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The current wording is ominous. Hard 400 foot ceiling. Let’s hope something is worked out for us. Right now I despise the AMA, let’s hope they aren’t as worthless as they appear to be.
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They've kept it legal for this long. Let's hope the language that they have lobbied to keep in the bill that passed will still give us the ability to register NOTAM's for our specific flying sites that allow for continued busting of the 400 ft ceiling. The wording, what little I read is still very ambiguous. Seems like the lawyers will have to do the final interpretation of what was in the bill when it was signed. Let's hope for another one of those letters from the FAA that says the community based standards, in combination with local administrator notification and/or NOTAM registration allows for the status quo to be maintained. The AMA has worked long and hard to keep us flying.
If they still allow planes over 55lbs to be flown with nothing other than community based safety inspection and allow high powered turbines, they are going to have to expect planes to end up flying above the 400ft mark. I really expect to hear something about waivers, be it permanent or temporary, before this is done. -
After reading the model aircraft section of the bill it seems like licensing for model piloting is on the table? Definitely for FPV. That sucks.
However, the NOTAM idea isn't terrible. If the FAA will respect modelers and honor a NOTAM request immediately and effectively for an event or just flying the weekend, etc at the CBO field; this might increase safety by .00001% for full-scale aircraft and remove some ambiguity with hard deck. WE love to spend billions of dollars on ambiguous results as Americans (war on drugs anyone?). Hopefully we can avoid a "war on drones".
Things change slowly in government. I don't want to get too excited because the AMA has come through and really is our only voice. They aren't fighting for the right of baby's to have naptime; they are fighting the military industrial complex. It's very hard to win that fight.
Call your congressmen and women as I have. Write letters. It's drones they're after this year, it might be our 1/3 scale ships in 3 years....
Rights tend to erode away and don't disappear overnight. First it's just registering your model with a tax, then it's an ID and licensee requirement, then it's restricted to CBO's, then it's restricted to certain dates at CBO's, then it's just restricted....
The "know before you fly" campaign costs $1,000,000!!! Wow, I don't think we got our value out of that campaign as tax payers....
Last edited by pete914; 09-23-2018, 01:17 PM.Comment
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'Rights tend to erode away and don't disappear overnight. First it's just registering your model with a tax, then it's an ID and licensee requirement, then it's restricted to CBO's, then it's restricted to certain dates at CBO's, then it's just restricted.... '
That's how Hitler did it!!!Comment
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The wording is not ambiguous! If it passes, a hard 400’ limit.
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Not just the 400ft ceiling. Every pilot will have to take a test for aeronautical knowledge which isn't too big a deal. Remote id for every aircraft (transponder) additional avionics cost. The complete repeal of part 336 is in this bill which means the FAA can and will change the rules anytime they want. If this bill passes it will end many Hobby companies and all the associated cottage industries as well as the AMA unless you just want to use them for insurance coverage.
This bill will end IMAC, Pattern and Soaring which all need more than 400ft ceilings.Comment
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I made all the calls and posted it on Facebook and asked everyone to share..
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And what about model rocketry? Some of the really elaborate big ones go up to like 10,000 feet.Last edited by gunny11; 09-25-2018, 05:37 AM.Gunny
Aviation Concepts rcComment
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I just spoke with the AMA government relations contact and she said that the bill is definitely not ironed out. And if it does pass, there are parts that are definitely up for debate as far as a hard 400' ceiling. The airspace other than that designated "G" is still totally under the control of the local administrator who can give permission for altitude clearances, just like at a full scale airshow where models are doing demos. She said that the authors of the bill are in contact with the AMA and don't have the intention of destroying our hobby, which is why the FAA is supposed to work with the community based clubs after passing to formulate specific waivers, protocols, etc. to allow us to continue contributing to our communities and the aviation world. I hope she's right. Fingers crossed but keep trying to spread the word about the no vote. I hear handwritten letters get through more often than not, as opposed to mass electronic mail.
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Just passed the Senate. Awaiting Trump’s signature.Comment
Here we go again
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