Re: Alternative proposal to AMA tiered memberships * EC agenda item

On 26 Dec 2005 09:10:56 -0800, "J_R" <freeflyersouth@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>I agree that it is important that we fly in a safe manner. I think we
>have all seen flying that does not meet that criteria. Typically, those
>violations are also violations of the Safety Code. It is fairly rare
>that I have seen unsafe flying that was within the constraints of the
>Safety Code.
>
>There has been a tendency to make too many rules, both by the AMA and
>by clubs. It is my opinion that if a rule truly needs to exist, it
>should be made. If there is any doubt to it's value, it should not be
>made. Rules that are just fluff are the things that drive many away
>from clubs. In addition, there are many "facts" that appear on the
>internet that are not facts when they are chased down. As I understand,
>when Casey was hurt, it was not at an AMA club field. Most deaths AMA
>reports among it's members for insurances purposes are heart attacks
>at events.
>
>Now, the fact is that we are involved in a hobby with some risks. It
>is pretty unlikely that putting a shroud around every prop, or putting
>a heat sink behind every turbine is going to take place. There are just
>some risks that are part of our hobby. Sitting around trying to
>eliminate risk completely is not helpful. That is the reason one
>carries insurance... to mitigate risk.
>
>Dave Brown, the AMA president, in particular, has become obsessed with
>looking at every possible situation and trying to eliminate all risk.
>It was his views that caused problems with the turbine flyers, and the
>same is true of those that wanted the infamous "rule #9"
>eliminated. When the EC looked at the rules they had made, in
>retrospect, they agreed with the turbine pilots and those that wanted
>to hover and changed the rules.
>
>The case in point is made by the fact that clubs generate 50% of the
>dollar amount of all liability claims handled by the AMA. These are not
>flying accidents, but, trip and fall accidents. Time might be better
>spent in looking around our flying sites for potential problems. A few
>years ago, a small child was crushed to death by a windsock pole being
>erected and left in place for the weekend.
>
>Sure, we would love to eliminate every cut finger. Heck, we would like
>to totally eliminate crashes. It just ain't gonna happen, and there
>has to be good sense used. Making too many rules has more detrimental
>effects than too few, in my opinion.

Not bad JR.

One thing.............DB is not obsessed with eliminating all risk. He
is obsessed with eliminating AMA insurance liability for claims that
may arise from risk. The difference is more than nit picking.
Exclusions from insurance coverage don't alter the risk exposure, they
just relieve the insurance company from having to pay when a loss due
to an excluded activity occurs.
Something clubs should bear in mind, too. Club rules are incorporated
into the Safety Code by reference (Gen rule 3), so violation of them
may void AMA insurance coverage. Better be sure you really need that
rule and are prepared to enforce it vigorously, as you may have done
little more than provide another out for the insurance company.

Abel
.

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