Kelly Rohrbach

My Feedback: (1)

AMA has sold us out. Call, write, plead with your senators, congressmen to stop the FAA from closing down our hobby, this has been the battle cry for how long now. Then do nothing but give them center stage in your ONLY magazine.

catboater

My Feedback: (51)

Yes. I think at this point in time it's irresponsible to be flying the flag of quads on the cover of the magazine of the organization that represents all the rest of us, especially now.

cardinalflyer

My Feedback: (11)

Those California quads were reportedly operated by television stations getting news coverage. There is more involved here than irresponsible hobbyists.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

All the rest of "us"...? "us" includes people that fly fixed wing aircraft as well as quads, and who pay dues to be AMA members. Showing a picture of a quad is hardly "flying the flag" for that type of flight. It's highlighting a new product. They show a new transmitter too...nobody seems to have an issue with that?

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

I'd say you're wrong on all accounts. AMA didn't sell anyone out, the FAA isn't closing down our hobby, and Model Aviation isn't the only magazine AMA has.

AMA embraced a new technology and has moved to include it in the hobby, sort of like say, turbines for example, or helis. Is anyone else looking out for our interests? FAA hasn't done anything yet that has drastically affected this hobby, nor will it. I would have thought the average person would be happy that there aren't 10,000 drones zooming over their heads for "business" purposes. Guess you don't read ParkPilot?

CRX Turbines

How do you know this? The article and the video made no mention of this. It really does not matter who was operating the copters. The actions taken are truly irresponsible. Regardless, of who was at the controls, it is all the more reason to allow LE to shoot at the things. I am sure it would make a great story to hear that local news reporters had their copter shot down..

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

Sure would like AMA to get to the bottom of this and let us know, they seem to be acting like Congress? (self-serving)

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Get to the bottom of what? Who was flying quads during the fire?

How exactly is the AMA self serving...it's an organization that is "acting" on behalf of it's membership and the hobby. What would you propose they do differently?

Kelly Rohrbach

My Feedback: (1)

With all due respect we can agree to disagree but the AMA is not doing OUR side of the hobby a good service in the area of the quad/drones. I say this because you almost never see any of our efforts being show or even talked about on national news or local for that matter. However when I'm in a social setting and folks find out I fly model airplanes almost without fail they say, Oh those drone thingys, to which I have to clarify the difference and again without fail they say boy I sure hope they don't screw it up for you. Quads are a great tool, but that is exactly what they are, a tool. The idiots that don't give a damn about the ramifications of their actions also make them a tool.

CRX Turbines

+1

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

The reality is that "our" side of the hobby includes everyone in the the AMA who flies. That won't change. The AMA can only do so much to "promote" in the hobby. So far, they are the only ones that partnered with the FAA to come up with the Know before you Fly campaign, the only ones who wrote the OP ED piece in the USA Today newspaper, the only ones who send people to industry meetings to talk about the issues, the only ones fighting to protect the hobby as we know it. The only other option they had was to completely ignore this new technology and bury their head in the sand, a completely unrealistic thing to have done. If one is not looking for the things they are doing because they dislike the method of flying, one probably wouldn't be aware of them, or one can just chose to ignore them.


I presume when you meet people and they ask about the drones, you talk about the safe operation of same? Do you think you are playing a role in the AMA's efforts to educate the public? I would hope so, because you are.

Drones are no more a tool than any other flying contraption we have at our disposal. In fact fixed wing aircraft were doing many of the things the "drones" are doing now, well before they came into fashion.

The problem isn't the technology, it's the people who don't use it wisely. imo..

motoaire

My Feedback: (24)

The jamming equipment and devices you're referring to are already in the works here, several companies are working/testing them since the authorities can clearly see where this
is going. Just read an article in the paper regarding this. At a recent marathon event they were using net guns in case a drone got to close to the action. Still many legal issues
as to what happens if they down a drone on purpose and "then" is hits someone. The FAA/authorities are not going to let this continue when some irresponsible morons have the
ability to hinder firefighting efforts endangering life and property.

rt3232

My Feedback: (6)

Most police cars have a shot gun at there disposal, so I would still let them take it out, as the shot would not be of any danger I have had shot fall on me when out duck and goose hunting and it like small hail, and the news org's that are responsible be D$%ed

Cheers

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

Kelly nails it as far as I am concerned. If someone shoots down a quad-copter they must use "Bird-Shot", not the issue Buckshot or Rifled slugs issued to LE. That could cause a problem wheras birdshot is very light a falls back to the ground in a non dangerous
manner.

FIRES ARE RESTRICTED AIRSPACE, PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!! RESERVED FOR AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO PUTTING OUT THAT FIRE, PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why can't AMA come out and say that???????

flejter1

First off, I don't own a quad copter, don't plan on buying 1 or even flying 1. I live at the top of the mountain where the fire was. I sat in the traffic jam for 2 1/2hrs watching the fire fighting planes drop water. I never saw a break from the planes dropping water. I never saw a quad copter flying around the area. If there were 4 so called drone / quad copters in the area, where is the news footage(actual filming news footage) of them interfering with the process? I saw plenty of news crews and news Helicopters in the area but I still have not seen any footage of these so called drones in the area. I think this is more of a conspiracy against them from said agencies trying to BAN them. Do you guys really think, people are driving home from work with Drones in their back seat and say, hey, theres a fire, let me pull over and fly into the mess and film it? I didn't see anyone pulled over to fly. I personally think quad copters are being misused by end users and I agree with some kind of documentation / certifications should be needed to purchase 1. Any idiot can buy 1 and use their I Pad to fly it by GPS/google earth with no flying skills what so ever.. Just my .02Dirk

LASHMETT75

My Feedback: (20)

The CHP should have whipped out the Shotgun or AR's and shot those things down.

People doing these types of things are going to hinder us in the hobby.


James

franklin_m

With the exception of the USA Today OpEd, I fear the big $$ PR firm is producing blog posts etc. that are largely speaking to people who are already listening - namely people who are already AMA members. What our PR $$ should be getting us is not one piece in USA Today but hundreds of pieces in smaller papers all over the country. I'm a pretty avid news reader, probably hit the USAToday ap several times a day, and I didn't see the piece until it was pointed out online somewhere.

Where are the AMA news releases flooding news when these knuckleheads fly drones over fires? Where are the flood of releases when someone flies near an airport? Irresponsible use of drones gets mentioned regularly on network and cable news, where are the companion pieces from AMA demonstrating responsible ownership? The PR firm is supposed to help you get access to these national outlets so you can get your organization's story out as often as possible. One OpEd is nothing to brag about in this mass media age. In fact, I'd argue it's evidence of a pretty weak PR effort. Just my 0.02.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Right..because nothing with cement the public's image of drones and responsible flying members of the AMA being linked together like issuing a media release every-time there is a story in the papers/tv.

Hey look at us, we're the AMA and we're not like those people. Does the NRA issue press releases every time there is a mass shooting in this country? Did GM issue a press release touting the safety of their air bag systems when Toyota had a recall of theirs?

The only people who immediately link us together are people already in the hobby, and keenly aware of the issues.

franklin_m

I would argue the NRA has a much more effective tool; voting. I guess why AMA's not taking to the airways to highlight the distinction between responsible AMA "programming" and the irresponsible drone member is because, like NRA, we vote in such big numbers.

hairy46

My Feedback: (1)

Sure wish the AMA had not got behind the drones, I do believe our hobby has suffered greatly over these stupid things!

rgburrill

Unfortunately that downwash turns into an upwash further away from the helicopter which then turns back into a downwash. They might just suck that thing into their rotors.

BTW, CA has introduced a bill to allow the frefighters to shoot the things down.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Specifically how has the hobby suffered greatly? So far I don't see any earth shattering changes that affect the way the hobby operates.

I'm sure the folks who came along in the hobby after say, 1936 are happy that their "stupid thing" were accepted into the hobby. Times change, technology advances, etc etc.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

From another RCU Forum : Another Drone Pilot does it Again

This is supposedly what Camera carrying drones have caused in New Zealand.

Here it comes New Zealand to ban ALL model Flying Starting 1 August 2015
Start at 5:27 on the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWIh..._EIyNjA3MjAxNQ

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

tic toc,,,,,

[email protected]

My Feedback: (1)

ama will handle all we got take a break on things or get out of the hobby