FAA Regulations on Model Aviation
For the past three years the AMA has participated in the rulemaking process aimed at establishing federal regulations for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). We’ve worked directly with the FAA in an effort to ensure that these regulations will not have a detrimental impact on the aeromodeling community, and we are continuing to work with the regulators in an effort to safeguard the future of model aviation. The rulemaking process is very long and complex, and to date very little is known regarding the specifics of the proposed rule. However, the FAA is nearing completion of the initial phase of the rulemaking process and is expected to publish its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register in June 2011. The proposed rule will then be open for public comment.
What we do know at this point is that the Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) recommended that there be a provision in the rule to allow model aircraft operations that are conducted in accordance with an FAA-accepted set of standards to be exempt from the rule. To date, FAA leadership in the Unmanned Aircraft Program Office (UAPO) has consistently held that this has been, and continues to be, its regulatory approach to model aviation. And during the past year and a half, UAPO representatives have been actively involved in providing guidance to the AMA in its effort to develop a set of standards that—if accepted and adopted by the FAA—will serve as an alternative means of complying with the new sUAS regulation.
As we near the public-comment period, it’s extremely important that all aeromodeling enthusiasts become aware of the issues at stake and the challenges that lie ahead. The AMA webpage www.modelaircraft.org/gov provides much of the background material on the sUAS rulemaking issue and will serve as a resource to the AMA membership for current and relevant information as the regulatory and standards-development process progresses.
– Rich Hanson, AMA Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs Representative
To learn more, visit www.modelaircraft.org/gov.
Short URL: http://masportaviator.com/?p=2061
Posted by Chad Budreau
on Filed under Featured, What's New.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
americans, not just modelers need to realize our government is not only trying to put controls on our “toy” airplanes. i have a number of hobbies, among them are hot rods and guns and government is trying to put MORE regulations on these hobbies too.
america has sufficient laws covering all of “our” hobbies, the laws simply need enforcement and the punishments maximized.
but that isn’t going to happen because that costs the politicians votes. it’s easier to make new laws that will impact law abiding citizens, who won’t protest or object.
criminals by definition do not obey the law so new laws make no difference to them, just us rc flyers, hot rodders and shooters.
we, ama members need to write our government and make our voices heard. we also need to remember who did or di not support our cause next election and make sure those who worked on our behalf are re-elected and those who did not are made unemployed.
we also need to help our other hobby buddies with their efforts and they need to recruited to help us. america needs a unified effort to “fight” these restrictions the government is trying to jam down amreica’s throat.
don’t be myopic look at the bigger picture, what looks like simple rules are small steps to gain complete control of the american people.
check history if you think i’m wrong. start with europe and hitler in the last century.
johnnie
Although I am not an American and don’t live in the U.S.A ( I do have relatives and friends therel.), I think the regulation of the model aircraft hobby will not be in the long-term best interests of the U.S.A. Although the U.S.A. broadcasts that it is the most democratic and free society on the planet, the ever increasing regulation of the lives of Americans, such as the unreasonable potential regulation of the model aircraft hobby, causes those of us in the rest of the world to perceive that’s not actually true. I understand that the U.S. government is concerned about attack on national security, terrorism, drug trafficking, etc., which could be facilitated with model aircraft but picking on the model aircraft hobby due to those concerns is unreasonable. The U.S.A. has more than enough laws available to deal with those threats without restricting legitimate uses of model aircraft, especially hobby use. The Model aircraft hobby promotes social connection and supports family values and the hobbyists develop and use skills which demonstrate ingenuity, inventiveness. Attacking hobbies such as the model aircraft hobby through over regulation due to security paranoia is an attack on traditional American and family values, free expression, property rights, etc. What’s next? If the process of restricting and denying the constitutional right of Americans to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness continues as it has, there won’t be any and the U.S.A. will no longer be a society which those living elsewhere want their societies to emulate.
While we need to remain vigilant of the upcoming FAA small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) regulations we also need to remain calm and not get hysterical about it. The FAA is not out to get us hobbyist. They are tasked with regulating a rapidly growing sUAS industry that is closely related to what we do and can have an inadvertent negative impact on us. The inclusion of sUAS in the National Airspace System (NAS) is of concern to the FAA for safety of flight in the NAS and nothing more. We as modelers flying from our designated (chartered club) fields are not a threat to the NAS. Unrestricted sUAS flying in the NAS is a threat to the flying public and needs to be closely regulated. Being able to distinguish between what we do and the uses the new sUAS can and will be allowed to do in the NAS will be difficult but does not spell the end of aviation modeling.
Frank