Ron,
I'm willing to pay the $50 whether I get a magazine or not. But, I suspect, a lot of people out there won't fork over the money without a paper magazine.
I'm also all for the online magazine, for a number of reasons. One, it saves ink and paper, and reduces the landfill load. Two, it costs less for the PRA to produce. Three, it's available to all of us on the same day, regardless of where we live. Four, you can have all the color you want, at no additional expense to the PRA.
Trying to keep the paper magazine, by having people who want it to pay more, probably will not work. You now have even less people paying for the paper, and whether you print 100 copies, or 10 thousand copies, there are a certain amount of fixed costs you can't get rid of, just to establish the print job.
As far as the value of the PRA, it's kind like paying school taxes. No one wants to pay them, especially once their children are grown. But educating our children hopefully keeps them productive in their adult years, not on welfare. That's what you have to understand about paying school taxes.
In the PRA's case, it's because so few members attend Mentone, that they don't see the value of the PRA. The other thing they don't seem to realize is that the PRA is the only organization even slightly interested in promoting rotorcraft, particularly gyros. If that goes away, you can't imagine how desolate things will seem regarding rotorcraft.
If you can't make people see the value of their school taxes, how do you propose to make them see the value of the PRA?
I also know a number of pilots who were PRA members until they actually obtained their licenses, then stopped paying their dues. Personally, I believe they're pretty short-sighted. But, my guess is they're not a small minority compared to the current paying membership.
As I've stated before, I will continue to pay my dues because it's paying my benefit from the PRA forward to future gyro pilots. I'm grateful that they got the BFI program instituted for us, bought Mentone, and do what they can to run interference for us with the FAA. I also know, and have had dealings with, a good number of the board. I respect each and every one of them for their efforts to support us. They all could easily quit the board, have less headaches, and more personal time for flying those machines we all say we love. Those who don't feel the PRA is a good value/benefit to them just don't know what they would be missing if the PRA folded.
I also agree with Doug Riley, we just have to get used to having a minimum membership of what appears to be hard core gyronauts for a while. With the economy the way it is now, anyone who has to decide whether to spend money on flying a gyro, or eating, or paying the mortgage, isn't going to fork over that $50 to support the PRA. Reduce it to $35, and you still won't see a significant membership increase, in my estimation.
Just my two cents worth. Take it for what it is.