UPDATE 3/2/2017: Thanks to everyone’s efforts, an amendment was added to S.B. 111 clarifying that anyone who flies model aircraft for recreation must either comply with SB111 OR the Special Rule For Model Aircraft. The Special Rule For Model Aircraft, sometimes referred to as Section 336 or 14 CFR 101 […]
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Temporary Flight Restrictions and NOTAMS
****NOTAM/TFRs can be found here**** By now we’re guessing most everyone has at least heard the term “TFR” and perhaps even been affected by one. A Temporary Flight Restriction is a type of Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the FAA that defines an area with restricted air travel due to a […]
Continue readingStay clear of Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts
Along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) is urging all model aircraft hobbyists to stay clear of Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts in areas affected by the storm, especially Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Any unauthorized drone or model aircraft operations that interfere […]
Continue readingAs authorities write drone rules, model airplane hobbyists take on the FAA
Check out the recent AMA article from the Carroll County Times. Ian Duncan writes about the effort that “turned the Baltimore County runway where Vail’s club is hosting an air show this weekend — and venues like it across the state and nation — into a battleground. On one side are […]
Continue readingAMA appointed to a high-level advisory committee/team
We are excited to share that AMA has been appointed to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Drone Advisory Committee (DAC). Dave Mathewson, AMA executive director, will represent the AMA as he joins a small group of executive level stakeholders from across the aviation industry to discuss UAS integration into our […]
Continue reading2016 Congress Update
As we approach the July 15th deadline for FAA reauthorization, we wanted to provide a brief update on what’s happening in Congress. Right now, it looks like the House and Senate have agreed to an FAA extension with several policy provisions added. Though it is unknown what these policy provisions […]
Continue readingDrone Safety Pitch Pays Off for Model Aeronautics Group
Check out the recent AMA article from Associations Now!! The Academy of Model Aeronautics’ big challenge has been bringing casual drone users into the fold in terms of drone safety regulations. Here’s how it approached the issue. Rich Hanson and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) had a serious problem […]
Continue readingSeveral Detrimental Provisions Remain in the Senate Bill
Last week we asked you to contact your Senators requesting support of an amendment to resolve provisions in the Senate’s FAA reauthorization bill that could be detrimental to our hobby. Thanks to your efforts over 30,100 letters were sent to Congress. We thank you for your support of the hobby […]
Continue readingComparing bird strikes in the airspace
The US national airspace is home to almost 10 billion birds, a very large number compared to the number of model aircraft which is estimated at a million or less. The Mercatus Center at George Mason University analyzed the data of bird collisions with full scale aircraft. The article then […]
Continue readingDrone Registration Scam Sites
As previously mentioned, shortly after the drone registration task force announced their recommendations to the FAA, fake registration websites began to appear. These sites are scamming model pilots to register in an attempt to steal personal and credit card information. Many of these fake sites look credible or appear to […]
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