by Rusty Kennedy | Jan 18, 2016 | AMA National News
For decades, the AMA has had a tremendous safety record. For this reason, and based on the protections from Section 336 that we helped pass into law, we do not believe that our 188,000 members should be subject to the UAS registration rule. Section 336 is part of the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act in which Congress recognized the effectiveness of community-based safety guidelines and exempted recreational/hobbyists from any new regulations. The AMA is working with Congress and looking at legal options to address registration. On a parallel path, we are advocating on behalf of our members directly with the FAA to find a solution. On January 15 Rich Hanson, Bob Brown, Gary Fitch, Chad Budreau, and AMA’s legal counsel conducted a meeting with the FAA. During the visit the AMA discussed several issues impacting the modeling community including registration. We brought a list of our members’ concerns and asked the FAA for a clarification or a resolution to our concerns. We raised multiple questions around the guidelines pilots must agree to during the registration process, such as the requirement to stay below 400 feet. The FAA acknowledged that AMA members should continue to follow AMA’s community-based safety code. We also discussed and the FAA confirmed that the language on the FAA registration site is a guideline, not regulation. This guideline is not directed at the AMA community but rather, it is a simplified set of safety guidelines geared to the general public. We specifically addressed the 400 foot altitude limitation and explained how under appropriate circumstances some modeling activity necessarily occurs above 400’ and other activity occurs at altitude...
by Rusty Kennedy | Jan 11, 2016 | AMA National News
Q: Why did AMA change its position on registration? Why are they telling members to register now? A: AMA has not changed its position. We continue to be disappointed with the registration rule and believe it is contrary to Congress’s intent within the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, which is part of the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act. We have been working with our legal counsel and the FAA to find a solution for our members on the registration rule. To date, the FAA has agreed in principle to several items that will help ease this process for our members. However, we want to emphasize that this is not the end of our efforts to protect AMA members from this overreaching regulation. We are continuing to explore all legal and political options available, but these conversations may take time and a definitive solution is unlikely before the February 19 registration deadline. For this reason, we are suggesting that AMA members may wish to take advantage of free registration period, which is available until January 19. Q: Is the AMA giving up? Why doesn’t the AMA take this matter to court? A: AMA is by no means giving up. We are resolute in our commitment and will continue to advocate on behalf of our members.. We are continuing to fight for the aeromodelling community and working to protect modelers from unnecessary and burdensome regulation. AMA is exploring several legal options that would address the registration rule as well. These legal strategies will take time to develop and pursue. We ask for your continued loyalty and patience as...
by Rusty Kennedy | Jan 11, 2016 | AMA National News
As you know, we (AMA) have been working with our legal counsel and the FAA to find a solution for our members on the registration rule. To date, FAA has agreed in principle to several proposed initiatives that will help ease this process for our members. Specifically, they are: AMA and the FAA are working to streamline the registration process for AMA members whereby those who register with the FAA will be able to use their AMA number as the primary identification on their model aircraft, as opposed to adding a new federal registration number. In addition, AMA members’ federal registration will automatically renew provided membership remains active and current. We are working with FAA in negotiating the renewal fee, but in any case it is envisioned the renewal process will be provided as a member benefit. In the future, federal registration will automatically be accomplished upon joining the AMA, eliminating the need to register with both AMA and the FAA. These initiatives are a step in the right direction. However, we want to emphasize that this is not the end of our efforts to protect AMA members from this overreaching regulation. We are continuing to explore all legal and political options available, but these conversations may take time and a definitive solution is unlikely before the February 19 registration deadline. Currently, registration is free of charge until January 19. If you would like to take advantage of this free period, you may want to register before that day. But please note that you have until February 19 to register in order to avoid violating the federal rule. We...
by Rusty Kennedy | Dec 30, 2015 | District News
AMA Finding A Solution for Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) in the D.C. Area Recently, the FAA more than doubled the airspace around Washington, D.C., that it considers a ‘no drone zone.’ In 2009, the FAA expressly prohibited model aircraft operations in the D.C. Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ), shutting down three AMA-chartered clubs and eliminating all model aircraft activity in the nation’s capital. The FAA has now extended this restriction to the Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) outside the FRZ where model aircraft have been flying without incident for years. Not only is D.C. restricted, but the FAA now contends that model aviation enthusiasts cannot fly in several Virginia and Maryland counties as well. The FAA’s current action has caused an additional 14 AMA-chartered clubs in the D.C. metro area to shut down operations, despite our organization’s 80-year history of responsible flying. Our members consistently abide by federal and local policies and for decades have followed AMA’s comprehensive set of safety and privacy guidelines, which are constantly evolving to accommodate new technologies and new modeling disciplines. The FAA justifies its most recent action by stating that model aircraft are by definition aircraft and therefore subject to existing FAA rules. That assertion is currently the subject of pending litigation and Congress has made clear that the FAA should have a hands off approach to model aircraft that are operating within the safety guidelines of a community-based organization such as AMA as provided in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. AMA understands that these restrictions are part of the security measures put in place to protect the U.S. Capitol...
by Rusty Kennedy | Dec 28, 2015 | AMA National News
The AMA has recommended that our members hold off on registering their model aircraft with the FAA until advised by the AMA or until the FAA’s legal deadline of February 19. Holding off on registration will allow time for AMA to fully consider all possible legal and political options for alleviating this unnecessary regulatory burden on our members. In the meantime, you can help by making your voice heard with the FAA. Specifically we are asking all AMA members to submit comments on the FAA’s interim rule on registration. The deadline to submit comments is January 15, 2016. All comments can be submitted at http://1.usa.gov/1Jegj0C. Below are recommended messages to convey in your comments: Express your disappointment with the registration rule. As a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), I am disappointed with the new rule for UAS registration. I am a long time model aircraft flyer, who has operated under the guidance of the largest community-based organization (CBO) in the world for many years. Highlight AMA’s history and safety record. Since 1936, AMA has published safety standards and offered training programs for our members - more than 20 years before the FAA was created. Our National Model Aircraft Safety Code has been recognized by Congress as well as by state legislatures as a safe and effective means of managing model aircraft enthusiasts like me . Note that you already register with AMA. Additionally, AMA’s safety program already instructs me to place my AMA number or name and address on or within my model aircraft(s), effectively accomplishing the safety and accountability objectives of the interim rule. Make...
by Rusty Kennedy | Dec 18, 2015 | AMA National News
MUNCIE, Ind. – Dave Mathewson, executive director of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) which is the world’s largest community-based organization, today made the following statement on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) rule for small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) registration: “AMA is disappointed with the new rule for UAS registration. As a member of the task force that helped develop recommendations for this rule, AMA argued that registration makes sense at some level and for UAS flyers operating outside the guidance of a community-based organization or flying for commercial purposes. Unfortunately, the new rule is counter to Congress’s intent in the Special Rule for Model Aircraft and makes the registration process an unnecessary burden for our more than 185,000 members who have been operating safely for decades. “The Special Rule for Model Aircraft in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 clearly states that the FAA is prohibited from promulgating any new rules for recreational users operating within the safety guidelines of a community-based organization (CBO). Meanwhile, the FAA’s contention that model aircraft should be considered aircraft is currently the subject of pending litigation. Congress by no means intended to grant a free pass to flyers within this system. Instead, it left risk mitigation and the development of appropriate safety guidelines to organizations like AMA. “AMA’s eighty years of experience demonstrates that this voluntary, community-based approach to managing recreational flyers is highly effective. Our members follow a comprehensive set of safety and privacy guidelines, which are constantly evolving to accommodate new technologies and new modeling disciplines. “At the same time, AMA understands that new legions of flyers need...
