Just Saw This Video On US House In Congress Trying To End RC Flying

CatholicFlyer

Active member
Hey everyone, I just found this video from yesterday, I guess the FAA and the Department of Defense and the House in Congress had a meeting on RC Flying, it doesn't sound good, so I will post the video of the review on the meeting.
 

kilroy07

Legendary member
I Literally JUST joined to AMA this month to fly at Flite Fest Ohio.
So, I messaged them on facebook and here is the reply I received;

"
We are aware of a recent roundtable meeting of the U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee on Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). While excerpts of this meeting seemed detrimental to model aviation, it is important to note that many legislators were supportive of our hobby. We remain active in House discussions, but our focus has shifted to the Senate because, in the weeks prior to this meeting, the House already adopted our language on Section 336. In fact, while the House Aviation Subcommittee was assembled, other members of our team were meeting with the Department of Defense and key members of the Senate to preserve our hobby. The most current information is available on our website at modelaircraft.org/gov
"
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
I Literally JUST joined to AMA this month to fly at Flite Fest Ohio.
So, I messaged them on facebook and here is the reply I received;

"
We are aware of a recent roundtable meeting of the U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee on Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). While excerpts of this meeting seemed detrimental to model aviation, it is important to note that many legislators were supportive of our hobby. We remain active in House discussions, but our focus has shifted to the Senate because, in the weeks prior to this meeting, the House already adopted our language on Section 336. In fact, while the House Aviation Subcommittee was assembled, other members of our team were meeting with the Department of Defense and key members of the Senate to preserve our hobby. The most current information is available on our website at modelaircraft.org/gov
"

Good, thank you for writing them.
 

FAI-F1D

Free Flight Indoorist
Kilroy, thank you for posting that. Frankly it sounds like a terrible set of excuse making though. That was a major meeting where special interests had a monopoly of attention of the House's ears. "Are there any dissenting opinions?" Crickets. That is an unmitigated disaster. We absolutely must create a competing structure to the AMA. Even if it makes mistakes as big as this, the competition will drive both organizations to provide better service and representation to the model aviation community.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
See, I think to some respects, we have people who have knee-jerk reactions, and want to have the pitchforks and torches out way too quickly...I guess I'm a proponent of skepticism, read, and have both sides and try to find the real story that lies somewhere in between.

I know there's a lot of people who are on the "I hate the AMA" bandwagon, but I kind of have to wonder where we'd be without them - I'd say that every RC pilot out there would need to be on Part 107, and there's a LOT of people (more than now) who would be flying illegally.
 

FAI-F1D

Free Flight Indoorist
See, I think to some respects, we have people who have knee-jerk reactions, and want to have the pitchforks and torches out way too quickly...I guess I'm a proponent of skepticism, read, and have both sides and try to find the real story that lies somewhere in between.

I know there's a lot of people who are on the "I hate the AMA" bandwagon, but I kind of have to wonder where we'd be without them - I'd say that every RC pilot out there would need to be on Part 107, and there's a LOT of people (more than now) who would be flying illegally.

Well, let's break that down. I for one actually watched the footage and paid close attention to what was said, and compared it to my 20-odd years of dealing with the FAA in full scale flying. Frankly, that put a much darker tone on it for me than it would for someone who's only known the FAA from the hobby perspective. This entire thing disturbingly mirrors their interference in air cargo back in the day and the protectionist structure built around the airlines. I've been a member of AOPA since I got licensed as a pilot, and frankly the resources my AOPA membership provides are drastically better than what I get out of the AMA. Sure, AOPA has double the membership, but it also has much higher operating costs. AMA doesn't have to pay for the operation of a fleet of GA aircraft to use for events.

As for folks flying illegally, I encourage them to continue doing so. I discourage them from engaging in unsafe flying. Those two categories have a rapidly increasing gap between them. I see lots of terrible incidents in model flying that are perfectly legal, and I see a drastic swath of now illegal practices which impose zero safety risk. This is a serious problem, and it will not help our hobby for us to not talk about it, nor will it help our hobby to encourage compliance with a legal system which cares nothing about safety and everything about control (take that from someone who can point to gravestones for which the FAA is responsible).
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Alrighty, then, break out the pitchforks and torches, folks. Our hobby has been shut down. Now, it's just a rumor, based on one person posting a video of his interpretation of what he heard.

This is knee-jerk.

So is, "Let's hate the AMA because they're not defending us."

I feel like we're not getting the full story on why the AMA wasn't there. Again, knee-jerk. That's all I'm saying - let's find out a little more on what's going on before we start going off half cocked...
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Sadly I live in a different country with a different electoral system and we have a far more active representative organisation which is always making submissions on the behalf of hobbyists and doing their best to educate the ignorant politicians about what we do.

In addition we try to be more visible in areas of high population, (cities), to reduce public fear factors.

I wish you well if it comes to a fight but there is little I can do.

Good luck and have fun!
 

FAI-F1D

Free Flight Indoorist
sprzout, I think you're misinterpreting what I'm saying.

Now, it's just a rumor, based on one person posting a video of his interpretation of what he heard.

This is knee-jerk.

This is not true. Several of us now have watched the footage and have read the writings of the involved parties. We all seem to be coming up with the same takeaway, that this is a massive power grab.

So is, "Let's hate the AMA because they're not defending us."

I feel like we're not getting the full story on why the AMA wasn't there. Again, knee-jerk. That's all I'm saying - let's find out a little more on what's going on before we start going off half cocked...

One individual has given the AMA opportunity to provide the full story. I commented that I found that story to be insufficient in comparison to the actions of other similar organizations. That is not half cocked nor is it knee jerk.

If you want someone to hate on, hate on the corrupt special interests and bought-and-paid politicians and bureaucrats who have created this. Most of all, please consider that I posted clear credentials above to back my personal experiences with the FAA, and before you can make a credible accusation that I'm hauling out torches and pitchforks, you should take the time to see if my experience lines up with that of fellow aviation professionals, or at least take the time to ask why I might have the perspective on the FAA.
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
Any legislation passed today is only a temporary agreement until the political mood changes. This is regardless of the outcome and indifferent to the topic.

The only way our hobby survives is if we come together and teach kids to love to build and fly and crash and rebuild.

This isn't the time to start poo slinging. It's time to teach your congressman's kid how to fly in 8th grade science class.

Anything less is just playing the short game.
 
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sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Any legislation passed today is only a temporary agreement until the political mood changes. This is regardless of the outcome and indifferent to the topic.

The only way our hobby survives is if we come together and teach kids to love to build and fly and crash and rebuild.

This isn't the time to start poo slinging. It's time to teach your congressman's kid how to fly in 8th grade science class.

Anything less is just playing the short game.

Thanks. That's what I'm trying to say. This is not the end-all be-all for our hobby. If you think it is, box your stuff up and have a yard sale, because I don't think you'll enjoy yourself anymore with it. I don't see it being, after ONE meeting, that our hobby is done.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
I found the first video, which then linked to the actual 2 hour meeting footage in the House, which was yesterday, I wonder when the next meeting will take place, so that we can get the AMA or whomever are the leaders in this hobby to be there, it be nice if we get those who do the drone racing, Flite Test, all these guys at the meeting and give their own testimony, even those of us who can travel and be there, I think it is time we who are group and family on this forum as @Josh Bixler says each time on the videos, if those of us in the DC area or even those able to fly in, should fly in for the next Congress meeting on the hobby and give our two cents of why we want the hobby to remain as it is, and stop the power grabbing.
 

Pigfarm1403

Builder
I have considered flying in to the next meeting no joke. If I can get a time and place I will do my absolute very best to represent member of this hobby. I need some help finding out when the next one is and where. Does anybody know who I can call about showing up?
 
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