Write in candidate for District VIII

[Jim Branaum]

I thank you for opening up this forum. I guess I get to 'break it in'.

There are 3 candidates on the District VIII AMA VP ballot. Two of the three (Horrace Cain and Sandy Frank [incumbent]) nominated their friends in an attempt to control who we have the choice of voting for. The third candidate was unresponsive when an offer of help was tendered.

After many discussions with other in the district who were extremely displeased with the good old boy approach to AMA politics show by Horrace and Sandy, I decided to launch a write in campaign.

I have owned my own company and now am a semi retired Systems Analyst in my mid 50's with growing children of school age. Previously I tried on a limited scale some free flight, rubber, and control line but was very dissatisfied with my results. I guess that is what happens when there are not enough interested hobby folks around. Changing that is one of my goals since it is clear that if we don't reach out effectively enough, we loose our impact and flying sites nationwide. Currently I actively fly indoor electrics, mid sized glow and giant scale airplanes.

We need to change the approach used within our own organization so that it serves the hobby rather than the hobby serves it. Currently we seem to have an insurance problem because as a group we have failed to install accident prevention activities as a priority. Note that does not mean new rules because rules do not prevent accidents, the membership does. We have seen dues go up significantly due to the increase in insurance costs but not seen any recommendations from the AMA as to moves the membership could take to prevent future cost increases.

The AMA was founded to foster competition and yet today, as a group, most modelers do not compete. Since the goals of the membership have changed, it is clear we need to adjust the goals and directions of the AMA. Some changes in the goals and possibly the by-laws of the organization are being discussed now. We need effective representation to help the hobby grow with the AMA in Distinct VIII. To my way of thinking and doing business that means we need to have improved two way communications between the membership and the elected leaders rather than strictly leader driven communications. Good ideas are not the property of a few, but grow when there is free and open communication between respected parties. As a long term club officer, I have learned to listen respectfully to all the members because even those I have disagreements with have good ideas from time to time. I have used the ideas of a competitor when they were good, but I generally make sure that the individual was recognized for the contribution. We need to use this method in the AMA and in District VIII.

Please write in my name and AMA number on your ballot and return it to to the correct place, NOT Muncie!


Jim Branaum
AMA 1428

[Jim Branaum]

Our local clubs do need to attract the positive attention of the local politicians and decision makers to retain and acquire new flying fields. How to accomplish this is part of the support AMA should be providing local clubs in ALL districts. The information exists, but no one seems to be sharing it. That needs to be changed.

Within the district we need to know how other clubs approached problems, and if their way worked. We need to share information across the district freely rather than have it filtered for political gain.


We need honesty and integrity in office for all our clubs and in the AMA.


If you agree and are in District VIII, please write my name and AMA number on your ballot.

[Don Sims]

Jim Branaum,
I see that you are a bit more detailed on writing about your vision for the AMA, can you give us some details on what areas of the insurance rates increases that you would focus on?

Also how much of an effect do you feel that the spending at Muncie on land, buildings, and flight areas has had on our dues? On paper it looks like a world class setup and area but do we really need it?
Thanks you,
Don

[Jim Branaum]

Originally posted by Don Sims
Jim Branaum,
I see that you are a bit more detailed on writing about your vision for the AMA, can you give us some details on what areas of the insurance rates increases that you would focus on?

Also how much of an effect do you feel that the spending at Muncie on land, buildings, and flight areas has had on our dues? On paper it looks like a world class setup and area but do we really need it?
Thanks you,
Don

Let me deal with those in reverse order. We already own Muncie and we do need a place to house the HQ operation. We have already spent lots of $ on the land that cannot be recovered as we are specialized users. In short, lets make the best of it. I am not sure about the actual effect on our dues because it is like asking about the chicken and egg. I do think that ANY further major improvements should be funded by the various SIGs that use the place. Possibly we can start planning to fund improvements from excess investement income, which we have had little of lately.

The insurance increases are a function of post 9-11 and losses. Since the country's loss many carriers are reducing their exposure to high risk ventures, and modeling is seen as one. However, I am sure that is only part of the problem. I want to get the top 10 loss items (by number not $) published so we can see about fixing them locally. This is important because 50% of our losses are NOT flying related.

[easytiger]

May I respecfully suggest a little further research on the subject of insurance claims? Call Carl Maroney, he's very straightforward and will tell you whatver he can tell you.
The 50% of losses that you are talking about, slip and fall claims and the like, I don't think there is anything you can do about it.

ARE there any futher plans for major improvements at Muncie?

[Jim Branaum]

Originally posted by easytiger
May I respecfully suggest a little further research on the subject of insurance claims? Call Carl Maroney, he's very straightforward and will tell you whatver he can tell you.
The 50% of losses that you are talking about, slip and fall claims and the like, I don't think there is anything you can do about it.

ARE there any futher plans for major improvements at Muncie?

Of course there are plans for future major improvements. There always will be until the next eleph, er site is selected.

You are right about Carl. However about getting some more control over the not flying insurance losses, I differ with you. Look at the numbers again. Half of our claims are trip and fall type losses. When you review a few of the more outstanding cases it becomes clear that as a group we take better care of our flying environs than the pit area, spectator area, and parking lots. These are the sorts of things that need to be improved so we stop hurting visitors because they are the ones with lawyers. If we can reduce the rate of injuries, we can reduce our overall losses. In addition to being seen as more friendly to the visiting public, that translates into lower costs.

Now there is another area we can try to address and that is personal injury of our own members. Howevr, having seen the amazing propensity for hand taching some of us have I don't hold that up as a successfull model. Having said that, I (and others on the EC) think we do need to look into ways to reduce the rate of personal injury.

[ICTHRMLS]

Meaningful dialog!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Please keep the information coming - I haven't yet voted. BTW - I have been to the Muncie site several times and it is a great venue. The insurance claims (slip & fall) is an interesting topic... would like to know more.

[easytiger]

Originally posted by ICTHRMLS
Meaningful dialog!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Please keep the information coming - I haven't yet voted. BTW - I have been to the Muncie site several times and it is a great venue. The insurance claims (slip & fall) is an interesting topic... would like to know more.

Normally, I try to stay away from meaningful dialogue, but...;)



According to Carl, half of the major claims were non-modelling types.
I just cannot see how you can ameliorate those claims. I think you can set up your field acording to OSHA guidelines, with safety rails and foam padding on everything, but some nelb is still going to trip over his shoelaces and bonk his head and sue whoever he can who might have either deep pockets or an insurance policy in place.
I cannot see making all AMA fields comply with some sort of safety standard, besides the Safety Code, which relates only to flying, and the suggested field guidelines, which relate to where the field is in relation to roads and such. I just cannot see how to regulate things like people falling off of logs on a national basis. Some AMA fields are a log and a folding chair in a cleared corner of a swamp, and some are hardtop facilities with clubhouses and embroidered windsocks.
I am open to suggestion, though.

[ICTHRMLS]

Originally posted by easytiger
but some nelb is still going to trip over his shoelaces and bonk his head and sue whoever he can who might have either deep pockets or an insurance policy in place.
Just not enough personal responsibility anymore - almost killed the skydiving biz but that's another thread. ;)

I am curious at the lack of input from the other candidates beyond the published campain statement... even in the other threads. Perhaps that's over at RCU, huh?

[Jim Branaum]

Originally posted by ICTHRMLS
Just not enough personal responsibility anymore - almost killed the skydiving biz but that's another thread. ;)

I am curious at the lack of input from the other candidates beyond the published campain statement... even in the other threads. Perhaps that's over at RCU, huh?

No, it is just more of the same over there. Many would rather hide or throw stuff instead of discuss substantitve things.

As for reducing trip and fall claims, I was not saying we could end them but I do think we can reduce them through a simple environmental safety checklist developed from the 10 most frequent losses. If nothing else, we have to start some where and that shows our carrier that we have care as our intent. Remember we are trying to improve things, not make the perfect world. Look at it differently and you see that a 10% reduction in the trip and fall claim rate is significant.

Here is a suggestion. Look at it around your own field and consider if you would allow that sort of envrionment in your front yard FROM A LIABILITY point of view. Many fields have things that are unsafe and should be corrected. Right now we just pay the loss rather than develop a corrective action plan that does not involve more stupid rules.

[easytiger]

Originally posted by ICTHRMLS
Just not enough personal responsibility anymore - almost killed the skydiving biz but that's another thread. ;)

I am curious at the lack of input from the other candidates beyond the published campain statement... even in the other threads. Perhaps that's over at RCU, huh?

No, the RCU forum is just downright ugly.


Jim...I worry about trying to reduce that kind of claim by enacting guidlines. I get the feeling that we may be kicking over several hornet's nests...
Firstup, from clubs who have been walking across the same rickety rope bridge to reach the flightline since 1946 and have not had an accident yet...they don't want any "fat cats in Muncie" telling them they have to sand down the splinters on their frequency board so nobody gets hurt. It would probably make for some real dissention.
The otehr thing is IF we tried to somehow regulate the fields on a national level, what would the insurer say? Maybe they would start evaluating that as a criteria for both price and coverage. Me, I would rather keep that particular pandora's box closed.

At one club I belong to, somebody got the very good idea of setting up a pontoon ferry type deal so people could get across the river to retreive airplanes from an island...worked like a charm. But when we thought it thorugh some more, we realized that we had created an "attractive menace", in legal terms, and if some kid came along one evening when nobody was around and played with it and drowned, we would be sued for sure.
In other words, each field situation is unique, and I think certain decisions need to be left up to the local clubs. IF our pontoon bridge was on private property, and we could regulate kids coming around, it would have been just fine. But, being that it is on public property, we cannot do it.

Not sure how you can do this, reduce the non-modelling claims, but it DOES merit examination, as you say.

[Jim Branaum]

You are right on target, we do not need MORE regulation and I am against giving up more rights. However it seems obvious that most of us need some outsider to review what we are doing and point out the liabilities.

Your example is a good one and final decision was well thought out. However, how many clubs have concrete bumpers held by rebar? Have you EVER heard of that incident other than on a forum such as this? The common things are what seem to be biting us and we need to educate our clubs to those pitfalls.

As for a specific program to address the issue with an actionable agenda, I am not even sure if it can be done without causing a big ruckus. When you look to see what our pay outs are it makes sense so I intend to press the issue a bit as one attempt at finding solutions. Anything we can do to reduce the losses has two direct impacts on us all as modelers. The first impact is slower dues increases and the second impact is that we won't be hurting as many folks.

[Jim Branaum]

Originally posted by Jim Branaum
Our local clubs do need to attract the positive attention of the local politicians and decision makers to retain and acquire new flying fields. How to accomplish this is part of the support AMA should be providing local clubs in ALL districts. The information exists, but no one seems to be sharing it. That needs to be changed.

Within the district we need to know how other clubs approached problems, and if their way worked. We need to share information across the district freely rather than have it filtered for political gain.


We need honesty and integrity in office for all our clubs and in the AMA.


If you agree and are in District VIII, please write my name and AMA number on your ballot.

I have to add to the list of things I think are important because I keep answering the same questions at different places.

Many want the monthly article in MA to reflect District activities rather than its current leanings. Just think about the last time you saw any notice of a District VIII modeler who won big at the Nats or any other big event reported. Did you know that there are some very serious nationally known IMAC guys in District VIII? Or that there are some folks who have been invited to Top Gun that the DVP TOOK PICTURES of and did not print or write about?

The list of things that should have been done in the District by the DVP is long (and grows with every complaint). Comparisons of older MA's (on line under the members only section of the AMA site) tends to indicate that both of the "experienced" folks on the ballot probably won't address any of the issues.