Regarding the 'manuals':
I'd say get it if you're totally fresh to all this (as I was when I bought them 18 months).
If you've got a reasonable grasp of what's what then they're unlikely to tell you too much you could learn by PPRuNe-ing now and again.
Regarding 'membership' of the website, I found this of little use.
[ 08 January 2002: Message edited by: Blackshirt ]</p>