In the Air 2013/07

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
AMA’s Safety & Member Benefi ts
Department
The Safety & Member Benefi ts
department handles a variety of
programs. Contact us when you are
looking for information about:
• General insurance questions,
reporting an accident/fi ling an insurance
claim
• Chartering an AMA club/chapter
• Obtaining insurance for a fl ying site
• AMA’s Turbine Program
• AMA’s Large Model Airplane
Program for models exceeding 55
pounds
• Safety Code clarifi cation
• Introductory Pilot Program
Insurance-Related Questions:
Q: What insurance bene ts are included
with my membership?
A: Three separate insurance policies
(for modeling-related incidents) are
a benefi t of your AMA membership
(excludes Park Pilot Program
membership). The Liability policy
has a $2.5 million limit and covers
The Academy recently
welcomed Life Members Joseph
F. Nemec, Algonquin IL; Treven
C. Baker, Santa Cruz CA; Harry
E. Deboer, York PA; Brigg G.
Lewis, Saint George UT; Anthony
Brewer, Shakopee MN; Sean
Reigle, Laguna Hills CA; Robert
J. Defalco, Wyckoff NJ; Joseph R.
Burrill, Herkimer NY; Andrew L.
Prestridge, Ojai CA; and Edward
G. Bookwalter, Putney VT.
For information about becoming
a Life Member, contact AMA
Headquarters at (800) 435-9262.
—AMA Membership Department
AMA Thanks Its
Lifetime Supporters!
incidents involving Property Damage
and Bodily Injury. The Medical policy
has a $25,000 limit and covers selfinfl
icted modeling-related incidents.
The Fire, Theft, and Vandalism (FT&V)
policy, which has a $1,000 limit, is the
only one that covers model airplanes
and accessories when damaged by
those means.
The Park Pilot Program includes only
liability coverage for up to $500,000;
it does not include the Medical or
FT&V policy. You can fi nd an insurance
summary for individual members at
www.modelaircraft.org/fi les/500-a.pdf.
Q: Somebody told me that my AMA
insurance is effective only when I’m  ying
at a chartered club’s  eld. Is this true?
A: No. AMA coverage is not limited to
fl ying at a chartered club fi eld. It also
applies to model operation on private
or public property. You can fi nd this
information on the welcome letter
attached to your AMA card.
Q: I just read that AMA’s insurance
policies are in excess to my homeowner’s
policy. Is this true? If so, why?
A: All of AMA’s policies are in addition
to any other applicable insurance you
Raymond Beach Smith
Raymond Beach
Smith, founder of
Hobbies Aloft, passed
away at the age of 67.
Born August 23, 1945,
Ray was from of a
family of pilots. His
grandfather was one of the fi rst fl ight
surgeons in World War I and his father
was a B-17 pilot who fl ew more than
100 missions.
Ray started building and fl ying RC
airplanes in his youth. He attained a
degree in aeronautical engineering from
California Polytechnic State University.
He was a Vietnam-era veteran and
worked in fl ight testing at Edwards Air
Force Base, Point Mugu, and Fallbrook
Naval Station before becoming a teacher.
In 1993, Raymond launched Hobbies
Aloft in Marina, California. Through this
business he taught hundreds of people
to fl y, taught local youth classes, and
was a consultant on several scientifi c
projects.
Ray valued designing and fl ying RC
airplanes and had recently obtained his
pilot’s license. In addition to his passion
for fl ying, Ray enjoyed surfi ng and was
an avid animal lover who rescued more
than 50 cats, dogs, and a wide variety of
other animals.
It’s time to dust o those wings,
tweak your engines, and stock up
on extra propellers because the
Outdoor Nats will soon begin! The
Outdoor Nats, held at the AMA in
Muncie, Indiana, kicks o June 25
with RC Scale Aerobatics.
Keep up with all of the latest
exciting action by subscribing to
NatsNews! Visit www.modelaircra .
org/natsnews and click on
“Subscribe” to sign up. You will be
noti ed when the daily newsletter,
 lled with reports, photos, and
scores, is posted.
Don’t forget to watch for coverage
of the Indoor Nats, which begins
August 7 at its new venue in
Champaign, Illinois. Don’t miss out.
Subscribe for free today!
Subscribe to NatsNews today!
www.ModelAviation.com JULY 2013 Model Aviation 11
Membership news and updates
from AMA Headquarters intheA ir
011-013_MA0713_InTheAir.indd 11 5/20/13 3:11 PM
have. There are several reasons why
the policies are excess. It is required
by the insurance company to keep the
overall cost down. Most states consider
homeowner’s policies primary and it
saves AMA and its members more than
$100,000 per year in insurance costs.
If your homeowner’s policy denies
a claim, the claim exceeds your
policy limits, or you don’t have any
other applicable coverage, your AMA
insurance would come into effect.
Q: How do I file a claim with AMA?
A: Please contact AMA’s Safety &
Member Benefits department as soon
as possible to report the claim. You can
call (765) 287-1256 or email claims@
modelaircraft.org to provide an initial
report. AMA staff will forward the
appropriate claim forms with specific
instructions to you or other involved
parties. You can find more information
at www.modelaircraft.org/files/
howtoreportaclaim.pdf.
Q: Will filing a claim with AMA have any
negative impact on my membership dues?
A: No. Insurance coverage is a benefit
you receive for being a member. Your
membership dues are not based on any
insurance claims you may have filed.
Q: How does AMA insurance work for a
member residing outside the US?
A: For AMA members who are US
residents living abroad, the AMA’s
liability coverage applies to model
operations on US military installations
and specific FAI events. For model
operations at different locations,
we recommend that you contact
the location’s national modeling
organization.
For non-US residents participating in
model operations in the US, AMA offers
an Affiliate membership.
Club- and Flying Site-Related
Questions:
Q: What is a chartered club and why
should my group consider becoming one?
A: In the mid-1960s, AMA established
a program that gave area AMA
members the opportunity to join
together as a group, enjoy camaraderie,
exchange modeling tips and tricks, and
secure the use of flying sites. Today
AMA charters nearly 2,400 clubs
throughout the US.
There are various programs and
benefits available for a charter club that
can assist in finding a flying site, making
improvements to current flying sites,
and providing liability protection to club
officers as well as property owners.
Q: What is the procedure for chartering a
club?
A: There are some minimum
requirements you must meet. Your
group must consist of five or more
current AMA members and the
majority of your activity must relate
to building and flying model aircraft.
Other requirements and the forms that
need to be submitted are on AMA’s
website at www.modelaircraft.org/
files/915.pdf.
If you are looking for information
about chartering a school aeromodeling
club, you can find the minimum
requirements for the Model Aviation
Student Club program at www.
modelaircraft.org/files/requirements.pdf.
Q: I am a club officer. How do I gain
access to our club’s online roster?
A: In order to access the club roster
in the “Members Only” section, you
will have to make sure that you are
logged in to the AMA website and
that your account is linked to your
AMA membership. This allows the
system to recognize your officer status.
You can find some detailed “how to”
information at www.modelaircraft.
org/membership/membership/
gettingstarted.aspx.
Changes in officers’ positions must
be submitted in writing by an officer
we have listed. A newly elected officer
cannot make the change. This can be
submitted via email, fax, or postal
mail.
Q: Can Park Pilot Program members
join our club and how will the lower
liability coverage for the program affect
our insurance?
A: The Park Pilot Program membership
does not affect the club or property
owner’s liability coverage. The only
difference is that the Park Pilot Program
member has a limited amount of
coverage.
Q: How do I find an AMA club in my
area?
A: You can locate clubs in your area
through the “Find a Club” search tool on
AMA’s website at www.modelaircraft.
org/clubsearch.aspx.
Q: Does AMA sanction club fields?
A: No, the AMA does not sanction,
approve, or validate club fields. The
Academy charters clubs. The safe
operation of a flying site is the club’s
responsibility. All flying activities should
be governed by the AMA Safety Code.
You can find recommendations for flying
site layouts in the AMA Membership
Manual.
Q: My friend owns a piece of land and is
willing to let me fly there if I provide an
insurance certificate naming him as an
additional insured. How do I apply for
this? Are any fees involved?
A: Certificates of Insurance (COI)
cannot be issued on behalf of an
individual member; they are issued
only on behalf of an AMA chartered
club or AMA sanctioned event. There
are fees involved when providing a
COI for a site owner. They range from
$20 to $60, depending on the type of
certificate needed.
Q: Why can’t AMA issue a COI to an
individual member?
A: The insurance company will not
allow the Academy to issue a COI
to an individual member because of
the increased risk it poses. Allowing
individuals to purchase the certificates
could lead to more than 150,000
certificates being issued, which would
be a great liability to the insurance
company. Chartered clubs and
sanctioned events are much more
controlled environments than a
member flying on a friend’s piece of
property.
Turbine- and Large Model Airplane-
Related Questions:
Q: Do I need a waiver to operate a
turbine-powered model?
A: Yes, according to the current AMA
Safety Code and the turbine regulations.
Q: How can I get a turbine waiver?
A: You can find the necessary paperwork
12 Model Aviation July 2013 www.ModelAviation.com
011-013_MA0713_InTheAir.indd 12 5/20/13 3:11 PM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
AMA’s Safety & Member Benefi ts
Department
The Safety & Member Benefi ts
department handles a variety of
programs. Contact us when you are
looking for information about:
• General insurance questions,
reporting an accident/fi ling an insurance
claim
• Chartering an AMA club/chapter
• Obtaining insurance for a fl ying site
• AMA’s Turbine Program
• AMA’s Large Model Airplane
Program for models exceeding 55
pounds
• Safety Code clarifi cation
• Introductory Pilot Program
Insurance-Related Questions:
Q: What insurance bene ts are included
with my membership?
A: Three separate insurance policies
(for modeling-related incidents) are
a benefi t of your AMA membership
(excludes Park Pilot Program
membership). The Liability policy
has a $2.5 million limit and covers
The Academy recently
welcomed Life Members Joseph
F. Nemec, Algonquin IL; Treven
C. Baker, Santa Cruz CA; Harry
E. Deboer, York PA; Brigg G.
Lewis, Saint George UT; Anthony
Brewer, Shakopee MN; Sean
Reigle, Laguna Hills CA; Robert
J. Defalco, Wyckoff NJ; Joseph R.
Burrill, Herkimer NY; Andrew L.
Prestridge, Ojai CA; and Edward
G. Bookwalter, Putney VT.
For information about becoming
a Life Member, contact AMA
Headquarters at (800) 435-9262.
—AMA Membership Department
AMA Thanks Its
Lifetime Supporters!
incidents involving Property Damage
and Bodily Injury. The Medical policy
has a $25,000 limit and covers selfinfl
icted modeling-related incidents.
The Fire, Theft, and Vandalism (FT&V)
policy, which has a $1,000 limit, is the
only one that covers model airplanes
and accessories when damaged by
those means.
The Park Pilot Program includes only
liability coverage for up to $500,000;
it does not include the Medical or
FT&V policy. You can fi nd an insurance
summary for individual members at
www.modelaircraft.org/fi les/500-a.pdf.
Q: Somebody told me that my AMA
insurance is effective only when I’m  ying
at a chartered club’s  eld. Is this true?
A: No. AMA coverage is not limited to
fl ying at a chartered club fi eld. It also
applies to model operation on private
or public property. You can fi nd this
information on the welcome letter
attached to your AMA card.
Q: I just read that AMA’s insurance
policies are in excess to my homeowner’s
policy. Is this true? If so, why?
A: All of AMA’s policies are in addition
to any other applicable insurance you
Raymond Beach Smith
Raymond Beach
Smith, founder of
Hobbies Aloft, passed
away at the age of 67.
Born August 23, 1945,
Ray was from of a
family of pilots. His
grandfather was one of the fi rst fl ight
surgeons in World War I and his father
was a B-17 pilot who fl ew more than
100 missions.
Ray started building and fl ying RC
airplanes in his youth. He attained a
degree in aeronautical engineering from
California Polytechnic State University.
He was a Vietnam-era veteran and
worked in fl ight testing at Edwards Air
Force Base, Point Mugu, and Fallbrook
Naval Station before becoming a teacher.
In 1993, Raymond launched Hobbies
Aloft in Marina, California. Through this
business he taught hundreds of people
to fl y, taught local youth classes, and
was a consultant on several scientifi c
projects.
Ray valued designing and fl ying RC
airplanes and had recently obtained his
pilot’s license. In addition to his passion
for fl ying, Ray enjoyed surfi ng and was
an avid animal lover who rescued more
than 50 cats, dogs, and a wide variety of
other animals.
It’s time to dust o those wings,
tweak your engines, and stock up
on extra propellers because the
Outdoor Nats will soon begin! The
Outdoor Nats, held at the AMA in
Muncie, Indiana, kicks o June 25
with RC Scale Aerobatics.
Keep up with all of the latest
exciting action by subscribing to
NatsNews! Visit www.modelaircra .
org/natsnews and click on
“Subscribe” to sign up. You will be
noti ed when the daily newsletter,
 lled with reports, photos, and
scores, is posted.
Don’t forget to watch for coverage
of the Indoor Nats, which begins
August 7 at its new venue in
Champaign, Illinois. Don’t miss out.
Subscribe for free today!
Subscribe to NatsNews today!
www.ModelAviation.com JULY 2013 Model Aviation 11
Membership news and updates
from AMA Headquarters intheA ir
011-013_MA0713_InTheAir.indd 11 5/20/13 3:11 PM