Actually, I was genuinely suprised at this. It would have been my assumption that the AMA would side with the nay-sayers as most of their members probably fall into this category. Still, at present, membership really doesn't benefit the average MR pilot. It's doubtful that the ranks of the membership will swell as the FPV/MR ranks expand exponentially over the next decade. It's ovbious to me that eventually, this facet of minature aviation, will become the dominant form with "conventional" LOS flight a special interest category such as control line flying is today. Many RC old timers are very much fish-out-of-water with MR flight. The required skill set for top-level success is markedly different. Combining robotics, computer technology, electronics, and, ideally, some knowedge of inertial guidance/stabilization. Old-timey skills like wood working don't even count. This shut-out factor has changed the face of many other activities over the last few years, too. An example that comes to mind is amateur "Ham" radio. The last decade has changed that, too. As we say in the South, Tempus done fugit.