porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

And so how are you holding them accountable? With the nonstop criticism of their every move, all the while mentioning how you won't be part of them soon enough? Do you think that comments on this site, in these threads is going to do anything? I haven't read one comment from any of the chronic detractors that seemed to indicate they were doing anything proactive or meaningful to try make some changes. Just the same tired mantra of anti government, anti ama, and curiously now anti rule comments (ie:hell no I won't register). Tons and tons of excuses why everyone can't get involved, but plenty of time to join in on the online punditry.

rcmiket

How do we get involved? Voting,emailing,phone calls. Realistically we all can't run for office can we? This is my hobby not my life we elect those who we feel can do the best job. Unfortunately since we have such low participation the guy with the most friends will win. A majority of AMA members don't give a crap about anything but that they need the AMA due to club requirements. Bottom line, nothing will change ( right this moment) but those of us that do care share the same frustration and keep on pushing. If the present course continues than maybe more will start questioning the organizations position on some of this stuff. You seem to think not many here are unhappy with the organization but there are more than you think. Since your happy with the AMA direction everything is wonderful correct?
Mike

franklin_m

First, criticism wouldn't be so easy if they made better decisions....after all, even you agreed the press release was bad compared to DJIs. The $1,000,000 spend on government affairs seems to have gotten us language in a law that, in the end, really doesn't do much. Now they're spending even more money on a Federal lawsuit (probably not cheap). Questioning is entirely appropriate when that kind of money is being spent.

As for getting involved, I offered to help them set up an ops data collection process to develop leading indicators designed to counter the growing pile of FAA data ... no response. I offered to do a free analysis of their operational safety program, no response. Running for a popularity contest so I can be one vote against 11 or more? Not worth my time.

Organizational change in something this size requires an acknowledgement by top management they need to change, a commitment by that top management to do the things necessary to change, top management that holds subordinates accountable for changing to the new way of thinking, and time. But it starts at the top. They have yet to realize that despite their best efforts, their work does not appear to have been tremendously effective. But given they're not changing.

So AMA gets their participation trophy and sits by and watches while other groups drive the outcome

jatoRC

I buy stuff from the LHS and the net. The problem is the LHS only sells what they have not always want I want. Sure they might be able to order it but why would I pay more for something they ordered when I can order it myself.

I try and order most of my parts from the LHS, but they just don't keep parts in stock even for the items they sell.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Originally Posted by N410DC
Though this idea make sense, as I said before, the FAA would counter this argument by saying that an sUAV at a designated R/C flying site could malfunction in such a way the pilot looses control of the aircraft. This could cause the sUAV to crash into a building/person, enter restricted airspace, fly too close to an airport, etc. If this were to happen, the FAA and/or local law enforcement will need to identify the pilot via. the registration number.

These kinds of "fly-aways" are uncommon at established flying sites, given the fail safe and "return-to-home" features that are now commonly available. Many pilots configure their fail safe features to cut the power to the engine/motor and/or fly in circles after radio contact is lost. Many multirotor aircraft are setup, straight out of the box, to automatically return to home and land (or just descend and land) after loss of radio contact. However, very few, if any, FAA bureaucrats are aware of these features. They are therefore likely to put too much stock into the "we,,..itcould happen" argumen
Again the Registration number would still be in the craft for Identification in the scenario of a fly away. The registration number ON The Outside of the Craft is so they can Identify the Pilot or who owns it in the case of a Infraction where the authorities do not recover the remains.

Just as a point of interest Here in AZ we are in an area where the road to the West is .53 miles & .46 miles to the East and .42 miles to the south and 1.1 miles to the North East. A couple days ago we had a guy loose his plane because he let it get too far away and finally found just the wing .51 miles to the West on the shoulder of the road. Another 160' it would have hit a house. Now that's a fly away.
This summer in WI one of our Instructor Pilots lost his plane in High winds when the battery came loose and caused the plane to be teail heavu. He tried to get it back but it disappeared. Next day a guy called the telephone number and asked if anyone lost a plane. When we checked Google Maps it was 4300' to the WSW in this guys back yard under his apple tree. Amazingly it had 1 little hole in the wing covering.
My point fly aways do happen for one reason or another but aving the R Number on the outside would not have made any difference it these cases. Just Saying. If your flying in an area other than a registered flying field yes U should have the "R" number on the craft so it can be identified by sight. Besides when someone looses a plane from a flying field everyone there knows whose it was and when the authorities come looking , Well that's a no brainer.

jatoRC

So making something hard to fly makes it better? Against technical advancedments are ya? I fly a drone, yes I called it a drone. I also fly helis and fixed wings. The drone is what got me into RC flight. One of my helix has a NAZA-H system in it and it is nice to fly it it.

I am always amazed at the hatrid that some non drone pilots have for drone fliers. The club at thr local county owned airfield does not allow drones and I am a member of the AMA, so I am forced to fly it elsewhere. They have a airstrip and a heli side but won't allow drones on either side. It's a double standard. As far as I am concerned drones should be treated like any other RC aircraft and vice versa.

I guess we should take power steering and power brakes out of all our cars since they would be harder to drive and that would make them better.

Chris P. Bacon

My Feedback: (4)

..

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

You spend more time [and key strokes] than anyone else uploading your same old tired, AMA Glee Club rhetoric.
Why don't YOU lead by example.... quit your job, sell your home and then crawl on your knuckles to Muncie with the hope that they might allow you to fulfill your destiny...?

init4fun

You are an AMA member ... Ok , great to have ya !

You are amazed at the hatred "traditional" model plane flyers have for drone flyers ......

Ever wondered WHY the hatred ?

If you fly your drone beyond the line of sight of your spotter , your no longer flying AMA compliant FPV per AMA document #550 . By flying outside of the AMA's established safety code , "unrestricted" (beyond line of sight) FPV is presently causing regulations to be drawn up concerning a hobby that's been pretty much "self policing" for the past 70 ish years . It has nothing to do whatsoever with being anti technology as you want to label it as , good grief this hobby is all about technology ! The traditionalists fear being regulated to death along with the unrestricted FPV (drone) flyers that are in just about every news broadcast lately . Hear about the drone that disrupted the Macy's Thanksgiving parade on Thursday ? Who do YOU think owns that bad press ? Think the "boring ol circle flyers" oughta once again get the black eye by being lumped in with such selfish , illegal behavior ? Yes , your drone may share some similar technology , but as a hobby it is as far away as anything with a TX could get from the intent of the traditional model airplane club/hobby .

My answer is not meant to be unfriendly , it's meant to make you think about where the division in the drone/model plane universe originates .

Happy Flying .

cj_rumley

Wellsaid init4fun, bested a contemporary thread with 360+ posts.

init4fun

Thank You my Friend ,

I really want the guy to understand that the only reason for any animosity is the whole regulation issue . If drone operations were not one bit threatening to traditional model flying I really don't think there would be the "us VS them" mindset that he and others have mentioned encountering . Due to the simple , unavoidable fact that drone operations are right now causing regulation to be drawn up that will include non drone activities as well (read , us boring ol circle flyers) , I believe a healthy distance should have been kept from day one of the "drone revolution" . Call me exclusionist , call me a Luddite , call me late for dinner , but I want to go on flying my model plane in peace without connection to folks flying beyond their line of sight with all the additional risk that entails . Our worlds may be similar to those on the outside , but from where I'm sitting a drone is the very last thing I think of when I look at any of my model planes and so far , in any recent times that I'm aware of , the plane world has caused NO regulation to be enacted on the drone guys like their activities are about to bring to us !

Lastly , I'll say , ask any law abiding Motorcyclist how they feel about so called "Outlaw Bikers" and I'll bet you'll get a somewhat similar response

Lamoilleriver

Go after the offender.

Chris P. Bacon

My Feedback: (4)

One plane that did raise significant awareness and concern, especially after 9/11, was Maynard Hill's crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by an R/C airplane.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/13/us/13hill.html?_r=0

http://www.barnardmicrosystems.com/U...rossing_2.html

init4fun

Raising awareness is not what I said in my post that you quoted , causing regulation to be enacted is what I specifically mentioned and right now I know of no one preparing regulations based on Mr. Hill's flight .

However , the whole drone thing HAS caused the regulation process to begin .

Trappy Laws ..... How flippin wonderful ..... <----- Note the sarcasm smiley

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Still with the grief and anger friend, even after T-day? Someone take all the gravy, or hide the rolls from ya? I know you like to twist and distort what has been written, and fabricate that information to fit your narrative, I've been expecting the glee club comment. Your characterization of "the same old tired, AMA Glee Club rhetoric" is either arrived at out of an inability to read and comprehend, or just a plain old lie. Or a bit of both. I might be just about the only one in this thread (and others) that has voiced a pretty balanced perspective on my view of the AMA, good and bad. I've hardly been a cheerleader for them, rather I've pointed out some of the complete lunacy that's projected on them, or perhaps even shared a different perspective. I know context and nuance and subtlety are not something you prescribe to in general, but since you admittedly recall and document EVERY conversation taken place on this site, I suggest you go back and spend some time reading again. Asking someone to validate what they've said about the AMA, or nothing that many folks here do nothing but complain is hardly being a Glee Club Member. But I realize that fits into your habit of name calling and widespread generalizations.

You might just be spending far to much time knocking out your own keystrokes (in addition to tirelessly reading my posts but hey thanks....but you do realize that one does not need to crawl on their knuckles to Muncie in order to be an active member of the AMA and make changes in their own ways right? If you've managed to get out of the building room and perhaps visited a field in the past few months, you might see this potential out there. Assuming you still fly, and are a member of a club, have you taught anyone to fly recently? Helped someone build? Introduced the public to the hobby during an event? Signed up via the IP program? Have you made any of your suggestions known to anyone at the AMA, via letter, phone calls, e-mails, or in person chats? Did you submit comments to the FAA prior to the deadline (actually they extended it).

Yes, I don't have a problem with the money the AMA spent, I would have voted yes if I had been asked, but they didn't, and I never felt the need to whine about it for the past year. No, I didn't have a problem with them NOT banning MR/Drones in the AMA, does that mean I should be fitted for a pom poms? If I need to know more info on something, I don't moan about it not being available at my fingertips, I put a call into my VP, or send and e-mail to someone at the AMA. If I don't hear back, I follow up. So simple, and effective!

So no need to sell my home or move, there are plenty of things I can do at the local level to promote the hobby and more importantly, have some fun. I'm more than comfortable with what I do, if you need any help or suggestions on what you can do please feel free to reach out. I'd love to hear all the things you are no doubt doing as well, perhaps there is something you are doing that I can try at one of the clubs I'm a member at. Sometimes peer to peer interaction is tremendously helpful.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Absolutely! Arrest, confiscate, severely fine, and perhaps incarcerate depending on what they have done. Some exampled need to be made, and then the results published. It's almost impossible to find out what happened to the few people who were actually caught and arrested.

rcmiket

As a retailer it's almost virtually impossible to stock every part for everything you sell. Thanks about it if you stocked say a fuse for every AFR carried you would have so much dead inventory you'd go broke. We do the best we can anticipating the needs of the guys. We get orders everyday so normally if someone needs something it's 2 to 3 days max.
Mike

Chris P. Bacon

My Feedback: (4)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowball_effect

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Another 1000 word, rambling post that only serves to show how silly your campaign is to discourage those who disagree with you from chiming in here.

init4fun

Not relevant , since none of the present day rulemaking can be directly attributed to Mr. Hill's flight ...

Nice try , though !

rcmiket

You have to admit that's funny.
Mike

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

jatoRC;
Absolutely correct. There so many guys that Think That just because they don't do it (Anything) it just ain't worth doing and we should ban it altogether.

As for power brakes and steering ... I think that certain people should cut out the floor boards and run around like the Flint Stones. Guys that don't do FPV say it shouldn't be allowed. BS. That's what the Diehards say about Electric or ARF's ... But most know are flying some sort of ARF's. Your always going to have the guys that don't wan't it if they don't do it. We Just have to Ignore them. Besides Quads are much safer than anything else flying especially safer than Helies. and anything some Piss Poor Pilots fly Anytime.

cj_rumley

CP, he's only got 282 posts to this thread so far (no need to count them, the server does that). I think the stats favor the eventuality that one will have some information content that relates in some way to the topic of the thread.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

LOL.....!
The old... "One Million Monkeys in front of One Million Typewriters" postulation....I like it...!

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

...but it's so full of grief, anger and doom & gloom...!

LOL.