Is the AMA membership exploding ?

[REX1945]

Last fall I started a small model airplane club at the Boy's and Girls Club of Sequim.

The first kid's AMA number is 1061xxx.

Our most recent member was issued AMA no 1083xxx.

Have they really added 20,000 members this summer ?  

I hope they're not all flying drones.


Rex

[Brian Massey]

Have no idea about membership "exploding", but good for you starting the club and working with kids!

Brian

[Mike Keville]

It's called "priming the pump" -- making things appear larger than they really are.

[johnt4051]

I think the AMA reissues numbers of members who have fallen away.  Thus, the numbers are not necessarily in any sequence.

[FLOYD CARTER]

If AMA had a better bookeeping method, they could reissue old numbers.  They already do that, to some extent.
My number was a re-issue, for sure!

[Bill Johnson]

At the "Know Before You Fly" website, at the bottom is a link "Why Model Aircraft" which appears to be an AMA site. It states:

How Much Fun Is Model Flying? Just Look at the Numbers!

2398 Clubs Across The Country

175865 Active AMA Members

79 Years the AMA has served the hobby

[Brett Buck]

I think the AMA reissues numbers of members who have fallen away.  Thus, the numbers are not necessarily in any sequence.

   I don't think so. I think the number really is an accumulation, and that they aren't re-used, for the most part.  I have also seen a very steady increase over the years. Just recently have they gone to 7 digits, but it's been in the high sixes for some time now.

   Brett

[Bill Johnson]

   I don't think so. I think the number really is an accumulation, and that they aren't re-used, for the most part.  I have also seen a very steady increase over the years. Just recently have they gone to 7 digits, but it's been in the high sixes for some time now.

   Brett

That was my understanding after talking to the AMA when I renewed in 2015 after being out for 40 years. They would only give me my old number back if I could prove it was mine initially. I think, though, that some used numbers can sometimes be resurrected upon special request.

[Dick Pacini]

I let my membership expire in 1975 or so.  Some time after, I was going to re-up but my number had been re-issued.  A few years ago, I checked back and my old number was available again, so I re-upped.

Today, I took advantage of the senior discount offered at present rates to beat the increase coming up.  I re-upped for 2 years for $93 and am good until 12-31-17.

62221 goes on...

[Shug Emery]

My old number was the same when I re-upped too 21 years later.
Shug

[mike londke]

Back in 2005 just out of curiosity I called AMA about my dad's old number. He passed away in 1986. They were more than happy to change my existing number and issue me dad's old one.

[Randy Powell]

>>79 Years the AMA has served the hobby>> They are serving someone.

>>62221 goes on...

As does 67711