New FAA regulations for all of us!

[Tom]

Here's the list...

[lenb]

As Tom K said so eloquently, Yes, At some point in my flight I will fly below 400 ft

I concur

[Tom]

Well..... the problem with that..... once you agree to the list..... you have entered into an agreement with the government that you will not fly above 400'.......and they are going to be looking real hard at making that first arrest so they can slap that fine on someone to set an example. But the bigger concern is once you've made that agreement 99% of all AMA clubs will be obligated to enforce it..... which again means the end of what we do.

[BobR]

Gentlemen,

I am as hacked off about this as anyone, and I agree that safety is as paramount to me as having fun. You might find my take interesting.... Bad people do Bad things, regulations will not stop that. I own three cars and have a valid drivers license and I routinely speed (shhhhh don't tell) safely, no accidents. I certainly will be flying over 400 feet and I will have a spotter to assist me in watching for full scale aircraft.

Put em in the air boy!

[ARUP]

[Xroadie]

I'm sure most of you got the email from AMA, with the link to the youtube video, where AMA discusses the FAA "regulation". It puts things in quite a different perspective! On both the FAA (UAS) website and the "Know before you fly" website they reference AMA in links for guidance in flying model aircraft. Nowhere on either website does it say we can not fly over 400'. It does say on the above "Acknowledgment of Safety Guidance" to fly below 400'. A "guidance" is not a rule and it does not say, "Do not fly above 400 feet" In the video they clearly state that FAA put that up for the "drone" pilots who are not AMA members and that we as model aircraft pilots are only bound by the rules put down by the AMA Safety Code, which like I said FAA has acknowledged in several places on both of the above mentioned websites. Look at the model aircraft operators page on the FAA UAS website listed below, no mention of altitude at all. I tried to add a second link but it won't let me...I'll post the second link to the "Know Before You Fly Page" in a second post.
Pete

[Xroadie]

Here is the link to the "Know Before You Fly Page". It directly links you to AMA on a couple of the pages.

[Xroadie]

This is from the FAA website as well!

[ErichS]

So....If I have a plane that is more that 55 pounds can I fly over 400 feet??

[Xroadie]

So....If I have a plane that is more that 55 pounds can I fly over 400 feet??

Yes....and all your models under 55 lbs. can be flown over 400 feet!

The reference to the 55 pound limit has to do with the fact that all models over 55lbs. already require a permit from AMA

See link below.

http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/520-a.pdf

[Tom]

Hmmmmm.......until this gets hashed out in court......I believe that by "agreeing" to the FAA's "guidelines" of 400' altitude we are bound to that altitude.....it doesn't say some people have to stay below 400'.......it planely states "Fly below 400'. " Doesn't matter weather it's a "guideline" of stead fast rule......you've agreed to abide by that guideline by accepting that guideline during registration.
And then you get into the ambiguity of the screen shot you posted....."Hobby or recreational flying doesn't require FAA approval" If that's the case then why do we have to register as pilots before we can fly if not to get FAA approval? This is a cluster "rhymes with DUCK" from the get go and will be nothing but problems once Johnny Law shows up on the scene after someone calls to complain about the "Drone" flying over their house.......

[Tom]

And....as far as the AMA having the deluded notion that their rules and regulation trump what the FAA states.......ya.....no.

[Xroadie]

Hmmmmm.......until this gets hashed out in court......I believe that by "agreeing" to the FAA's "guidelines" of 400' altitude we are bound to that altitude.....

That is why I am not registering with FAA and why AMA says do not register. AMA has a lawsuit filed against FAA, because the only "law" that pertains to this says, and I am paraphrasing, the FAA may not create laws in regards to model aircraft. What FAA has put out is not a law....yet!

The above screen shot was published by FAA on their UAS website and is another example of FAA saying, follow the safety guidelines already in place by AMA. So AMA is not trumping what FAA states, FAA is acknowledging AMA's rules.

[Xroadie]

In case anyone has not watched the video AMA posted, here is a link.

[Dion Dunn]

After letting this whole subject get under my skin over the holidays, I think I'm finally at a decision point. I've read all of the FAA and AMA communications. The inconsistencies are mind boggling, and exact representations of why our government and its agencies are a bunch of bureaucratic idiots.

So, am I registering?. NO, not in any foreseeable future. Will I continue to build and fly my sailplanes? YES

If the FAA gets its way and grounds all of the RC Sailplanes, ARUP and I are going to build a full scale barrel back boat instead.

[BobR]

I am all IN!

[ARUP]

There is a certain Mr. Taylor in Silver Spring, MD(?) suing the FAA over the legitimacy of its actions. I saw this on the coxengineforum.com . The poster suggested a fund might be set up to help defray costs of litigation. It's getting interesting. Yes, Dion... let's build a barrel back! I already have the plans and books. It has two three person cockpits and one two person cockpit. An old flathead V-8 would fit the design philosophy very well, especially if it was really done up hot rod style! I'd love to build a sail boat but there is nowhere to sail it, is there? Len is the man for sail boating! I have some plans for a 'bootlegger' too!

[mogman]

As a Canadian who participates in one of Frank Tiano's events in Florida , and a couple of aerotows in Washington State, I am required to register (according to the FAA) to obtain a "Certificate of Ownership" for a non-US citizen.
However, the registration link is for US citizens only and is blocked from coming into Canada.
So, I e-mailed the FAA and explained all this and their reply was "just register". I replied that I can't as it is blocked from Canada
Their reply was, again, "use the registration procedure" or use the FAA help line, which I have been using.

Repeat....,
Repeat,....going round in circles!

I'm just banging my head on the wall here..At this point I'm not sure what to do, do I need this "certificate" to cross the border or what? I have an aerotow coming up in Yakima in April, but at this time I think I'll have to pass on that if this can't be sorted. It'll be interesting to see if the AMA are able to have some resolution to this.....mess.

There was a member up here on RC Canada that has a US IP address. He started the registration process, but as soon as he input a Canadian address, the system shut him down.

Cheers,
Dave.