This is all from people who thumb their nose at clubs, insurance, waivers, and the rest - they're not flying smart or safe, and they're ruining flying for those of us who do fly safely. But I can tell that's not what you want to hear.
I haven't been a big fan of clubs, mostly because the ones in the area have either been very unwelcoming, or are on property that has such strict rules that the type of flying I'd want to do wasn't allowed. The field I fly at that's big enough for my larger planes is privately owned and doesn't require a membership. Although if he decided to start charging one, I'd gladly pay.
Unfortunately some of the clubs have used the "safety" thing as a way to exclude people who didn't fly what they liked to fly. Years ago I went to join a club that required you to fly the pattern using a glow plane. What was weird, was they wouldn't let you do it with a small park flyer. It had to be their glow plane. So if you weren't experienced with how to set up, start, and fly a glow engine, you were deemed unsafe. If you weren't comfortable with their radio setup, you were unsafe. You could have been very capable with your foamboard plane, but they said that was "just a toy" and you had to show the ability to fly on a balsa plane. This was at least a decade ago, probably longer, and the attitude still rubs me the wrong way all this time later.
The expense is another turnoff. I fully appreciate the costs of creating, maintaining, and improving a flying site. Club dues are what makes that possible. But you got some guy who doesn't even know if he will like the hobby, and he's getting told he'll need $500 or more worth of equipment to start, plus AMA fees, club dues, and in some cases clubs have an additional upfront fee for new members.
Add into that the cheap, small, easy to fly model planes and drones means you don't need a large maintained flying field. It's easier to see why we've ended up with the better part of 2 million pilots registered with the FAA, and less than 10% of them in a recognized club.
They aren't necessarily thumbing their noses at safety. But when they get driven away from the one opportunity at mentorship, they don't learn the safe way to enjoy the hobby, nor an appreciation as to why they should.
A lot of the details are still being worked. Josh talked a lot about FTCA at Wings Over Edgewater, and Lee (FTCA director) is an awesome guy. He's a pastor and a retired US Marine - I would NOT want to see the AMA get 'upitty' with him.
