AMA Membership Cards: A Timeline

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Have membership questions? Contact AMA membership via the helpline at 1-800-435-9262 (I FLY AMA) ext. 129 or by email  at membership@modelaircraft.org.

The AMA Membership FAQ page can be found at https://www.modelaircraft.org/membership/membership-faq.

Being a card-carrying member of the AMA brings a lot of benefits.  Over the years the membership cards themselves have changed drastically.  Here’s an overview of what they used to look like in previous years.

Do you see any here that you owned?

The 1942 membership card, printed on a blue-green cardstock, issues a "Gas Model Flyer's License" to the bearer on behalf of the AMA. The card expires August 5, 1942.
1942 AMA membership card for a Gas Model Flyer’s License. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0032 O.C. Stewart Collection)
The 1956 AMA Membership card is bright yellow and titled "Model Airplane Sporting License." It is for an Open-class membership.
1956 AMA Membership Card. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0032 O.C. Stewart Collection)
The 1960 AMA Membership card is orange and titled "Model Airplane Sporting License." It is for an Open-class membership.
1960 AMA Membership Card. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0032 O.C. Stewart Collection)
The 1966 AMA Membership card is blue and titled "Model Airplane Sporting License." This card fold out to show the insurance benefits.
1966 AMA Membership Card. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0032 O.C. Stewart Collection)
The 1978 AMA Membership card is done in red, white and blue stripes and alternating text. It is titled "Model Airplane Sporting License."
1978 AMA Membership Card. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0001 AMA Collection)
The 1979 AMA Membership card has "79" repeating" at the top of the card. The AMA wings are lightly repeated in the background. This card was for a contest director and is titled "Model Airplane Sporting License"
1979 AMA Membership Card. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0032 O.C. Stewart Collection)
The 1985 Membership card is yellow and black. Along the edge of the card is noted "50th Anniversary."
1986 AMA Membership Card, 50th Anniversary of the AMA. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0032 O.C. Stewart Collection)
The 1995 membership card is dark blue with a center white area for the modeler's information.
1995 AMA Membership Card. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0001 AMA Collection)
The 2006 AMA Membership card promotes the 70th anniversary with a banner in the card's header. The card itself is blue and white.
2006 AMA Membership Card, 70th Anniversary of the AMA. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0001 AMA Collection)
This marroon white and blue card is for AMA Park Pilot members in 2013.
2013 AMA Park Pilot Program Membership Card. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0001 AMA Collection)
Youth members have their own AMA card design. This, from 2013, features a blue border around a white center section.
2013 Youth Member AMA membership card. (Source: National Model Aviation Museum Archives #0001 AMA Collection)
Lifetime membership cards are gold with the the member's name and AMA number engraved under the AMA wings.
AMA Lifetime Membership Card. (Source: National Model Aviation Permanent Collection, Found in Collection, 2008.05.128)

We have at least one example (if not duplicates) of membership cards in the museum archives from the following years: 1942-1946, 1950-1951, 1955 – 1962, 1964 – 1967, 1969 – 1970, 1973 – 2017.
Do you have any from the years that we didn’t list above? Would you be willing to donate the ones we’re missing to the Museum Archives? If so, get in touch with Jackie Shalberg, at jackies@modelaircraft.org.

October 2020 Note: Thanks to our wonderful donors, we have all the membership cards we need! We appreciate your help! —-
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For more information on the National Model Aviation Museum, including our location, hours and admission fees, visit: www.modelaircraft.org/museum

Have membership questions? Contact AMA membership via the helpline at 1-800-435-9262 (I FLY AMA) ext. 129 or by email  at membership@modelaircraft.org.

The AMA Membership FAQ page can be found at https://www.modelaircraft.org/membership/membership-faq.

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18 comments

  1. hi , is it possible to have my membership emailed to me so I will hae a curent copy? just renewed but local club time limit is approaching. ama #163366 greatly appreciated if possible. thanks joe

    1. I’m forwarding this on to the AMA Membership Department – they’ll be in touch. Have a good day!

  3. I joined but never received my membership card. Can you please send me a new one

    1. Thanks for letting us know, Will. I’m sending this on to the AMA’s Membership Dept. ~Maria in the Museum

  4. Love the new site! Only addition I’d like to see is the ability to print a new membership card for all us LATE RENEWAL folks racing to get off to the field for the first time in… ages!!

    Seriously, it would be very helpful to have a link to print a copy of your membership card. And/or a mobile app to display your membership status. They’re pretty easy and inexpensive to build these days… Thanks!

    1. Thanks for the feedback Mike! It has been passed along to the AMA’s Membership and IT departments.

  5. When I renewed my license last year, for the 50th time! I kept getting a smaller total than I was expecting because the website said I was getting a Senior membership. I was thinking, why I am an open member. Then I realized that it could also mean over 65 and not just over 12!

    1. Thanks for sharing Mark, that’s a great story. Oh, if only we were all as young as we felt!

  7. Lost my membership card and had hoped to print from this site, but unable to find this area. Can one print replacement cards on the AMA site?

    1. Thanks for your question. We reached out to the Membership Department and it looks like they have handled your request. Happy flying!

    1. Hi Ron! Our Membership Department staff responded to your question via email. Thanks for reading our blog!

    1. Thanks for reading the Museum’s blog! Membership staff has responded to your concern via email.

  10. Hi, I have not received my membership card and it has been nearly a month since I renewed.
    Could you pls send my card asap?
    Thanks

    1. Hello! This question has been forwarded on to the AMA’s membership department and they’ll be in touch. Thanks!

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