June 22, 2021, UPDATED TRUST INFORMATION:
The AMA has now been approved to administer The Recreational UAS Safety Test, or TRUST. AMA has worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ensuring that TRUST meets the intent of Congress without placing an undue burden on our hobby community.
Since 1936, the AMA has been dedicated to the hobby of model aviation, to educational programming, and safety in the airspace. We are offering the TRUST to the entire community of model aviation enthusiasts free of charge.
Visit modelaircraft.org/trust for more information.
February 22, 2021, the FAA released information regarding the next step of implementation of the Recreational Knowledge and Safety Test. This step includes the application process for organizations interested in serving as test administrators for The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST). AMA is currently evaluating this information and will continue to provide updates when available.
On October 5, 2018, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 was signed into law. It included a requirement for all recreational UAS users to pass a knowledge and safety test in order to operate a recreational model aircraft within the National Airspace System (NAS).
While working with the FAA, AMA has advocated for our members since the testing mandate, ensuring that the test meets the intent of Congress without placing an undue burden on our hobby. In the spring of 2019, AMA met with UAS stakeholders and the FAA, hosting a roundtable discussion to lay out the guidelines and administration of the knowledge and safety test, as well as develop the questions included on the test. In September 2019, AMA sent a request for information to officially declare our interest in becoming a test administrator. AMA is advocating that the test be available both online and in a written format at fixed locations, such as an AMA site, to ensure that all members are easily able to take the test.
AMA expects that the test will more closely resemble a guided checklist of things to know before you fly, rather than a typical test that most are familiar with. Early indications show that the test will have approximately 25 multiple-choice questions about basic safety guidelines and recreational flying knowledge that most members will already know. If a member misses a question, he or she will be able to go back and reselect an answer until the response is correct. This way, the test is fail-proof and guarantees that every recreational user will be able to complete and pass the test. The is designed to bring safety awareness to the airspace and not to exclude recreational users from operating in the NAS.
It is important to understand that there is no new requirement for users at this time. However, the announcement of the application process for test administrators shows that the FAA is making progress and recreational users should expect to see the test sometime in 2021.
To remain current with the most recent government-related news, regularly visit the AMA’s Government Affairs blog.
If you have any further questions, contact the Government Affairs team at (765) 287-1256 or amagov@modelaircraft.org.