The AMA currently charters approximately 2,400 clubs that span the United States. Our clubs span a wide range of interests, ages, and locations.
But what happens if there's not a club near you that you're interested in? What if you have a brand-new idea for a club that no one has considered before? What if you and your close friends want to be the only club members?
I've got some good news; AMA has informational guides to help you charter your own club!
You can navigate through the post using the table of contents below to figure out what club is best for you, the requirements for chartering, and the benefits of chartering a club through the AMA.
Table of Contents
Why Join/Charter a Club?
Chartered Clubs
Model Aviation Student Clubs
Why Join/Charter a Club?
When you join and/or charter a club, you will need to register as an AMA member. AMA members receive a variety of benefits, such as insurance, Model Aviation monthly magazine subscription, flying privileges, and additional benefits listed below.
While the tables below compare 4 different membership options, it is important to note that you must register for a full membership as part of a Chartered Club, or a youth membership if you join a Model Aviation Student Club and are up to age 19.
COMPARE-MEMBERSHIP-OPTIONSDownloadChartered Clubs
Over 60 years ago, in the mid-1960s, the AMA introduced organized groups known as Chartered Clubs. Chartered clubs give local AMA members the opportunity to join together as a group, enjoy camaraderie, exchange modeling tips and tricks, and secure use of flying sites.
AMA offers a variety of programs and benefits to chartered clubs such as flying site assistance and disaster relief grants, media recognition rewards, and liability coverage for officers and flying site owners to name just a few.
If you'd like to look into existing Chartered Clubs that are near you, you can utilize our Club Finder. Simply type in the filters that apply to you, and you may be able to find what you're looking for!
But what happens if you can't find a club that fits your unique interests? That's when chartering a club comes into play.
In order to charter a club, you need at least 5 current AMA members; three of these members must be 19 years or older and willing to serve as club officers. You must also provide a current set of your club bylaws and the latitude/longitude information for your modeling site(s).
A club's activities must relate to recreational and/or competitive modeling. Clubs must operate at a local level (e.g., city, town, county, etc.) rather than at a regional or national level.
AMA-Club-Charter-GuideDownloadThe annual fee to charter a club is $40. The club charter year begins on March 31st and runs concurrently with the dates of liability insurance coverage. This coverage is provided at no extra cost to the club and club officers.
On the left, you can find our Club Charter Guide if you are interested in starting your own Chartered Club through the AMA!
Model Aviation Student Club (MASC)
MASCs are charted clubs specifically for homeschool groups, middle school students, high school students, and/or Scouts. MASCs allow members to use model aviation as an interactive method/tool to engage with science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STE(A)M) concepts.
MASCs require an adult sponsor; sponsors must be actively involved with model aviation activities or may teach a course that relates to aviation or STEM concepts. This sponsor is the main point of contact with the AMA and acts as an advocate for the MASC.
This sponsor will receive a complimentary AMA membership. MASC members up to age 19 must register as youth members, which costs $15 per year.
MASCs are still AMA Chartered Clubs, but they do differ slightly when it comes to enrollment and minimum requirements.
Students and sponsors need to complete their own individual enrollment forms. After collecting the necessary chartering documents, the sponsor will need to ensure that all applicable fees are paid. This includes youth membership ($15 per individual) and an $80 site insurance fee if applicable. Club chartering fees are waived for MASCs.
MASCs do not have a minimum number of members required to charter as a club.
By clicking on the MASC logo below, you can access the AMA Model Aviation Student Club Chartering Guide.
For any more information regarding AMA Chartered Clubs/MASCs, you can reach out to the Club Services at [email protected].