AMA Vote

[PsyBorg]

Hey all.

You guys know I am a huge fan of AMA clubs due to the treatment I have been exposed to of clubs around me. I do think the AMA has its place and for now it is the biggest defender of our hobby. There is a very important thing going on with this years election for vice president. One guy wants to continue to grow the hobby and include multi rotors and protect the future growth for all modelers. The other not so much. He wants to stop lumping in multi rotors stuff in the battle against the morons in Washington as he thinks too much time effort and money are being used to defend "drones"

What he is failing to realize is that the UAS laws include Fixed wing and Multi Rotor craft under the same laws. I think if they do not actively support the Multi Rotor community all aspects of the hobby are going to suffer. As it is with them all lumped together under one platform the fight is centralized. At worst case they let go of the Multi rotor battles and the entire hobby gets hammered with regulation and more expense thru governmental fees as well as even more strict "You can no longer fly here, here or here, laws. At best he spends as much effort and funds separating the two classes and succeeds thus destroying any Multi Rotor use for anyone but the dark side of our government.

That also opens up the door more to "Commercial" drone use for deliveries for which we all know will fail out of the gate due to the limitations the tech has specifically with battery technology.

I am not here to debate any of this nor am I trying to start any issues or breaks between the different parts of our community. I am just saying make sure you get your votes in for the person who will continue to do what is needed for all and not segregate the hobby and cause bigger problems. Even if you are only a fixed wing person look forward and wide to see what our lovely government WILL do to the entire hobby if any one part of that battle is lessened in the main fight to keep what we have AND progress in the future.

According to emails and blogs and all kinds of other media less then 10% of AMA members vote in these elections. Lets up that game and show we all stand together for the ENTIRE hobby. If it gets limited to fixed wing the hobby WILL die as trends have shown over the years prior to Multi Rotors gaining popularity.

VOTE!

 

[Snowblind]

I'm not trying to make a heated debate, nor am I trying to knock the organization, but the AMA managed to miss the fact that it is illegal to require that we pay our Gov't to be allowed to pursue a hobby.

Go ahead and moderate my post right here, but I have to add that the AMA didn't sue the FAA over the registration law, that was left up to a private citizen, to file and win... Which he did, getting the half-pound registration law repealed.

Whomever heads the AMA next had better want and be allowed to step up way big time compared to that. It feels from here like they haven't done nearly as much to defend the hobby lately, as there should be P.S. announcements being run, announcements made, studies performed, Etc. None of this compromising when we are fully within our legal right, multirotors are just RC helicopters with more blades.

But, we had to wait for the FAA registration law to be repealed by this court decision before they go and change their tune "hey, these things aren't as dangerous as we said they were."

I fully admit that I don't follow any news regularly, and may have missed other developments. This does however, suggest the poor job being done to raise awareness.

TLDR: I criticize the organization's earlier leadership for not pushing hard enough.

We should realistically start pushing the difference between a "drone" and a "not-drone" HARD.

 

[rockyboy]

I very much agree with Psyborg's post here - and I really don't see any excuse for not voting if you're an AMA member.

Setting aside the entire "should I join the AMA" discussion (I don't have any other choice to legally fly here in the Washington DC area), once you've decided to join and pay your fees, you have a responsibility to participate and vote! And if you don't like what the AMA has or hasn't done for you lately (I personally agree with some of what Snowblind brought up) then as a member it's your responsibility to vote and get engaged to change it. If you don't like what the AMA is or isn't doing, then either join and vote for something better, or start/join something else and work for the change you want to see.

And especially if you're renewing an AMA membership, the voting form is right there in the same darn envelope they send you! Just fill it out and send it in!

 

[PsyBorg]

I need to make a correction.. I have NOT been a huge fan of AMA. Sorry for the missed word in the original post. I only have a membership because of Flite Fest. My experiences so far with the two clubs I was around were not good at all. I do however think that you should have it for if nothing else the insurance (again I Despise insurance companies don't ask or I will have a HUGE rant) unless you are like a home owner and can add a rider on an existing policy. Younger people with more limits on funds its well worth that little bit of recourse should something happen.

The reason I made this post to begin with is that since AMA IS the leading representation with our Just Us system here in the USA having a person in power that is not from the good ole boys club of snobbiness is not good for the hobby over all. IF the guy follows thru on his campaign initiatives to represent the entire hobby including multi rotors then Randy Cameron is the one to put in power.

I am in no way pushing for a specific candidate and you all have to vote what you think is best for you. Just saying IF you are AMA member step up and check a box to help protect us all with the people who are actively representing us as a whole.

 

[rockyboy]

I am in no way pushing for a specific candidate and you all have to vote what you think is best for you.

I am Randy Cameron has a stated vision that includes all aspects of the hobby, not the exclusionist 'FOG' (Frail Old Guy) attitude that drives people away from clubs to keep the RC hobby pure to it's 1940's vision (as defined by said FOG's). I think for anyone who enjoys what FliteTest has brought to the hobby, it's a pretty simple analysis.

That said, please vote - and if you don't vote the way I did, that's fine with me - so long as you vote!