Originally Posted by
mongo
this argument had been had more than once in these forums, and it really has never been proven to be a bad thing.
the executive council looked it over and decided to allow it as an AMA covered event, so, if you want to change that, lobby those guys.
If safety is the issue, paintball ranks way down the list of common hazards in model airplane operations. On a higher rung is the geezer that hasn't flown for at least the past 2 decades, having spent all his modeling time scratch-building a 40% Brewster Buffalo. Now it's ready for the maiden flight before the gathered throng at the 4th of July club picnic, and he has even spliced some replacement NiCd cells into his Heathkit R/C transmitter battery in making ready for that glorious occasion. Fess up, you know this guy or someone very much of the same ilk. Would you rather be on the flightline with him or the guys plinking at an old foamie trainer with paintballs?
If I had my druthers, AMA would can their whoopdedo for commercial and public UAS, and leave the model airplane paintballers be. Heck sanction modelers for pelting non-model UAS with paintballs, pumpkin cannons, scatterguns, T-shirts or what else AA flak they choose.
cj