implementation of the 50% credit until the
2004 renewal.
The discussions were interesting. Some
thought we could simply rescind that change
and reconsider it later, but that would leave us
in the same situation if we were to vote it
back in. Obviously some had second thoughts
about the 50% plan—more than just the
implementation date—and others wanted to
hold firm and not adjust the original effective
date. We may reconsider the entire subject at
an upcoming meeting.
The discussions brought up a few
interesting perspectives. Probably the most
significant question was, “Who do the CDs
serve and benefit?” The CDs were the major
subject of conversation, and that is a good
question.
Years ago most events were different in
nature—and I don’t mean just the gradual
change of emphasis from competitive events
to fly-ins. The reason many events are held
has changed, perhaps not entirely but still
significantly.
I’ll go back to when I was a kid (in the
dark ages!) and a member of the Brockton
Aeromodelers. We would do many things to
raise funds to hold a contest. The main
difference was that we raised money to run
the events, as opposed to raising money by
running the events.
Today, most events are held with the idea
of creating income for the club. That isn’t the
only reason the events are held—and
probably not the primary reason—but in most
cases it is a goal. In those situations the
question of whom the work of the CDs
benefits is not easily answered. Many say the
CDs work on behalf of AMA, and AMA
benefits most from the CDs’ work. Others say
that they work on behalf of the club, and the
club benefits most. I think they serve the
aeromodelers, and the aeromodelers benefit
most from this work.
FOR THOSE who think that the voice of
reason falls on silent ears, this should be
alarming. Anytime an organization like
AMA raises its dues or changes its revenue
stream, the president of the organization will
receive correspondence objecting to the
changes. That’s just a reality. The resistance
to the change usually revolves around some
variation of “I can’t afford it,” “You should
just cut expenses,” or “Someone else should
shoulder a bigger part of the load.”
Ironically, in the correspondence I
received, many referred to the cost of
everything spiraling upward, and because of
that they believe dues should not be
increased. I guess people don’t realize that
those increases in costs apply to
organizations as well as individuals.
Others chronicled the history of dues
through the years. I assume this was to show
how “this” increase is unfair or out of line.
That same history shows just the opposite to
be the case. Dues have increased roughly 5%
per year for a long time. That isn’t bad if you
consider the average rise in cost of most
insurance coverages. Compared with the
ongoing increases in medical coverage, a 5%
increase per year is a bargain.
Okay, nothing alarming so far—just the
president trying to explain an unpopular
increase in dues. What’s the big deal?
Well, one of those myriad complaints
caught my eye and revealed that we had
made a mistake in imposing one part of the
new dues structure for the 2003 renewals.
Part of the overall adjustment to the dues
structure was the compromise in which all of
the “free” (earned) memberships we award—
for Contest Directors (CDs), officers, and
other organizational volunteers—would be
reduced to a 50% credit. We knew this would
raise objections among some members and
be applauded by others; that’s why it is a
compromise.
The objection to this, which several letters
pointed out, was that they “earned” those
“free” memberships when the rules said they
got a full membership. In other words,
someone who CDed an event last summer
did so under the understanding that he or she
would receive a full membership, and this
new rule was being applied retroactively.
It was a point well made. At the October
Executive Council meeting we changed the
dues structure by delaying the
Plan now for that
emergency you hope
will never occur.
Dave Brown AMA president
President’s Perspective
However, the same can be said of many
people working within the system so we can
enjoy our sport. Club officers work long and
hard, as do instructors and groundskeepers.
Board members spend hours working on your
behalf, as do committee members, etc. The
list is really very long, and to single out the
CDs and a few other positions to compensate
with free AMA memberships is inherently
unfair to all the others who serve
aeromodelers.
How does a CD serve AMA in a way that
deserves a free membership, and yet the
instructors, who form our greatest incentive to
new members, don’t? How about the club
officers? What about the people who built the
impound board?
As you can see, this isn’t an easy line to
draw. I’ll admit that traditionally we have
done this, but sometimes tradition contradicts
reason as the environment in which the
tradition is exercised evolves.
Winter is upon us, and the winter meetings
are the most difficult for which to come up
with programs. Why not devote a meeting to
a discussion of how to enhance safety at your
facility? Don’t just look at the flying; look at
the clubhouse, the parking lot, the entrance
road, the pits, etc. A brainstorming session at
a club meeting could bring about many good
safety enhancements.
If you have a large club, try breaking into
smaller groups to discuss where your club site
could be made safer. Don’t just think about
avoiding incidents, although that is important.
Give some thought to how to react if an
accident happens. Can any member contact
emergency services quickly? Can any
member describe the site’s location
sufficiently for help to find you?
Think about having to describe where you
are to a life flight aircraft crewmember. Could
you direct him or her to your site quickly?
(Hint: posting the latitude and longitude of
the site could save precious minutes.)
Where is the nearest hospital? Does the
local life squad know where you are?
There is a saying that “safety is no
accident,” and it is true. Plan now for that
emergency you hope will never occur. The
alternative to being prepared could jeopardize
lives. MA
’Til next month.
Dave Brown
AMA president
[email protected]
February 2003 5
02sig1.QXD 11.21.02 2:52 pm Page 5
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/02
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