On February 8, 2024, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation passed the bipartisan Senate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2023. The legislation includes several provisions to strengthen safety standards and oversight at the FAA and responds to safety concerns from recent aviation accidents and near-misses. […]
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AMA Submits Public Comment to the FAA
The FAA’s Office of Airports is looking to change the definition of “aeronautical activity” and exclude recreational UAS/model aircraft from this definition. This could create an issue with clubs and events that AMA have on airport properties around the country that receive FAA funding because this money is often prohibited […]
Continue readingHow to Use the FAA’s UAS Facility Map to Search for FRIAs
AMA has successfully obtained FRIA status for the majority of our chartered clubs’ flying sites. If you’d like to identify where FRIAs are located across the country, there are a couple of ways you can do that. One option is for members to use AMA’s Club Finder. Click here for […]
Continue readingAMA Secures Higher Altitudes for Sanctioned Events
AMA is happy to share that we have signed a new Letter of Agreement with the FAA to continue to provide higher altitudes for AMA sanctioned events in uncontrolled (Class G) airspace for 2024. The AMA event sanctioning process currently includes an assessment for operations to be approved up to […]
Continue readingClub Finder Updated for FRIA-Approved Club Sites
Many of our clubs have been granted FRIA (FAA-Recognized Identification Area) status for their club’s flying site. We have updated the club finder on our website to reflect which locations have been granted FRIA status, as well as added an option to search for FRIA-approved clubs within a certain mile […]
Continue readingHouse Passes Bill Avoiding Government Shutdown
On September 30, 2023, the House of Representatives passed HB 335-91, which funds the government for 45 more days. The signing of this bill effectively prevents a government shutdown until November 17, 2023. The bill also extends the FAA’s authorities for another three months, or until December 31, 2023. The […]
Continue readingFAA Extends Remote ID Enforcement Date Six Months
As AMA anticipated, the FAA has announced they are extending the Remote ID enforcement date by six months. Radio Controlled Operators now have until March 16, 2024 before they will have to comply with the rule. This extension provides the FAA more time to approve FRIA applications and manufacturers the […]
Continue readingFRIA and Remote ID Update
Although the deadline to comply with Remote ID requirements is just days away, there are still hundreds of FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) applications waiting to be reviewed by the FAA and broadcast modules are backordered and overpriced. This leaves AMA members and hobbyists across the country wondering, “How exactly am […]
Continue readingFAA Reauthorization – What Does It Mean?
As we move closer to a new FAA Reauthorization bill, many hobbyists are left wondering what this means for model aircraft operations. Congress authorizes the FAA to create rules, fund and develop initiatives, and implement specific programs. This authorization expires every one to five years and requires Congress to reauthorize […]
Continue readingAMA Invited to UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee
AMA is honored to have been invited and accepted an invitation to be part of the FAA’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). As a member of the ARC, AMA will help make recommendations to the FAA on how to best integrate counter-UAS technologies across the United States […]
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