2017 was an immensely successful year for our AMA Government Affairs team. From engaging with legislators at all levels to championing additional Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) waivers, AMA was actively involved on many fronts to preserve our hobby. Model aviation faced many challenges, as we addressed an increase in government […]
Continue readingHouse of Representatives Passes FAA Reauthorization Act
Today, the House of Representatives passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R.4), a long-term reauthorization of the FAA. We are happy to share that Section 336, also known as the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, is included in this bill with meaningful refinements that we supported to help make […]
Continue readingCommunity Outreach from Homeland Security
We wanted to make you aware that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently contacted AMA concerning the use of nitromethane in gas-powered model aircraft. DHS regulates security at high-risk chemical facilities under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program, which works to reduce the security risks associated with […]
Continue readingAMA Response to Commercial Drone Alliance
AMA’s number one priority is the safety of our nation’s skies. Through Section 336, AMA safely manages 200,000 members – as the organization has done for more than eighty years – freeing up scarce FAA resources to advance commercial drone regulations and other priorities. At the same time, AMA lends […]
Continue readingFAA Authorization Extended to September 30, 2018
The AMA Government Affairs team has worked diligently with Congress to ensure our hobby is protected in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation. On March 23, President Trump signed the omnibus spending bill into law, which includes a six-month extension of FAA authorization, funding the FAA through September 30, 2018. […]
Continue readingGovernment Affairs Update, March 26, 2018
We wanted to share with you a bit of what the AMA Government Affairs team has been up to over the past few weeks, including recent outreach and at the federal, state and local level to advocate for and protect our hobby. Federal Government Relations This month, our team attended […]
Continue readingFPV IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C., SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA (SFRA)
For decades, AMA members have enjoyed our hobby under our programming, whether it’s soaring, aerobatic, or FPV. Although AMA provides robust safety programming to enjoy our hobby, there are situations in which operators might be required to comply with additional rules, such as in the Washington, D.C., Special Flight Rules […]
Continue readingUAS Stakeholders Launch Initiative to Educate Public on Drone Laws, Call for Enforcement
Today, the nation’s leading unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) stakeholders, led by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), launched a new initiative to educate the public about the existing drone laws they must follow and the consequences if they ignore or break the law. The new advertising campaign – Even the […]
Continue readingRaleigh Public Park Drone Policy Nearing Final Approval
Last week, the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department approved a new unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) policy, which regulates the use of drones and model aircraft in the city’s public parks. This policy is headed to the full Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board for final approval, […]
Continue readingGovernment Affairs Update, February 21, 2018
Over the past two weeks, the AMA Government Affairs team has been hard at work representing and protecting the model aircraft hobby at the federal, state and local level. We wanted to share with you some of our work and progress made during the first half of February. State […]
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