District 9 AMA leadership meeting

[Dave_Trible]

Today I attended a five hour lunch meeting here near my home in Lenexa, Ks.  I was going to report on this in my Stunt News column but that issue is a ways out and this will be very old news by then.
Present were actually the AMA VPs from both District IX and VI with four AVPs also there.  Two leader members from each club in the districts were invited and amounted hto about 60 altogether.  CL had three clubs from Witchita, Topeka and KC as well as the KC free flight group.  The balance were RC clubs.  Topics covered ranged from some programs and ideas to get kids into the hobby,  insurance coverage issues,  a little encouragement about more contests and getting some new CDs signed up.  As Jim Tiller,  DIX VP said, the elephants in the room was the drone issue.  Jim is on the commitee working this and has been in DC talking to the FAA and the lawyers.  He said firstly that he believes CL without electronics don't need to be registered.  He said the AMA was just one of 24 seats at the table and had very little say about anything.  He said there are only a few small points the AMA could sue over and win but the year of litigation and cost of the lawyers would make a battle too costly for whatever gain could be had.  He also pointed out that using AMA numbers for registration won't fly because the FAA people would require its data base be integrated to the AMA base and that's a non- starter.  I expressed my concern about the marriage of the drone culture and AMA.  He said that being an older modeller he understood the concern and personally had similar concerns but AMAs position is that 1. They want to place themselves as the responsible leadership in these affairs and. 2.  They see it as a growth opportunity as the youth who take up the drones will get exposure to the rest of the hobby and become regular modellers.  As much of our membership is aging out they hope it brings a new generation.
This is the jest of the meeting and it was really nice to meet others who I normally wouldn't.  I befriended a very accomplished RC pattern flyer who came from Venezuela and once flew CL.  We are going to buddy up on my trainers soon and maybe convert him......(boy spellcheck s&##s!)

[Dave_Trible]

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[Brett Buck]

I expressed my concern about the marriage of the drone culture and AMA.  He said that being an older modeller he understood the concern and personally had similar concerns but AMAs position is that 1. They want to place themselves as the responsible leadership in these affairs and. 2.  They see it as a growth opportunity as the youth who take up the drones will get exposure to the rest of the hobby and become regular modellers.  As much of our membership is aging out they hope it brings a new generation.

   This is exactly the problem with "marketers". Growing by destroying what you have built for something else that might be better might is a risk that should be taken by a business, but the AMA *is not a business*, nor should it be.

    Brett

[Dennis Adamisin]

Dave:
Thanks for the report.  In an aging organization like AMA a case could be made for seeking out younger members.  However I think AMA shot itself in the foot by saying "we want the drone flyers", then turning around and saying "we need legislation because we aren't drone flyers".

Brett's point is spot-on; AMA is taking the path that the best way to grow the organization is by throwing it all away and starting over.

Every crisis has within it an opportunity, we need to figure out what that is...

[Fred Cronenwett]

I fly CL scale with the 2.4 Ghz throttle and I have registered so I am covered. there needs to be something published by the AMA that clearly states that CL without electronics does not need to register but if you fly with 2.4 Ghz controls (this includes CL stunt, scale and carrier) you need to register. I have seen lots of different opinions and statements on this. I sent the committee this exact question but never heard back.

I realize that any formal law is never clear but a statement by the AMA about registering with the FAA if you use 2.4 GHz in CL would be helpful.

Fred

[Dan McEntee]

   Even at this late date it's still a grey area on C/L registering and I find that amazing! I had a discussion with Sean Elliott (an EAA VP who posed the question to his FAA contacts) and was told that ANYTHING that was over a half a pound was an aircraft and subject to the new rules. I still find it appalling that they just don't address the actual problem and that is the quadcopter operators and the potential commercial users. That is the actual problem. There has been FAR MORE problems with laser pointers aimed at aircraft and nothing is being done about that unless they happen to catch the perpetrator. Sometimes they do. But that begs the question, why don't they register all laser pointers!!!? I'll register my models when the register laser pointers. That may seem like a petty answer to some but is giant in it's validity. The same thing with kites or even Frisbees and boomerangs! They all fly and are capable of bringing down an airplane. The FAA should just wake up, get over themselves. and go back to the job they know best and that is the regulation of full sized aircraft.
   Thanks for the report Dave. Hope to see you at the Topeka Contest.
   Dan McEntee

[Dave_Trible]

Fred, despite what is being said I read right off the FAA registration website " all tethered and  non-tethered UAS systems (unmanned  aircraft systems) operating in the NAS must be registered."  One of the issues AMA was trying to get around was the FAA classifying our models as UAS.  FAA won't budge on it.  We fly UAS.  The statement is written in clear Kings English to me.

Dave

[Dave_Trible]

   Even at this late date it's still a grey area on C/L registering and I find that amazing! I had a discussion with Sean Elliott (an EAA VP who posed the question to his FAA contacts) and was told that ANYTHING that was over a half a pound was an aircraft and subject to the new rules. I still find it appalling that they just don't address the actual problem and that is the quadcopter operators and the potential commercial users. That is the actual problem. There has been FAR MORE problems with laser pointers aimed at aircraft and nothing is being done about that unless they happen to catch the perpetrator. Sometimes they do. But that begs the question, why don't they register all laser pointers!!!? I'll register my models when the register laser pointers. That may seem like a petty answer to some but is giant in it's validity. The same thing with kites or even Frisbees and boomerangs! They all fly and are capable of bringing down an airplane. The FAA should just wake up, get over themselves. and go back to the job they know best and that is the regulation of full sized aircraft.
   Thanks for the report Dave. Hope to see you at the Topeka Contest.
   Dan McEntee

Hello Dan.  We posted at the same time.  Hope to see you soon too but Topeka lost its field to a water park.  The spring contest is likely not happening.  Jim Lee called yesterday and said they are looking a new venue or two but these will be grass and not ready for any contest soon.  We are playing with the idea of having a fun-fly at my new field here in Shawnee on that date.  Perhaps may hold the annual Classic Stunt event on my field as well.  It's very nice grass but the racing events are surely out.  See you soon somewhere.

Dave

[Dan McEntee]

Fred, despite what is being said I read right off the FAA registration website " all tethered and  non-tethered UAS systems (unmanned  aircraft systems) operating in the NAS must be registered."  One of the issues AMA was trying to get around was the FAA classifying our models as UAS.  FAA won't budge on it.  We fly UAS.  The statement is written in clear Kings English to me.

Dave

     Well by previous definition, the National Air Space is above 400 feet! I think it reads something like unless you are departing from or arriving at an airport, all aircraft must maintain altitude above 400 feet. models must operate under that. I only fly on 70 foot lines for the most part and even with a transmitter for scale throttle, that is of no threat to anyone. I know I'm preaching to the choir but this illegal over reach of authority just really pisses me off, especially when there is a LAW on the books passed by Congress to the contrary.   
     And when the next "hoola hoop" comes along to catch peoples fancy a lot of this will dry up and blow away. It just won't happen fast enough.
     Thanks for the update on Top Class, Dave. Sorry to hear they are having flying site problems. I though they were on a pretty good footing at that site. Just what the world needs, another water park that is only in use for 4 months out of the year!!
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Dave_Trible]

Dan there is a story on Forbes.com explaining how the FAA (due to drones) lowered the NAS to just off the grass.  This was also approved by the NTSB.

Dave

There was a brief mention of this yesterday.  Seems it may have been a reaction to Amazon's (and others) wanting to use the airspace for commerce.

[Steve Hines]

Everyone says that young people in the hobby, but they don't like what the younger people like. The older guys just want to keep there power, and tell people what they should like and don't like. Just look at when doc stepped down did they put a younger person in the spot? Why would you put a old person back in there? Did they ask somebody younger? I would bet that this was done to keep the balance of power where they wanted it.

Young people don't what to hang out with older guys. We had a cook out at the camper at the nats last year, 4 of the kid of the 7 were there. How much do you think we seen them or talked to them. I know first hand what it like to become irrelevant, Samantha wants less and less to do with me. Same thing at work, got all the new jouney men trained up and now it time for me to let go. I'm glad things are going this way, I don't want to be in charge. The way I was raised to be in charge was to be the biggest servant. I don't want to be a sevant any more, but I don't do things for the power.

Steve

[Dan McEntee]

Dan there is a story on Forbes.com explaining how the FAA (due to drones) lowered the NAS to just off the grass.  This was also approved by the NTSB.

Dave

There was a brief mention of this yesterday.  Seems it may have been a reaction to Amazon's (and others) wanting to use the airspace for commerce.

   The Amazon thing is one of the biggest hoaxes pulled on the American people that I have seen! It was the best free advertising that anyone could get! It is an impossible to execute operation simply by the logistics involved. The drones they spec out only have a very limited range. They are claiming some ridiculous short amount of time from order to delivery. There would have to be literally dozens of fully stocked Amazon warehouses in every major city they planned to operate these things in. The cost of the service would be impossible to make it feasible in my opinion. I think it will NEVER happen and never was intended to happen.
   As far as the NAS thing, if that is true, then the trees on my property and the roof of my house violate the National Air Space rule.  Or a golf ball, baseball or football in flight! It's a like some ridiculous scam!
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[Dave_Trible]

This is where the weight rules come in.  They said they determined an 8 ounce object traveling at 100 mph could kill somebody so this became the criteria for the lower limit.

Dave

[john e. holliday]

Everyone says that young people in the hobby, but they don't like what the younger people like. The older guys just want to keep there power, and tell people what they should like and don't like. Just look at when doc stepped down did they put a younger person in the spot? Why would you put a old person back in there? Did they ask somebody younger? I would bet that this was done to keep the balance of power where they wanted it.

Young people don't what to hang out with older guys. We had a cook out at the camper at the nats last year, 4 of the kid of the 7 were there. How much do you think we seen them or talked to them. I know first hand what it like to become irrelevant, Samantha wants less and less to do with me. Same thing at work, got all the new jouney men trained up and now it time for me to let go. I'm glad things are going this way, I don't want to be in charge. The way I was raised to be in charge was to be the biggest servant. I don't want to be a sevant any more, but I don't do things for the power.

Steve

   

Thanks Dave for the report.  Now Steve,  I have tried for several years to get a younger person to take my position.  Now when Keith decided to relocate it meant he would have to give up his chairmans position.   I was glad to step down and let him have.   Our District IX VP knew about it as well as several others on the district list.   So don't think any thing was done under the table.