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AMA Members need to contact their representatives in congress

AMA Members need to contact their representatives in congress

by | Apr 13, 2018 | AMA National News, District Communications, District News

We just received this communication from AMA Government Regulations Committee, and wanted to make sure everyone gets the word and takes action.  It only takes a couple of minutes, and this is how our government process works.  They need to hear from us. Friday, April 13, 2018 Dear members,   We need your help.   There is talk that the next re authorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration will eliminate the Special Rule for Model Aircraft – also known as Section 336 – which has allowed AMA to manage our members and fly safely and responsibly, as we have for over 80 years. Losing the Special Rule would be a devastating blow to our hobby.   Please click here to send a letter to your elected representatives in support of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft.   This is a critical moment to let your elected representatives know the importance of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft and the role of community-based organizations such as AMA.   Our community has operated safely for decades – long before the recent advent of drones. Model aviation has played a critical role in the innovations of new technology and encouraging young people to pursue an interest in science and technology fields. More than that, this long-standing hobby has been passed down from generation to generation and is a tradition for many American families.   We need your help to demonstrate the value of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft not only for our community, but everyone. Please make your voices heard by contacting your elected representatives today.   Sincerely, AMA Government...
Let’s not ground drones because of a few ‘close calls’

Let’s not ground drones because of a few ‘close calls’

by | Feb 27, 2018 | AMA National News, UAV

A recent article describing a brewing controversy over Drone Flights published yesterday in The Hill.  AMA members are urged to stay informed and fly responsibly : Last week, the Air Line Pilots Association, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, and Airlines for America issued a letter to Congress calling for tighter regulation on drones. Responding to a video captured by a drone illegally flying within feet of a jet landing at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, the letter calls on Congress to get aggressive with hobby and recreational drone use. “The likelihood that a drone will collide with an airline aircraft,” the letter concludes, “is increasing.” The letter — echoing many of the news headlines surrounding the video — makes a common error: Observing one collision and a handful of “close calls” does not mean the probability of or the dangers presented by drone collisions have changed. Indeed, the best estimates show that the risk is extremely low, and the one confirmed collision that caused no injuries is consistent with an acceptable risk level. This may sound like technical nitpicking, but it has significant implications for the future of drone regulation. The signers of the letter call for the implementation of an onerous drone registry and mandates for all drones to be equipped with tracking technology, but they fail to demonstrate that drones pose a significant risk that requires new regulations, rather than better enforcement of some current ones. Understanding the need for regulation requires some knowledge of the risk drones pose. A 2016 analysis by our former Mercatus colleagues Eli Dourado and Sam Hammond approximated that risk by looking at incidents of birds striking airplanes in...
Utah to consider flights over 400 feet as a misdemeanor

Utah to consider flights over 400 feet as a misdemeanor

by | Mar 2, 2017 | AMA National News, Uncategorized

This is very very important tasking. Please follow the link below and send a message to UTAH. http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amagov/2017/03/01/utah-to-consider-flights-over-400-feet-as-a-misdemeanor/ Utah to consider flights over 400 feet as a misdemeanor Utah is pushing through legislation that is harmful to the operation of model aircraft and violates federal authority. So far AMA’s government relations team was successful in removing language such as restrictions on nighttime operations, but now we need your help to stop other unjust restrictions. The bill, S.B. 111 is currently under reveiw by the governor. The bill mandates that modelers must operate below 400 feet. While that altitude limit is appropriate for many modelers, this bill prohibits safe and federally-approved operations over 400 feet. AMA members could unjustly face misdemeanors for following AMA’s safety programming to operate sailplanes, turbine aircraft, large model aircraft, and other disciplines above 400 feet. S.B. 111 also penalizes model pilots with approval from the FAA from conducting commercial operations over 400 feet. The bill’s airport notification requirement is not consistent with federal guidelines and could be problematic. We have created a letter on your behalf at www.modelaircraft.org/gov/sb111. Please act now to stop this problematic...

URGENT – Write the Senate Now!

by | Apr 12, 2016 | AMA National News

The U.S. Senate is currently considering amendments to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2016. We need your help today to ensure this proposed legislation fully protects the model aircraft community. CLICK HERE  Clhttp://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/51579/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=18287ick here now to urge your Senators to support Senator Inhofe’s amendment number 3596 to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2016. As you know, we are pleased that the Senate’s proposed legislation preserves a community-based approach to managing the recreational community by maintaining the Special Rule for Model Aircraft. However, at the same time, we are concerned with additional provisions in this bill that could detrimentally impact our community. These new provisions would require all UAS, including model aircraft, to meet new FAA design and production standards and impose unnecessary regulation on hobbyists who often build their own models at home. The bill also requires modelers to obtain permission from air traffic control when flying within 5 miles of towered airports which could jeopardize hundreds of existing flying sites. And if passed, the bill would require model aircraft enthusiasts to take an online FAA safety test and carry proof of passing the test when flying. These new directives would undermine the model aircraft activity and detract from the creativity, innovation and enjoyment of the hobby. By supporting Senator Inhofe’s amendment number 3596, you can help stop this from happening. This critical amendment would maintain the basic intent of the Senate’s proposed legislation, while lessening the negative impact on the model aircraft community. While we are still in the first few steps of this legislative process – as always, we thank you for your support...