This was a busy week for AMA President Bob Brown who spent two days in Washington, DC working on behalf of the AMA membership. On June 26th, Bob represented the AMA at a meeting of all United States Air Sport Organizations (ASOs) under the auspices of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The NAA is the governing body of all air sports in the US. A number of topics were discussed that were of interest to the hobby of model aeronautics. A major topic discussed was the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, and the future of the relationships it holds with the NAA and all ASOs.
On June 27th, Bob Brown and AMA’s Government and Regulatory Affairs representative, Rich Hanson, met with the staffs of several members of the US House of Representatives to discuss the value of model aviation as an outstanding example of a recreational and educational activity in this country. President Brown also spoke to the fact that model aviation, likely more than any other aviation-related activity, is the perfect breeding ground for the next generation of aviation and aerospace engineers. He pointed out the importance of the future of the aviation industry and the necessity for young people to carry on the tradition of excellence in aviation that this country is known for. AMA believes that model aviation provides that resource to the industry.
While in Washington, Bob had the opportunity to visit with Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe and his staff to thank the team for their strong support in introducing an amendment to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to help protect model aviation from overbearing and unnecessary regulation. “The senator has been a great advocate for AMA and all aeromodelers and we sincerely appreciate his efforts on our behalf,” said President Brown.
To learn more about the current status of the FAA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and impending FAA regulation please visit the AMA Government Relations section of the Academy of Model Aeronautic’s website.
Thank God for you AMA, and Bob Brown…and all who support AMA! It’s a shame what’s become of our world and our diminishing freedoms here in the USA. But because of the diligence and very hard work by the “STRONG voices” of AMA for preserving our sport, we can still fly our planes and enjoy this amazingly exhilarating hobby!!
Standing ovation to all of you!!! and THANKKKKKKS!!! SO MUCH!!! Sandy Gilkey, Orlando FL, member AMA
Could not have said it better!…..
With the delay of NPRM is this a Washington politic move to cram it down our throats during election time when the membership attention is on the election?
I’m not naive enough to think politics isn’t coming into play in the sUAS NPRM issue, but my bet is the NPRM will not be released until after the presidential election.
Rich Hanson
AMA Government and Regulatory Affairs
Of course, Rich…..our lifelong hobby is in the hands of bureaucrats….
give ’em hell, Rich
I think we’re pretty small potatoes for the government at large to conspire to cram anything down our throats while we’re not looking, and besides, the AMA IS paying attention to what’s going on in Washington regarding model aviation. We can be grateful for that.
The Federal Government has become a regulatory factory putting out regulations hand over fist on the American people. I fear that my right to fly R/C will go the way of Venzuala if we don’t watch out. I’m glad we have leaders who care about R/C flying.
Thank you for keeping our hopes and dreams alive!!! Hopefully this will go through and all aeromodellers’s future will be secured!! Que viva el aeromodelismo!!
To the AMA Officers and Board Members, my grateful thanks for your work in dealing with the Government Agencies who would burden the AMA with unecisary resrictions to our enjoyment of model flying.
So often these things happen out of “after thought” or “response to inappropriate
action”, or “a threat to the nation”. I am grateful to the leasdership of AMA for their thoughtful hard work, backed by sensible and reasonable thinking, and cool heads.
To often we tend to react in less careful thinking.
I do not fly much any more but still love to build. As a Canadian living in the US, I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the great modelers of both countries, and have
built many of the models they designed.
Therefore, as one who has enjoyed the work and care of others in our hobby. my grateful thanks!!!
Les Harding(93186)
I believe that the only way we made an impression on the gov. was in our staying
concerned and adding our collective voice’s to the need for them to listen to
reason over fear and politics about sUAS over the USA .
We have always used our hobby for the betterment of the young and old alike !
It is a sad thing when you even have to worry about breaking a law doing something as obscure as flying a model airplane. It started with kicking model airplanes off the schoolgrounds and went on from there.
Yes, the AMA has really been a help to all model airplane hobbiests but I must point out, when the dust settles it’s a great possibility the only place you will be able to fly anything except a paper airplane will be on an AMA sanctioned field.
This is not intended to cast a negative light on the AMA as they are working for the best interests of our hobby.
It is simply said to point out we are about to loose yet more of our freedoms such as simply tossing a hand crafted sailplane off an isolated slope in the middle of nowhere just to see it fly.
Technology and security has finally surpassed our freedom. Just a sign of the times and the end of an age I guess.
I have been a member since somewhere around 1980 and think this organization is one of the best! Our rights to fly depends upon the AMA and the FAA and our personal contrubutions to ourselves…..Let’s keep this as a sport and a hobby, I really enjoy this hobby!! My AMA# is Loveflyn I really love this sport and have lots of friends that also have fallen for this (HOBBY) Love you all CUZ
I could see this one coming a mile away. Putting a propeller on a camera and then mass marketing it to the public and there not eventually be some draconian reaction from a government regulatory agency? These “camera platforms” are not and will never be model aircraft, but now we modelers are going to bear the brunt of this. Its hard enough to try and get a flying site, whats a land owner or municipality that was considering allowing a local club to create a flying site going to react after this?