Maybe Mr. Vermont should secede from the AMA and form his own club.

Originally Posted by abqlloyd

Maybe Mr. Vermont should secede from the AMA and form his own club.

There is room for all kinds and all opinions in our association. Platinum is very aggressive in his opinions and ideas, but at least he has passion.

I suspect, that most of us, if we all met in real life and on the flying field, would understand each other much better than here over the internets.

Ryan

Originally Posted by abqlloyd

Maybe Mr. Vermont should secede from the AMA and form his own club.

This from a guy who lives in a place where people mistakenly take left turns.

The Flag btw.. has nothing to do with secession. If you did a little more research you might find out where ot was jacked from. Here is a hint..


Ryan,

Well said! and I agree..

I am very passionate when it comes to these things.. I can't stand exclusivity. I can't stand the old ways of the AMA. It is backwards, selfish, and benefits the few instead of the many. Everything old in this organization (except the aircraft & history) need to be up rooted and replanted.

5 years of continuous membership decline.. chalk up exclusivity as one more reason why!

...

The national org is the one who is GRANTING you a charter.. they don't have to give you one. It is the national org members whose dues help you get a reduced rate on the insurance. Every member of AMA contributes to your AMA sanctioned field.

Again.. if a field wants to be exclusive.. Up their dues to make up the difference of losing potential new AMA members who might fly at their field.

You will note that the title of this thread is : what are your thoughts ____

I am expressing mine..

My response was an attempt to interject humor. I have read many articles about Vermon's dissatisfaction with the US, and their plans to secede.

In any event, you cannot seem to grasp the difference between the role of the Club vs the role of the AMA. The AMA is a national organization that grants "charter" to clubs that meet their criteria. I posted that above. Nowhere does it state that a chartered club must allow any type of plane to fly. The role of the Club is to provide a meeting place for like-minded R/C enthusiasts. Each club is as individual as its members.

Lets put this into perspective: AAA is an auto "club" that provides certain benefits to its members. Lets say for sake of argument that they offered auto liability and general liability insurance. Lets say I have a Corvette club, and want my members to belong to AAA to help mitigate some risk. Or lets say the guy that lends us his track wants all members to belong to AAA to mitigate his risk. Should I have to let those pesky Mustang guys in just because AAA offers them membership in their club? Those are my thoughts, and they seem logical to me.

PS - New Mexico is worse than you can imagine...bad left turns are the least of our problems.

Peace.

platinum
My comments are not exclusive in any way. Clubs are formed around specific interests not only in model aviation but in many other hobbies as well. Certain types of models do not mix well.
Of the nearly 20 clubs within 50 miles of my home only 2 restrict the type of planes flown at their field. Both are giant scale clubs and it is so noted in the club name. The remaining clubs are all sport flying clubs that allow all types of planes. However one has banned turbines at the request of the landowner. All but one has an open membership policy. The one exception has a member limit imposed by the landowner.
Several of the clubs have restrictions on 3D and Heli flying. It is allowed but only in specific areas of the field.

All of these situations are conditions of membership that are set up by the varios clubs primarily for safety and field retention--both of which are of tremendous importance.

BM

Originally Posted by PLATINUM

Here is your "Candy Gram!" Mongo.. which should also answer your question Aeajer.

Your field is granted a charter. That charter is a privledge.. you are not entitled to it, you do not own it.

ALL members of the entire org of AMA help provide each field the privledge of that charter.

So just because you happen to be a member of a club.. doesn't give you any more say than any other member of AMA who would like to join your club.

Agreed completely!

Mongo?

The decision to allow what to be flown how rests solely with the individual clubs. With few exceptions, the national organization has little say. Glider clubs can restict power planes, large scale clubs can restrict parkflyers and so on.

BillM is correct.

--Bill

Of course, we should recognize that things change over time.

Look at the electric explosion. Clubs that once rejected electrics now welcome them.


Again, using my own club as an example, it was originally for pure gliders only. These gliders were launched with hi-starts and winches. Some flew hand launched gliders and some flew rubber powered free flight planes which are essentially gliders.

Perhaps 10 years ago, enough members were interested in electric powered gliders that the landloard was pursuaded to allow electrics as an alternate launch method. Note that this was not an immediate success. Early electrics were unreliable and there had been occasions of problems that lead to fires. We fly on a rarely cut grass field where a fire could be a disaster. And some pilots felt that the electric launched gliders violated the spirit of the club.

However, eventually the electric gliders were accepted. Now they are common in the club. But it changed the club and not everyone was happy. I think they live well together today, but it took time for the membership to change to accept this new launch method.

This then extended to electric conversion of many oldtimer airplanes which could be flown in a glider like fasion.

About 6 years ago, the "parkflyer" began to emerge and many potential new members were seeking admission with these RTF electrics. It took a while but eventually these were admitted too, but were considered trainers that would eventually lead to glider flight.

Today we have many pilots who only fly electric planes, but these planes are flown at low to moderate speeds so as to be compatible with the kind of flying done by the gliders. They fly under glider field set-up, not power field set-up.

On a glider field is it not unusual for pilots to be out in the field which is quite different from a power field. And planes are launched away from the pit area putting winch and hi-start lines into the air. If a retriver is not used, then the next pilot has to walk out to get the line.

Hand launched gliders require the pilot/launcher to be out in the field as they launch with a spinning motion sending the model up 75-150 feet based on their hand throw.

So the field operates as a glider field and all planes are flown in a glider like fashion under glider field rules.

Will the charter expand or change over time? Perhaps.

Take a good look at the numbers fellas.. AMA is shrinking! We need to change.. be more accepting. Do what we can to get more people in!

The old way.. is the old way. It doesn't work! This thread is about ones thoughts on this topic. Kind of a wish list.. so to speak. My wish is for this bs about US and THEM and MY plane vs YOUR plane.. and MY field ..and blah blah blah.. to just GO~

Its childish at best! Think about it..

Sorry you can't fly at my field.. you don't fly our kind of plane.

If that is what this organization is all about.. then it deserves to die the slow painful death it is headed for.

OR.. we as individuals can take it up on ourselves to change it. To find a way..to make it work out for anyone when it is possible to do so. I hate giving up.. its just my nature to continue to seek a solution to problems. AMA has plenty.. so I should be busy for a long time to come.

Flying RC I think its a hobby,probably the BEST hobby in the world ! It is a thing of pleasure NOT rules& regs.If we want rules & regs we can find them in every other aspect of our lives.Thats my 2 cents R.T.R.

Let's set up an example and see what it brings to the table.

I've just formed a club--an electric club--and it has been chartered by the AMA. The club has secured a field and has put the essentials in place--pit area,runway,spectator area and parking. For the sake of arguement let us assume membership at 20. The membership is open and AMA is required. The landowner has allowed us the use of the land based on our electric only format.
Joe Bigplane wants to join the club. Joe flies glow powered planes in the 40 to 60 class. What should the club do? Joe is an AMA member. He is a qualified pilot and a gentleman in all respects. But joe is and always will be a glow flier.

Comments please.

BM

He should be allowed to join the club and you should immediately contact your site owner and tell him to drop dead. Joe is an AMA member and BY GOD he has a right to fly anything he wants anywhere at any time!!

You have no right to restrict Joe from exercising his God Given Right to enjoy model airplanes how he sees fit to do so. What are you, a Commie???

BTW - we have the same initials!!

Originally Posted by BillM

Let's set up an example and see what it brings to the table.

I've just formed a club--an electric club--and it has been chartered by the AMA. The club has secured a field and has put the essentials in place--pit area,runway,spectator area and parking. For the sake of arguement let us assume membership at 20. The membership is open and AMA is required. The landowner has allowed us the use of the land based on our electric only format.
Joe Bigplane wants to join the club. Joe flies glow powered planes in the 40 to 60 class. What should the club do? Joe is an AMA member. He is a qualified pilot and a gentleman in all respects. But joe is and always will be a glow flier.

Comments please.

BM

The answer is in your question. If you have use of the field based on your electric format, then you can only allow electrics, or you have to go to the Landlord and get permission to expand what is flown there. If you don't, you risk losing the field.

If Joe wants to fly electrics, welcome him with open arms. If not, advise him of the location of a club that is more in line with his flying interests.

No much to debate here.