RE: AMA President speaks about AP and UA
That article boils my blood. It's grouping RC aerials with flying unmanned models above 10,000 feet and saying the FAA must be contacted to do commercial aerial work. Wow! Talk about stretching and mixing all aspects together to protect the commercial rights of full size aircraft which perform commercial aerials! However, I do agree with Dave's take on the bragger. There are always a few jackasses that try to ruin things for the responsible majority. Not many share this idiot's risky hobby of "flying with the big boys". It's just plan foolish! Unfortunately, this is the only point I agree on in the article.
The AMA explicitly states commercial work is NOT covered. Yet, Mr Brown is asking us to contact the FAA to obtain certification of our planes. UA a new classification for what? All RC planes manned or unmanned? This makes no sense! I know for fact the FAA doesn't care about RC planes flying at any altitude. There have been world altitude record attempts in which the FAA was contacted numerous times and they stated if the plane weighs less than a duck or a goose... it's not a concern or a problem. This sounds like an attempt to eliminate RC aerial business because the full size guys are worried we can do it better and cheaper than they can. Well get use to it. Technology changes and enables people to do things differently and more efficiently.
Maybe it's time for us to setup our own "AMA" organization for Commercial RC Aerials! Dave Brown can not speak for us simply because we use RC planes. Nor does it sound he is attempting to help in any way. Although I am an active member... he is not looking out for my rights. I currently don't belong to a club... why did I send the AMA any money?
What in the world is the difference if we fly for fun and capture aerials or do it to earn a living? No difference, the act of flying and capturing video is the same. The only difference is we will be meeting/supplying a need for low cost low altitude aerials. The sentence Dave Brown wrote, "I'd contact the Washington DC, office and ask for the people involved in "Unmanned Aircraft" rather than going to the local FAA people who might be prone to misinterpretations or simply having no knowledge of these situations". Dave's article was very vague and served no useful purpose other than inciting a riot! Yeah right Dave... call Washington and ask them about the UA? Wouldn't that be the same as walking down the street of Baghdad at midnight screaming "I'm an American, does anyone want to come out and play?" Or, yelling fire in a theater... come on. I can't take you serious when you make such a foolish statement which will only generate more fear and controversy concerning commercial RC aerials. You want us to draw attention to our plans to perform commercial RC aerials. Of course, if you ask for regulation... the government will give it to you. I don't fly irresponsibly, nor do I fly above 400 feet, and I never fly unmanned! Until I am told by the FAA that I am in violation of something or another... I will continue perform commercial RC aerials.
Here's where I can be reached:
Robert Lehman
PO Box 1583
Appleton, WI 54912 - 1583
I do have a concern about RC planes. I attempted to raise the issue with all the powers that be. Nobody returned my inquires. I developed a system to defeat an inbound RC plane carrying a payload into a crowd. The real problem is with the people wanting to do us harm, not with the people wanting to use RC as a hobby or an aerial RC business.