Hey, I'm a firm believer in joining the AMA. I pay my AMA dues 2 years at a time. When I made the reference to clubs, I did not mean formally sanctioned clubs. I was trying to give the poster some contest options. Of course, AMA clubs would need to ensure that everyone flying at their field is an AMA member, to the best of their ability. And yes, I am quite concerned that an accident could occur at a flying field. My hope for the folks that I have met that are yet to join the academy is that their renters or homeowners insurance would cover them. I always do my best to present the academy in a positive light and encourage them to join. I'd also feel the same concern about insurance if rather than flying gliders around the sky we were playing a game of softball. But since I fly at public parks, I'm in no position to force anyone to join anything.
Ryan --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Larry Taylor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > You have one mistake. If you are flying at a AMA club site/field. You are > required to have AMA. That is part of the charter for that site. You don't > have to get a sanction to have a contest. That just protects the contest > from another club having the exact same contest on the same day in the same > area. You can fly on someone else property if you have permission to do so. > They assume you have some kind of insurance to pay for damages that can > happen. Like hitting someone, putting their eye out, smashing out a window > of a house or car. Running into the power lines and taking out the power. > Crashing and having the batteries pop out and short and cause a fire in the > field,crops,forest,roof. I can go on about it. > You know. Its a nice feeling to know that the guys your flying with, > care's enough about your well being by doing something simple as getting a > AMA card. > Larry Taylor KF6JBG > E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Web http://home.earthlink.net/~cvrcsoaring/cvrc.htm > CD for Visalia Fall Soaring Festival 5th and 6th Oct. 2002 > New Club Web Site: www.cvrcsoaring.com > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "rdwoebke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, November 29, 2002 9:28 PM > Subject: Re: [RCSE] Contest Participation > > > > When a contest director sanctions an AMA meet, he is required to > > assure that all participants are AMA members. Keep in mind that > > there is nothing stopping you from having informal or unsanctioned > > contests. Clubs have them all the time. There is a club in my state > > that has a contest each month. No entry fee, but there is also no > > prizes. Critical mass is starting to build in my area, and I'm hoping > > to have a few of these informal contests next year. Most of the new > > pilots that I am meeting are of a similar mind set as you when it > > comes to the AMA membership. I'd still like to encourage some > > friendly contests, however. > > > > You should contact the LSF president about finding if LSF really > > requires AMA membership. I would think that the LSF is an > > international organization, and I'd expect the international > > participants may not be AMA members. If AMA membership is required, > > I'd bet it stems from the fact that the LSF receives a lot of support > > from the AMA. The two organizations combine forces to hold the > > soaring nationals, for example. I know Jack reads this list, so I'm > > sure he will jump in here with a clarification. > > > > Many clubs really have to work hard to acquire a field. In many > > cases, this involves petitioning local government organizations or > > corporations. Quite similar to proposing a business case. If the > > question of liability arises, and it often does, the AMA insurance is > > a quick solution. That's why many clubs insist upon AMA membership > > and sanctioning contests. They are just trying to ensure their own > > continued existence. > > > > I admit, when I first started flying RC as a college freshman, I did > > not have AMA membership. I now realize it is a nominal fee towards > > assuring that the hobby of model airplanes will survive for years to > > come. The insurance thing is a nice peace of mind, but the AMA has > > done many things that you benefit from that you are probably not > > aware of, such as working with the FCC many years ago to assure that > > we have frequencies. Without some amount of lobbying our frequencies > > could easily be overtaken by cellular phones and pagers. Similarly, > > the AMA has other cool programs to support special interest groups > > and junior members. The cost of the AMA membership/nationals entry > > for juniors is literally only a handful of dollars. I'm happy to see > > my membership fee go towards these programs, even if I do not benefit > > directly. > > > > Aeromodeling can be an expensive hobby. For most, rather than jump > > in all at once they tend to purchase things a bit at a time. A > > better charger here, dedicated receivers for each plane, a workbench > > tool there, and I'd expect that somewhere along this progression the > > AMA membership gets worked in as well. > > > > Ryan > > > > > > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Stuart Hall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Does cost for entry into contests ever factor in to > > nonparticipation rates? > > > Soaring as a hobby is not all that expensive compared to some, like > > boating, > > > horses or car racing, but for those of us in late 20's/early 30's > > with young > > > families those activities are typically out of reach anyway. So > > often > > > soaring is the low cost way to get into RC flying. > > > > > > I have been put off participating in contests by the AMA membership > > fee. > > > That fee combined with the $10 entry fee to run one round of a > > contest is > > > basically the cost of a model kit like a Chrysalis or LilBird. To > > me the > > > opportunity to compete in the one or two contests held in the State > > of > > > Connecticut each year is not worth it versus getting to buy and > > build a new > > > plane during the winter. For the same reason I will be doing my > > own LSF > > > tasks without submitting them - cause you need AMA to be in the LSF. > > > > > > Do contests ever *not* require AMA membership? Besides the > > insurance (the > > > value of which has been debated here plenty of times), what does > > AMA offer a > > > contest site/organization/director that makes it almost ubiquitous? > > > > > > Stuart > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: rdwoebke [mailto:rdwoebke@h...] > > > > Sent: Thursday, November 28, 2002 1:27 PM > > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Subject: Re: [RCSE] Contest Participation > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Lee Estingoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > <<SNIP>> > > > > > OK, now look at this from the point of view of some guy in his > > late > > > > 20's or > > > > > early 30's. There are the cliques, there is the money > > investment, > > > > there is > > > > > a real need for practice to get to have a slight chance at the > > > > leaderboard. > > > > > There is painful little chance to meet others in your age > > group, or > > > > > professional circle, or social circle.... and there is always > > some > > > > cranky > > > > > old fart making up rules. > > > > > > > > > > > > > Lee, > > > > > > > > Not sure I follow you on this point. I started contest flying > > when I > > > > was 20, and have been doing so for the past 7 years. I've been > > > > seeing lots of new electric and soaring pilots in my area > > recently, > > > > and all are in thier 20s and 30s.... > > > > > > > > Plus, I enjoy flying with the 'old farts' (you know who you > > are! :- > > > > )). I've learned tons from them. And some of what I have > > learned is > > > > even about gliders! :-) > > > > > > > > <<SNIP>> > > > > > > > > > > > > RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send > > > > "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and > > > > unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME > > > > turned off. > > > > > > > > > > RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. > > Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to soaring- [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in > > text only format with MIME turned off. > > > > RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" > and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that > subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with > MIME turned off. > > > > RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
