CESSNA 421

My Feedback: (17)

The Senate recently passed their version of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016 and surely the House will approve it in the near future. This means radio controlled model aviation as we know it is over. The cost to certify a model plane or model plane design will be so cost prohibitive that only people with the assets of DonaldTtrump will be able to get them certified. The question at hand is what are you going to do after model planes?

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Disagree. The end of the hobby has been forecasted for years now, it's just not going to happen. Keep building (or buying), keep flying, and keep having fun.

CESSNA 421

My Feedback: (17)

I hope you are correct porcia83, however this is the first time in our modeling history that the US government has take such an active role in trying to destroy our hobby. Please provide you thoughts on why in light of recent events that our hobby will survive.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

At my age, personally not concerned over what happens to anything that I own. Already had one heart attack and sure as hell not going to have another one over some damn model airplanes.

I still have a gas powered model off shore racing boat. Can always get back into racing RC cars. Will continue to shoot trap/skeet. Just took a 4th place in a target rifle event. Still ride my motorcycle once in awhile. Wife likes to take rides in our classic Corvette.

Think my life will end if I can not fly an RC model ? Sincerely think not and hope nobody else's does either !

But again " Personally " I do not think that the average RC Model Airplane Hobbyist has anything to be concerned about for quite some time to come.

BUT !!! I've told people this all my life > NOTHING LASTS FOREVER !

And even if the end does come for RC Model Airplanes, I sincerely hope that folks know that their is more to life than just this hobby !

P.S. Forgot to add that I started a new hobby over a year ago and that is using lathes, sanding tools, finishes, etc, to make " Wooden Ball Point Pens " .

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Sure, I'll try!

I agree this is the first time the feds have been involved to this degree, but this degree of technology and the involvement of commercial use (and the safety implications) have never been an issue before.

First, I don't accept the premise that the govt is doing anything to affirmatively destroy our hobby. I don't find the FAA some power hungry govt agency either, they certainly have bigger fish to fry (Nexgen, flying routes, safety among others). Given the recent explosion of the MRs...specifically for commercial use, the FAA had no choice but to enter into this issue and attempt to establish some controls. They cast a wide net for one "fish", and we are the smaller "fish" that's been caught in the net. It's hard, but not impossible for them to make exceptions for us, which they already have (which I would add was a direct result of the AMA efforts. Yes, I know some disagree with their efforts, but the fact is they are the only ones looking out for our interests.

I welcome the FAA being involved, not because of the collateral issues brought on the hobby, but because the alternative scares the heck out of me. The alternative is Google, Intel (way more involved in this than most know), Amazon, and Walmart filling the air with thousands these things all the search for market share and profits. We are in the age of instant gratification (guilty as charged sometimes) and even overnight delivery isn't enough, we need our Amazon Prime purchase delivered immediately. Amazon has already started positioning themselves for this, we have two huge warehouses open in little 'old CT...with Amazon Retail locations not far behind. Left unchecked and unregulated, history is filled with one example after another of what side of safety big corps are on versus profit.

The issue now is how does our hobby get exceptions carved out for us. What will it take to get the FAA to see that someone scratch building a P-51 shouldn't have to get the air frame certified, or the pilot licenses. That's a far cry from a pro photographer with a huge 30 pound camera laden MR flying around populated areas taking video shots for a movie. We've seen a few exceptions carved out for us and I'm confident we'll see more. It's a slow process getting the Feds to change something that is in place right?

I don't know why the Feds would take a sudden interest in "destroying the hobby" after 80 years of the hobby being around, and with impeccable safety standards and results. Where would the motive be for this? How would this benefit the feds? If they wanted to gut the hobby, it would have been gutted already. All the fields in the VA/DC area would have been closed permanently, and rules and regs put in place to make flying for the rest of us untenable.

I still see the glass as half full, other than the registration, nothing has changed that anyone can point to that has dramatically affected the way our hobby operates. Yes, there is always "but the future is unclear". Events are still going on, clubs are still active, etc etc.

My .02cents and then some.

raptureboy

I highly doubt it will come to an end. somewhere I'm sure the industry is quietly lining the pockets of some congressman to go their way. Even so how will they find enough FAA agents to go chasing down every model and ask to show proof you didn't build it from a old kit. This could possibly drive up the price of old kits though if they grandfather existing models.

rgburrill

What am I going to do after model planes? Take a nap.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

If model planes ever became too difficult to do because of regulations, fees, etc. I would spend more time touring the National Parks and beaches in the USA, Mexico and Canada. More time fishing, restoring stereo equipment, street rodding [would like to do a Model A street rod], improve my beer brewing, return to CONTROL LINE FLYING and for once force myself to do a nice, 5 minute STUNT PATTERN over asphalt with "rule book" 5 foot pullouts over terra firma.
More time spent at a health club swimming and postponing arthritis instead of spending countless hours in the workshop creating arthritis sounds like a good plan to follow, too.
I've never learned how to use my machine tools to their fullest capabilities either, so some night classes at the JC would be worthwhile.
There are just too many things to list to do other than flying RC day in and day out.

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

I'm not buying and not building until the issue gets resolved. Greatly disappointed in the AMA. Read the latest council meeting minutes. Mostly FPV and drones.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

This is correct and we can always purchase RTF Multi Rotors ................ LOL

CESSNA 421

My Feedback: (17)

I have had a long and pleasurable modeling experience, I won the nationals a couple of times and many local contests when I was younger and decided competition flying was like pro bowling it takes too much time and effort to stay sharp. If we are legislated out of the hobby I have had my enjoyment and will move on to other things. I really have little concern over what happens it's just the principal that irks me.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Feel the same as you and also same line of thinking that the US Government should stay the hell out of a RC Model Airplane " HOBBY ".
I would think that they have more important things to be doing in Washington !

pkoury

My Feedback: (7)

Model planes will be around for quite a while. Free flight and control line do not come under the new sUAS and UAS regulations, FWIW neither does indoor RC models.
I have been in the hobby for a long time and if the future you envision ever comes to pass I will do whatever it takes to keep on flying my large outdoor RC airplanes.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Are you talking about these notes?

http://www.modelaircraft.org/aboutam...ecminutes.aspx

Not mostly about FPV or drones unless there is an addendum. The issues surrounding them are certainly noted, as I would think would be expected. If not, members would complain that the issue wasn't being addressed.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Great points, although I don't see the demise on the hobby coming, there are certainly other aspects of the hobby that aren't affected. Taking the prior building skills and showing a new generation how to do it could be a great way to pass on the skills. Free flight and indoor models are certainly viable as well.

And, as Combat noted, lots of other stuff too....

CESSNA 421

My Feedback: (17)

What I am writing about I know is all speculation however it would be nice to know how others feel about these issues. The part that scares me most is the FAA getting involved in the certification of our model planes. If model airplane designers and/or builders are required to submit completed models for certification this will be expensive. I'm sure most FAA personnel know very little about the design and flight characteristic of model airplanes and that will certainly affect their judgment in what models are considered safe and could hinder the certification process. Please feel free to comment.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Personally and I do mean " Personally ", I do not think that the FAA will ever have the personnel, knowledge, time or budget to be involved with design and certification of RC Model Airplanes.

After chatting with some friends employed in the FAA, they have all stated that they want nothing to do with the model airplane situation.

rgburrill

If we had policed ourselves and kept RC as a hobby we wouldn't be in this situation. But too many thought "let them have their fun" when learning about FPV pilots flying 20 or miles BLOS. After all, they were in the wide open spaces. Or when they started FPV in cities and college campuses to many thought "it's no big deal." How many of you screamed bloody murder when the AMA started thinking about allowing FPV under certain situations? That didn't happen overnight and most of you ignored it. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. That's what happened here. And the FAA had to step in to try to keep the skies safe.

rgburrill

Congress got involved first. Some weenies with no RC experience decided that RC had run amok. Remember that exercise last year when the FAA asked for industry support in developing regulations for registration? Initially it was aimed at BLOS, especially for commercial users. But the "industry" decided that the problem of BLOS could not be quantified but hazardous operation around groups of people could be - i.e. us at the flying field. That triggered not just registration for everyone but and oversight of a hobby that had been successfully operation for many years.

Silent-AV8R

The House has their own version, which they have not yet voted on with the full House. It is much more friendly to model aircraft and basically preserves everything Section 336 had in it. Once the Houses passes their own version in a final vote, then it goes to a Conference Committee made up of people from both the House and the Senate to hash out a final, identical, bill. So it is far from a done deal and there is no reason to thing that either version will prevail as is right now. It has to go through the sausage factory that is a Conference Committee.

Here's a good summary of where we are and what remains to be done:

http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/ama...-in-the-house/

chuckk2

The FAA - - - If it flies it is in airspace. We control airspace.
If it's not specifically allowed, it's forbidden.
Ergo Sum Est!

Fish07

LOL,i agree with GRANPOOPA.same here to ,

ltc

My Feedback: (3)

I find it hard to believe that I will wake up one morning to discover that traditional RC flying (fixed wing line of sight) is illegal/banned.
Fees, registrations, rules ... Sure, no problem.

Chris P. Bacon

My Feedback: (4)

What are you going to do after model planes?

More model aircraft. The more things change, the more things stay the same.

radfordc

My Feedback: (14)

Total BS! After model planes I plan to die peacefully.