it will be like the FCC, they will only check things out if someone has a problem or complains, then you better have your ducks in a row. I am betting many AMA members will jump at the chance to play "cops" with non-AMA members.

[BillParker]

Okay so... you want to join the club at Scobie Filed, right? So you'd like to chat with the guys there and see if it's a good fit. Except you can't go thru the gate unless you're an AMA member with your kewl lanyard hanging around your neck, and you can't talk to anybuddy unless you go thru the gate... (the field property is owned by the county, so the rules are stupid on a good day...)

Okay so... You want to join Bomber Field... Wait for it... These guys aren't gaining membership, their membership is literally dieing off. They compound 2.4 radios as they can't be convinced... Don't even understand e-mail... I ain't young, but these guys... And too far to drive just to play with little electric planes...

Okay so... You want to join Ft. Bend R/C... (from the site: Since the new field is located inside a controlled County Facility, the site will have an automatic gate with access limited to club members who have a valid security card and PIN number. Member security cards were mailed on May 17th and member PIN numbers will be sent before the new field opens. ) New location on county controlled property? See Scobie Field...

Anyway, that's enuff about all that...

[BillParker]

actually my point above is that these guys wouldn't make very good cops for the feds, as they can't even get out of their own way, much less get into my way...

No fear...

[dbcisco]

Sounds like it easier to get into Area 51. More like Gestapo than FAA cops?
I am an AMA member and the guys currently in control of the AMA scare the ___ out of me. If they get any real power.... look out. A self selecting board of directors is far from the "elected by members" that they claim. A single candidate on the ballot is straight out of the USSR days. Not to be trusted IMHO.

[Xanadu]

I am a member of the Canadian version, MAAC. same thing, same rules, etc.

[dbcisco]

Does MAAC have regulatory powers like the AMA is asking from the FAA here?
On one hand having the AMA in charge would be nice because it seems all it takes is money or influence (IE: metal blades, 110lb, turbines, no alt. limits, fly at airports etc.) to get anything you want ruled legal. FAA isn't so easily persuaded.
On the other hand, a dozen unelected amateurs making up laws with no proof, documentation or scientific evaluation (or oversight) is very unconstitutional as well as unwise.
It is like the BATF turning their powers over to the NRA, Distillers and Tobacco companies. Very bad.

[kittyfritters]

Does MAAC have regulatory powers like the AMA is asking from the FAA here?
On one hand having the AMA in charge would be nice because it seems all it takes is money or influence (IE: metal blades, 110lb, turbines, no alt. limits, fly at airports etc.) to get anything you want ruled legal. FAA isn't so easily persuaded.
On the other hand, a dozen unelected amateurs making up laws with no proof, documentation or scientific evaluation (or oversight) is very unconstitutional as well as unwise.
It is like the BATF turning their powers over to the NRA, Distillers and Tobacco companies. Very bad.

You need to review the subject. It's not a "dozen unelected amateurs". The AMA has a group of professionals and many concerned, registered voter, modelers who are trying to prevent model flying from being ruled out of existence by a group of government bureaucarats who have no idea what, or who, the hobby involves. The current AMA lobbying effort was started because the manufacturers of UAV's, looking ahead to domestic commercial use, wanted the FAA to ban ALL outdoor flying model aircraft and restrict all low altitude airspace to commercial UAV operation. The AMA, fortunately, got to congress in time to inject some sanity into that notion.

No matter what the AMA rules are the FAA is the ultimate authority on the use of airspace. Are you aware that the FAA routinely grounds all flying model aircraft within a 30-35 mile radius of any location when the president, vice-president or any other security protected VIP is flying in or out, or for any major event? The NOTAM (Notice To AirMen) is published by the FAA, and it is distributed to all AMA members by e-mail. Since you are not an AMA member do you routinely visit the FAA website to look for grounding notices? You might be interested in the latest one:

Current TFRs:

Posted 1/10/11

A FDC NOTAM/TFR has been issued for Dallas, TX for Sunday, 2/6/2011. The TFR establishes the flight restrictions in place for Super Bowl XLV and will be in effect from 3:30p until 11:59p CST. The affected area is the greater Dallas / Ft Worth area surrounding Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX. Outdoor model aircraft operations are prohibited within the 30nm circle during the specific times of the TFR. Be advised TFRs are subject to change with very short notice. Please check back often for the most current NOTAM/TFR information. Timely alerts are also available on the web or on your cell phone at: Twitter.com/amagov.

See the link to the Flight Advisory below for more detailed information regarding the restrictions:

* Area 1 (2/6, 3:30p – 11:59p CST)
(30nm radius from Latitude: 32º45’52”N, Longitude: 97º05'34"W)
* Area 2 (2/6, 3:30p – 11:59p CST)
(10nm radius from Latitude: 32º45’52”N, Longitude: 97º05'34"W)

TFR - 1/0625

(The Latitude and Longitude given are the coordinates of Cowboys Stadium.)

We've lost many flying sites simply because some of the people who go out and buy "toy" airplanes (Air Hogs and other R/C airplanes commonly sold in toy stores.) and who are not aware that there are safety rules for these things, operate so stupidly that gotten municipalities and property owners so scared over the liability aspect that they simply ban all model flying. It takes quite a bit of lobbying at the local level to convince local politicians and administrators not to take the easy way out and just ban all model flying in parks or even in a city altogether. The only reason that you can fly in some city and county parks is because there are signs posted (read the fine print) that restrict flying to "insured modelers only." That's not the AMA trying to take over, that's the AMA preserving a flying site from an outright ban.

By the way, most of the AMA dues go to the members liability insurance. That's @2,500.000 of liability insurance for each member over and above whatever liability you carry on your homeowner's policy. You might want to check your homeowner's policy for an exclusion if you are not an AMA member. It's not the just the turbine and R/C giant fliers that need that insurance. There have been multi-million dollar lawsuits filed over someone being hit by a rubber powered model that weighed less than a hand full of potato chips.

[BillParker]

Somehow, I knew there was another side to this story. Thank you, Howard.

[dbcisco]

"By the way, most of the AMA dues go to the members liability insurance. That's @2,500.000 of liability insurance for each member over and above whatever liability you carry on your homeowner's policy."

According to the AMA's own financial statements only $7 of the $58 dues goes toward insurance. Members are also forced to subcribe to the AMA's magazine which is $18 of the dues and the cost of the magazine to the AMA is $7.

BTW, no one can run for office in the AMA without approval of those already elected, identical to the Soviet Communist system right down to the single candidate to vote for a position. Sorry, not buyiong all the "wonderful AMA" nonsense by far too many of my fellow members.
Much more going on in Muncie than many would like to believe.