AMA and Multirotors

[Flyin4fun]

being intoxicated IS the norm in DC.... heck, even fat Teddy never proposed/voted on a bill without having a snoot full.... God rest his soul.

 

[RJ 706]

Exactly, but they are trying to draw them in and hug them and call them George. My stance has been that of "yea, they are part of the hobby, don't really care". But now it is clearly visible that in the very near future (if not already) these things are going to be so plentiful it will be nearly impossible to regulate. I am extremely worried that we will be all grouped into the same pot regardless of what the AMA says or does.

I also feel extremely sorry for Famers, and people looking to use these as a tool to make or aide in a legitimate business with the use of "drone" copters.
Lets face it, quads are not that fun to fly at a fly field (and a bit of a PITA with airplanes if I may say so). You're always going to see 1000:1 not flying at an AMA field vs. those flying anywhere else on earth. Still at a loss as to what the AMA is planning to ensure the safety of the roots of the tree (hobby) so to speak? It is nowhere close to taking in gliders, heli's, 3D and all the other things that has been tackled in the past.

Many good points raised about the multi rotors and at my club we have some of the most experienced pilots moving from their Crack Yaks to flying multi rotors in between flying their IMAC 40% planes, yet they are far removed from the typical owner which is the root of our concerns.

My opinion is we as the 170,000 AMA members are waiting to hear the direction the President is leading the AMA in when WE should be making our desires, concerns, and as paying members directing the President to act accordingly to our concerns. We elected a president and are allowing him to rule as a dictator. The responsibility rests in our hands to support our President by make our desires known and respectfully remind the President he is to carryout the desire of the majority of the paying members. We should, and I intend to move forward tomorrow to voice my opinion, take the time to contact AMA headquarters and make the President feel the impact of the vast majority. I called his office last week and it went straight to voice mail, so tomorrow I intend to leave a polite message and I encourage everyone else to do the same.

If we do not act now and be heard, none of us have the right to whine and complain when the President follows his agenda which clearly does not represent the desire of the majority of the membership.

Rusty Jarrett

 

[Flyin4fun]

Many good points raised about the multi rotors and at my club we have some of the most experienced pilots moving from their Crack Yaks to flying multi rotors in between flying their IMAC 40% planes, yet they are far removed from the typical owner which is the root of our concerns.

My opinion is we as the 170,000 AMA members are waiting to hear the direction the President is leading the AMA in when WE should be making our desires, concerns, and as paying members directing the President to act accordingly to our concerns. We elected a president and are allowing him to rule as a dictator. The responsibility rests in our hands to support our President by make our desires known and respectfully remind the President he is to carryout the desire of the majority of the paying members. We should, and I intend to move forward tomorrow to voice my opinion, take the time to contact AMA headquarters and make the President feel the impact of the vast majority. I called his office last week and it went straight to voice mail, so tomorrow I intend to leave a polite message and I encourage everyone else to do the same.

If we do not act now and be heard, none of us have the right to whine and complain when the President follows his agenda which clearly does not represent the desire of the majority of the membership.

Rusty Jarrett

RJ,
I hear where you are coming from.... I believe Bob and Rich are already in DC having meetings, as we speak, nothing wrong with calling and voicing your concerns... But I believe , for the most part, that they already know what we would like to see as AMA members.
Even though the AMA is 170000 + strong, we are still small potatoes compared to other entities that want a big piece of the NAS for their commercial ventures, which certainly must be taken into account.
We ALL hope that , as AMA members, we do not have to concede any of the various aspects of our hobby that we enjoy now.
Although I have heard , thru the grapevine, that the AMA may be forced to concede FPV and possibly turbine power.
Either way, I don't believe the AMA , or it's officers, should be held accountable for anything that we may have to "settle for".
Multi rotors, some call them drones but I hate that word, are NOT the problem, The advent of FPV along with GPS/autonomous flight IS.
Without FPV and GPS a multirotor is basically no different than a electric heli.
BUT FPV and GPS autonomous flight has brought to us the issues that we are experiencing today, where anybody can fly these things from anywhere to the point they can become a danger to the NAS, AMA member or not.
Certainly I would like to see the FAA AND AMA and DHS come to an expidited agreement, simply because there are municipalities banning R/C because the FAA does nothing to regulate those that are not AMA members, and to basically deal with those that have the attitude that they can do what they want regardless of laws, regulations or what the AMA guidelines say.

 

[CatalinaWOW]

While GPS and FPV are big issues, the other elephant in the room is the GoPro and the like. People are really scared of someone flying over and documenting what they are doing with the neighbors wife or daughter, or their special medicine crop or whatever. A lot of the municipal ordinances are privacy driven, and will eliminate the driveway foamie or small heli with exactly the same justification.

 

[Flyin4fun]

While GPS and FPV are big issues, the other elephant in the room is the GoPro and the like. People are really scared of someone flying over and documenting what they are doing with the neighbors wife or daughter, or their special medicine crop or whatever. A lot of the municipal ordinances are privacy driven, and will eliminate the driveway foamie or small heli with exactly the same justification.

Actually, MOST municipalities already have, "law" written, regarding "right to privacy"..... so not really relevant, regardless FPV can be recorded so no specific need for GoPro on FPV.
Looking in your neighbors window with a Multirotor with a camera is no different than you going up to the window and peeking with your own eyeballs.

 

[CatalinaWOW]

I agree there is no need for new privacy laws. But lack of need has never trumped a politicians need to do something. Just as with GPS and FPV the only "benefit" of additional legislation is an attempt to prevent lawbreaking by elimination of the means to break laws.

If we were all chained to our homes great numbers of crimes would be eliminated. Fortunately it hasn't quite come to that yet.

 

[jtec/radiowave]

Multi rotors, some call them drones but I hate that word, are NOT the problem, The advent of FPV along with GPS/autonomous flight IS.
Without FPV and GPS a multirotor is basically no different than a electric heli.
BUT FPV and GPS autonomous flight has brought to us the issues that we are experiencing today, where anybody can fly these things from anywhere to the point they can become a danger to the NAS, AMA member or not.

Sleepy & Bart,

You guys have a dog in this game and its it not a worry about guys like you.

What the hell was a guy flying at 3 AM Hello!!!!

Attached is the FAA guidlines
http://www.faa.gov/uas/

Here is the basic statement for Model Aircraft: The key wording is WITHIN SIGHT of the operator. If you can't see it you have no control if something goes wrong

• Model Aircraft
  Recreational use of airspace by model aircraft is covered by FAA Advisory Circular 91-57 (PDF), which generally limits operations for hobby and recreation to below 400 feet, away from airports and air traffic, and within sight of the operator. In June 2014, the FAA published a Federal Register notice (PDF) on its interpretation of the statutory special rules for model aircraft in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. The law is clear that the FAA may take enforcement action against model aircraft operators who operate their aircraft in a manner that endangers the safety of the national airspace system. In the notice, the FAA explains that this enforcement authority is designed to protect users of the airspace as well as people and property on the ground. Read the full press release. Read more about Model Aircraft Operations.
  

 

[njswede]

I'm almost starting to think we NEED regulations and that they would be GOOD for people like us. Let's imagine, for a second, that we get some sane regulation and certifications. Let's imagine you'd have to pay 50 bucks and answer a few questions to get a "license". That wouldn't really hurt any of us in any serious way, but it would be enough of a barrier for the biggest morons and it would provide a framework for enforcement. A situation where morons fly quads around airports and the White House isn't sustainable.

 

[Bartman]

I'm almost starting to think we NEED regulations and that they would be GOOD for people like us. Let's imagine, for a second, that we get some sane regulation and certifications. Let's imagine you'd have to pay 50 bucks and answer a few questions to get a "license". That wouldn't really hurt any of us in any serious way, but it would be enough of a barrier for the biggest morons and it would provide a framework for enforcement. A situation where morons fly quads around airports and the White House isn't sustainable.

yup.

 

[ChickenBalls]

I'm almost starting to think we NEED regulations and that they would be GOOD for people like us. Let's imagine, for a second, that we get some sane regulation and certifications. Let's imagine you'd have to pay 50 bucks and answer a few questions to get a "license". That wouldn't really hurt any of us in any serious way, but it would be enough of a barrier for the biggest morons and it would provide a framework for enforcement. A situation where morons fly quads around airports and the White House isn't sustainable.

I have regulations already, do we need more? Yep more regulations and more money that will fix it.