On Thursday, December 18, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a Full Committee Markup meeting to hear several legislation proposals for comments and markup before they go to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote. Among the resolutions considered was H.R. 6460, which has been championed by AMA because we work with Congress […]
Continue readingAMA Advocacy in Action: H.R. 6460
AMA is excited to share the introduction of a new bill which represents the efforts on AMA’s part to continue delivering greater flexibility and tangible improvements for our community. As members may recall, AMA secured higher altitude ceilings for AMA club fields in uncontrolled (Class G) airspace in April 2025 […]
Continue readingShutdown of United States Government
On October 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m., the US government shut down because of congressional gridlock over questions of federal funding. Essential services related to airspace safety will continue to operate during this period, but AMA members might experience some minor disruptions, depending on how quickly the shutdown is resolved. […]
Continue readingOngoing Airspace Authorization Renewals
By Lucas Rodden, Government Affairs manager | lucasr@modelaircraft.org The AMA staff continues to facilitate Airspace Authorization renewals. This marks the first major wave of renewals since the FAA instituted the current process in 2022. A recap of an Airspace Authorization’s function is provided below. While renewals are progressing smoothly, it […]
Continue readingFAA Publication on Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Operations
On August 5, 2025, the FAA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the subject of beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations. BVLOS flights allow a pilot to operate a model beyond the range where the model could be observed and piloted safely with the naked eye through the aid […]
Continue readingAirspace Authorizations and Appreciating Our Hobby
By Lucas Rodden, Government Affairs Manager | lucasr@modelaircraft.org WITH ANOTHER SUMMER flying season well underway, some members and club officers should be attentive to their records, depending on the class of airspace in which they fly. Many sites operate within controlled airspace, utilizing a Fixed-Site Airspace Authorization, a process that […]
Continue readingFAA Releases Updated Advisory Circular AC 91-57D: What You Need to Know
The FAA recently released Advisory Circular (AC) 91-57D, replacing the previous version, AC 91-57C. While this latest update is largely administrative in nature, it also incorporates updates resulting from the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, particularly as it relates to recreational UAS operations. These changes reflect continued efforts to refine and […]
Continue readingSenate Commerce Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing for New FAA Administrator
On June 11, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation held a confirmation hearing for the President’s nominee for FAA Administrator, Bryan Bedford, who was previously the CEO of Republic Airways, a regional airline headquartered in Indianapolis. AMA Executive Director Tyler Dobbs was in attendance for the confirmation […]
Continue readingAddressing Executive Orders on UAS June 9, 2025
On Friday, June 6, the White House released two executive orders concerning Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The first executive order focuses on UAS integration into the National Airspace System and investigating security measures to protect critical infrastructure. The second executive order takes steps to accelerate the commercialization of US drone […]
Continue readingNational Altitude Authorization Briefing
AMA Members, If you fly at an AMA field that’s part of the national altitude extension in Class G airspace released in April of 2025, there are important rules you need to follow—especially when flying above 400 feet. These guidelines help our fields continue operating safely and legally under the […]
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