Wiped out! 14 AMA fields in VA MD DC
12-28-2015, 08:09 PM
#26
Porcia83 I am sure your heart is in the right place on this. You fly the big metal and certainly appreciate that good fields are an important and rare commodity in this country. So for the most part, there's probably more in common between us than what sets us apart in these threads. But you keep seeing AMA as this big huge charity with a beautiful farm field in Indiana where we all have fun and friendship.
I see a big bureaucracy that has lost its heart and soul in the drone wars. I see a big business that has abandoned its mission of promoting model aviation in order to chase the revenue side of the equation. I see a promising new generation of airplane modelers losing their fields where they can dream of their next great adventure in aviation built and flown with their own hands. I see an older generation of modelers who have supported the AMA with time, money, and spirit being abandoned on the altar chasing higher membership numbers. I see even simple questions of how and what AMA money should be spent on being swept away by innuendo, bitterness, and false accusation. I see the soul of model aviation being lost right in front of our eyes.
I believe we are better than this. I believe that the dreamers who are going to build aircraft that fly higher, faster, further, and deeper into space are here with us today and that model aviation can provide them the spark they need to ignite their future. The greatest thing I have ever witnessed in aviation (and I've been around the block) occurred at our very own CASA field in Maryland last year. Two young engineers were working on their airplanes they were about to fly and one asked the other what he did at his company. That young man said he built autonomous navigation systems for uas systems and described some of the fantastic things he has done. The other listened for a bit and smiled. He responded, "all of that is really interesting, but I want to do something that has never been done before."
That's the greatness of the next generation. That took place at an AMA field. That's what makes model aviation worthy of protection.
I see a big bureaucracy that has lost its heart and soul in the drone wars. I see a big business that has abandoned its mission of promoting model aviation in order to chase the revenue side of the equation. I see a promising new generation of airplane modelers losing their fields where they can dream of their next great adventure in aviation built and flown with their own hands. I see an older generation of modelers who have supported the AMA with time, money, and spirit being abandoned on the altar chasing higher membership numbers. I see even simple questions of how and what AMA money should be spent on being swept away by innuendo, bitterness, and false accusation. I see the soul of model aviation being lost right in front of our eyes.
I believe we are better than this. I believe that the dreamers who are going to build aircraft that fly higher, faster, further, and deeper into space are here with us today and that model aviation can provide them the spark they need to ignite their future. The greatest thing I have ever witnessed in aviation (and I've been around the block) occurred at our very own CASA field in Maryland last year. Two young engineers were working on their airplanes they were about to fly and one asked the other what he did at his company. That young man said he built autonomous navigation systems for uas systems and described some of the fantastic things he has done. The other listened for a bit and smiled. He responded, "all of that is really interesting, but I want to do something that has never been done before."
That's the greatness of the next generation. That took place at an AMA field. That's what makes model aviation worthy of protection.
12-29-2015, 05:00 AM
#27
Banned
My Feedback: (8)
Porcia83 I am sure your heart is in the right place on this. You fly the big metal and certainly appreciate that good fields are an important and rare commodity in this country. So for the most part, there's probably more in common between us than what sets us apart in these threads. But you keep seeing AMA as this big huge charity with a beautiful farm field in Indiana where we all have fun and friendship.
I see a big bureaucracy that has lost its heart and soul in the drone wars. I see a big business that has abandoned its mission of promoting model aviation in order to chase the revenue side of the equation. I see a promising new generation of airplane modelers losing their fields where they can dream of their next great adventure in aviation built and flown with their own hands. I see an older generation of modelers who have supported the AMA with time, money, and spirit being abandoned on the altar chasing higher membership numbers. I see even simple questions of how and what AMA money should be spent on being swept away by innuendo, bitterness, and false accusation. I see the soul of model aviation being lost right in front of our eyes.
I believe we are better than this. I believe that the dreamers who are going to build aircraft that fly higher, faster, further, and deeper into space are here with us today and that model aviation can provide them the spark they need to ignite their future. The greatest thing I have ever witnessed in aviation (and I've been around the block) occurred at our very own CASA field in Maryland last year. Two young engineers were working on their airplanes they were about to fly and one asked the other what he did at his company. That young man said he built autonomous navigation systems for uas systems and described some of the fantastic things he has done. The other listened for a bit and smiled. He responded, "all of that is really interesting, but I want to do something that has never been done before."
That's the greatness of the next generation. That took place at an AMA field. That's what makes model aviation worthy of protection.
I see a big bureaucracy that has lost its heart and soul in the drone wars. I see a big business that has abandoned its mission of promoting model aviation in order to chase the revenue side of the equation. I see a promising new generation of airplane modelers losing their fields where they can dream of their next great adventure in aviation built and flown with their own hands. I see an older generation of modelers who have supported the AMA with time, money, and spirit being abandoned on the altar chasing higher membership numbers. I see even simple questions of how and what AMA money should be spent on being swept away by innuendo, bitterness, and false accusation. I see the soul of model aviation being lost right in front of our eyes.
I believe we are better than this. I believe that the dreamers who are going to build aircraft that fly higher, faster, further, and deeper into space are here with us today and that model aviation can provide them the spark they need to ignite their future. The greatest thing I have ever witnessed in aviation (and I've been around the block) occurred at our very own CASA field in Maryland last year. Two young engineers were working on their airplanes they were about to fly and one asked the other what he did at his company. That young man said he built autonomous navigation systems for uas systems and described some of the fantastic things he has done. The other listened for a bit and smiled. He responded, "all of that is really interesting, but I want to do something that has never been done before."
That's the greatness of the next generation. That took place at an AMA field. That's what makes model aviation worthy of protection.
I see the AMA as the only organization looking out for our benefit, nobody else is. They are a group of people just like you or I, rooted in a common interest, and most of them having spent 20, 30, 40 years in this hobby. I do not agree with every step they have taken, strategically I think they could have done better, but I made my thoughts known at the time and then left it to our elected officials to do their job. I don't feel that it's fair to point to every adverse action taken by the FAA and lay that at the feet of the AMA though, some stuff is just out of their hands. I keep comparing the AMA to Google, Amazon, NASA, etc (some of the other groups involved in this), and note, if they didn't get everything they wanted from the feds, why would we think our little hobby of 180k people would?
Now onto the point someone else made about the OP. Yes, we should stay focused on that. We should comply with everything the district 4 leadership asked us to do. Hopefully those folks and the FAA can sit down at a table and hash out some type of agreement.
12-29-2015, 07:32 AM
#28
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I see the AMA as the only organization looking out for our benefit, nobody else is. They are a group of people just like you or I, rooted in a common interest, and most of them having spent 20, 30, 40 years in this hobby. I do not agree with every step they have taken, strategically I think they could have done better, but I made my thoughts known at the time and then left it to our elected officials to do their job. I don't feel that it's fair to point to every adverse action taken by the FAA and lay that at the feet of the AMA though, some stuff is just out of their hands. I keep comparing the AMA to Google, Amazon, NASA, etc (some of the other groups involved in this), and note, if they didn't get everything they wanted from the feds, why would we think our little hobby of 180k people would?
Now onto the point someone else made about the OP. Yes, we should stay focused on that. We should comply with everything the district 4 leadership asked us to do. Hopefully those folks and the FAA can sit down at a table and hash out some type of agreement.
12-29-2015, 07:56 AM
#29
Banned
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I fly at one of the 14 fields currently closed in DC. I agree with this. Realistically I don't know what else we can do but get behind the AMA and hope that they come through for us. I know it's easy to take out our frustrations on the AMA but you have to believe that they have our best interests at heart even if you aren't happy with how things are going- and who else is doing anything to help us?
12-29-2015, 09:21 AM
#31
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Wheather They, AMA chose to get in bed with the devil ,IE the feds, or got dragged in, not a place I'd like to be negotiating. Now David is going to have Goliath speak at the convention while suing Him. Now the big decision is, Does David bring lots of big rocks for His slingshot?, or just a large tube of K-Y? LOL
12-29-2015, 09:24 AM
#32
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As has been noted above in several posts, the FAA included model fields in to the long standing DC Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) which prohibit almost all types of flying within a 30 nautical mile radius of Reagan National Airport.
12-29-2015, 09:26 AM
#34
Banned
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Please be gentle said the strange bedfellows....
Wheather They, AMA chose to get in bed with the devil ,IE the feds, or got dragged in, not a place I'd like to be negotiating. Now David is going to have Goliath speak at the convention while suing Him. Now the big decision is, Does David bring lots of big rocks for His slingshot?, or just a large tube of K-Y? LOL
12-29-2015, 10:02 AM
#35
Member
That's what I thought so I will just stay out of this .... Thanks for the reply Silent!
12-29-2015, 10:03 AM
#36
If these airfields get closed permanently, that would be a real shame. I can only imagine the amount of money and time that has been involved in creating, and maintaining those airfields, and runways. My club just recently overlayed our blacktop runway and it was close to $40,000. We have significantly raised our dues to pay for these improvements. So with the swipe of a pen (so to speak) You have all just been stripped of your private property rights. That is if you reside on private property as we do. We have a long term lease. Imagine if we lost our ability to fly, and then we would be stuck in that lease for 20 years, with no members to pay it? It seems that our hobby is under attack on many fronts.
I am going to add that if everyone is being honest here, there is ZERO threat by radio controlled model airplanes to this no fly zone. I am not sure what the motivation is here, incompetent paranoia by the bureaucrats, or some kind of power grab. All I know is it does not sit well in my gut, and my gut rarely steers me wrong.
I am going to add that if everyone is being honest here, there is ZERO threat by radio controlled model airplanes to this no fly zone. I am not sure what the motivation is here, incompetent paranoia by the bureaucrats, or some kind of power grab. All I know is it does not sit well in my gut, and my gut rarely steers me wrong.
12-29-2015, 10:04 AM
#37
Maybe We, as a SIG need to aproach the govt. the way scientology defeated the IRS. They launched 20,000 lawsuits and the IRS blinked and gave them recognition as a religion. All past tax debts, over 10 billion were wiped and they recieved tax exempt status. I'll put money where My mouth is if We as a SIG start a fund me account and find some hungry lawyers looking to make names for themselves and bury the FAA in lawsuits and endless paperwork. Maybe We could even get recognized by the IRS as a religion and get tax exempt status for everything we spend on what we fly! Flying jets at 199 mph is My religion!
12-29-2015, 02:08 PM
#38
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12-29-2015, 05:16 PM
#41
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It's a public thread and it's something that affects all of us to some degree, as this can happen to any of us for a number of reasons. I think everyone wants it to work out though.
12-29-2015, 05:59 PM
#46
I had a 90 Chrysler Van bought a 2005 Doge caravan. Just to tell ya how much U can get in a van. I backed them tail gate to tailgate as I moved every thing to the new one ... Well I found stuff I hadn't seen in 5 years. and now never to be found for another 5 years or when the new van arrives whichever comes last.
Man Porsche Italy is way up north ...
u just know I had to google Porsche Italy.
Last edited by HoundDog; 12-29-2015 at 06:03 PM.
12-29-2015, 06:12 PM
#47
Banned
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Don't be knock'n the Mini Van it holds a lot more Planes than an 83 928. That's if your wife or significant other will let ya use her VAN.
I had a 90 Chrysler Van bought a 2005 Doge caravan. Just to tell ya how much U can get in a van. I backed them tail gate to tailgate as I moved every thing to the new one ... Well I found stuff I hadn't seen in 5 years. and now never to be found for another 5 years or when the new van arrives whichever comes last.
Man Porsche Italy is way up north ...
u just know I had to google Porsche Italy.
I had a 90 Chrysler Van bought a 2005 Doge caravan. Just to tell ya how much U can get in a van. I backed them tail gate to tailgate as I moved every thing to the new one ... Well I found stuff I hadn't seen in 5 years. and now never to be found for another 5 years or when the new van arrives whichever comes last.
Man Porsche Italy is way up north ...
u just know I had to google Porsche Italy.
It is all about tradeoffis...the mini van was great for hauling stuff, and the kids liked the movie screens. Guys at the field see me pull up and would say, what's in clown car today dude? I could get 6-8 planes in there depending. Got a SUV now, that's cool. Might go the way of a trailer as I'm starting to cull the heard, and get into bigger stuff. We'll see how that goes.
12-29-2015, 06:26 PM
#48
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If I was a member of one of the 14 fields I would be looking for a new place to fly. Even if the FAA allows flying to resume mid January I wouldn't be surprised if the ban was made permanent in the not to distant future.