Aloha,


     More inofrmaition from the AMA about the Bill.


***********************************************


                                          2018 FAA Authorization Bill

                         

You can read Section 349 that primarily affects our hobby by clicking here.

                         

AMA's concerns that must be addressed through legislation or regulatory changes.

                         

• This bill does not stop the irresponsible operators and only harms our safe and long-standing community.
                                 
• With no justification, AMA members can no longer fly over 400 feet in class G.  This will harm or kill our sailplane, turbine, aerobatic, free flight, and large model aircraft communities. The 400 foot cap also excludes AMA and the USA from participating or hosting many world aeromodeling events sanctioned by the FAI through the AMA and NAA.
                                 
• The bill removes the model aircraft definition and lumps all hobbyists, toys, and the recreational community under the FAA as simply unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
                                 
• There are testing mandates, which raises many concerns. Federal and state regulations could hinder youth from participating in the testing requirement therefore denying them enjoyment of our hobby.
                                 
• Beyond curtailing events and harming charities, the bill stifles youth involvement in STEM education. All of AMA’s language to protect middle school and high school STEM aeromodeling use were removed.
                                 
• The bill opens the door to restrict our operations to flying sites.
                         

                         

Positive provisions and improvements

                         

• The five mile airport notification rings are removed, which was a burdensome and often misinterpreted mandate placed on our hobby.
                                 
• Congress more clearly defines community-based organizations (CBOs) and tasks FAA to recognize CBOs.
                                 
• CBOs, like AMA, are given a more prominent role in shaping future regulations.
                                 
• Congress codifies elements of AMA's safety programming into law including the use of first person view.
                                 
• There are no prescriptive Remote ID equipage mandates, which allows AMA to continue to champion for a more reasonable approach and threshold.
                                 
• Congress allocated $1 million every year to help support education campaigns such as Know Before You Fly that AMA co founded.
                                 
• Congress recognizes the distinction between members of a CBO, like AMA, and those "outside the membership, guidelines, and programming" of a CBO.  Congress then tasks the FAA to consider different operating parameters for each recreational community.
  

*******************************************


Aloha and Drone On!

Thanks for sharing this informative thread. Thank you for the support.

DJI Tony Posted at 2018-10-3 16:24
Thanks for sharing this informative thread. Thank you for the support.

+1........

Thanks for sharing - always good to know the drone laws in other countries as they tend to be carried over to others

I'm confused on some of the AMA positions.  FAA requires UAV/UAS to operate below 400 ft.  Why should other hobby aircraft be exempt from that?  For a competitive event, seems it would be relatively easy to get an FAA waiver for that day.  And, what's wrong with trying to establish FAA rules that apply to *ALL* UAS platforms rather than complicating it further with different classes of hobby crafts?  It seems AMA is trying to make a distinction between DJI type drones and other types of hobby aircraft they think deserve special treatment. In short, imposing limits on DJI type drones/quadcopters while other types of airborne vehicles are allowed enhanced or special privileges.  Seems should be one set of rules for all.  This is not meant to be a criticism towards the AMA, but seeking clarification on why such distinctions are deemed needed.  I do agree that regardless of what the new FAA rules may read, they will be largely unenforceable and do nothing to stop those irresponsible operators.  I fly a DJI P2V+ and P3.

NM_Quad Posted at 2018-10-5 00:18
I'm confused on some of the AMA positions.  FAA requires UAV/UAS to operate below 400 ft.  Why should other hobby aircraft be exempt from that?  For a competitive event, seems it would be relatively easy to get an FAA waiver for that day.  And, what's wrong with trying to establish FAA rules that apply to *ALL* UAS platforms rather than complicating it further with different classes of hobby crafts?  It seems AMA is trying to make a distinction between DJI type drones and other types of hobby aircraft they think deserve special treatment. In short, imposing limits on DJI type drones/quadcopters while other types of airborne vehicles are allowed enhanced or special privileges.  Seems should be one set of rules for all.  This is not meant to be a criticism towards the AMA, but seeking clarification on why such distinctions are deemed needed.  I do agree that regardless of what the new FAA rules may read, they will be largely unenforceable and do nothing to stop those irresponsible operators.  I fly a DJI P2V+ and P3.

Aloha NM_Quad,

     Some of your confusion is due to the Part 107 rules that recently came out last year apply to commercial operators, not civil or hobbyists.  For example the AMA has had flight operations at their flying parks in excess of 400 feet for decades.  Under Section 336 this was allowed - until this reauthorization.  The new rules change all that and make some AMA competitions impossible anymore.  Yet there have never been any problems with AMA flights.

     The AMA is not trying to make any distinctions between DJI quads and any other type of aircraft.  Those distinctions were always there and already imposed by the FAA for Part 107.  I could fly my P4 Pro at the local AMA Park up to 1640 feet - straight up, because it was authorized in Section 336.  The 1640 feet was imposed by DJI in the P4 Pro computers and app.  But, there are rules of the AMA Park that I have to follow affecting those flights and some of those rules may involve flying lower than 1640 feet.  All this is up for change now.

     To summarize, the AMA is not trying to carve out a new distinction.  The AMA is trying to preserve the RC Aeronautics Hobby that already exists as a hobby.  A 400 foot ceiling can kill some RC Aeronautical hobbies like flying RC Sailplanes, etc.

     Hope this helps!

Aloha and Drone On!

Cetacean Posted at 2018-10-5 01:47
Aloha NM_Quad,

     Some of your confusion is due to the Part 107 rules that recently came out last year apply to commercial operators, not civil or hobbyists.  For example the AMA has had flight operations at their flying parks in excess of 400 feet for decades.  Under Section 336 this was allowed - until this reauthorization.  The new rules change all that and make some AMA competitions impossible anymore.  Yet there have never been any problems with AMA flights.

Thank you for the reasonable explanation.  I live and fly quite rural in the deserts of New Mexico with seldom anyone around, and will admit I am not well versed with the activities and desires elsewhere.  The reason I asked.  We can only hope common sense will eventually prevail.  Mahalo.

NM_Quad Posted at 2018-10-5 11:03
Thank you for the reasonable explanation.  I live and fly quite rural in the deserts of New Mexico with seldom anyone around, and will admit I am not well versed with the activities and desires elsewhere.  The reason I asked.  We can only hope common sense will eventually prevail.  Mahalo.

Aloha NM_Quad,

     No problem.  Watch out for those Air Force jets (usually F-16s) training at low altitudes in the desert there.  Fly safe!

Aloha and Drone On!