RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

There has been so much confusion over everything going on with the the upcoming FAA actions and how it may, or may not, affect our hobby. So while I was in Toledo covering the show I sat down with Dave Mathewson to talk about where we stand with the upcoming FAA actions and how the AMA feels about how things may turn out. Dave took the time to spell out where we are right now in the process and where things are likely to wind up. I'd really like to thank Dave for taking the time to talk with me about this. He had a pretty bad cold at the time so I know that the last thing he wanted to do was sit there with a camera in his face talking about the FAA. But he realizes the importance of this issue so he gladly took the time to sit down with me to talk.

My goal with this piece is not to start up any huge fights about what is going to happen. I have heard so many false rumors over the last few months about this that I thought it would be good to do a piece like this so that people have a better understanding of where we stand in this process, and where we are more than likely going to go in the process. I know many are afraid that we might lose our ability to fly model aircraft alltogether. I have also heard people that wonder why the AMA is concerned about UAV's at all since we don't fly those as part of our hobby. These as well as other questions are addressed in the interview. So hopefully this will help get the information straight and kill some of the rumors that are flying around out there


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8kwberqzss[/youtube]

I apologize for the background noise. It was really busy around that area of the show that morning and I had no idea that the microphones picked all the outside noise up until I got back home and edited out the piece.

Hope this helps

Ken

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

If everyone in AMA could keep a temperament and perspective like Dave presents here, in this interview, I think we would be far better off in the long run. I really think he understands how some dialog is framed to be ultimately be counter productive and works skillfully and graciously to get around such talk. A lot could be gained just by understanding how that works. I view modelers as some of the brightest but all too often we just don't get it. Maybe, just maybe, this will help some...

karlik

All I see is a blue circle with a line through it.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Try accessing it directly from YouTube by this link

Jetmodeler

Ken, Thanks for interviewing Dave on this subject and getting the word out. Dave, great work the AMA group is doing on this issue, keep it up, and keep getting the word out, it helps us all to do our part to support the AMA efforts to protect model aviation as we know it.
Jim Hiller

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

and what it can become in the future...

Eddie P

My Feedback: (4)

I want to personally thank Dave Mathewson and the AMA in general for being on top of this process. UAVS legislation would have really killed model aviation if it weren't for the AMA folks carefully pulling the red tape away from our wings, linking model aviation with this upcoming legislation. What I was not as aware of as much lately, was the FAA was just the first of many threats on the horizon. I knew state legislation and local legislation would be coming but I was not aware of how encroaching it would have become and how much of a criminal label model airplanes would have carried.

For example, In Oregon, it would have been a misdemeanor criminal offense to simply own - just own - a model aircraft with a camera on board if it weren't for the AMA stepping in and carefully assisting the legislation to write their legal legislation without entrapping normal model aircraft.

On another forum two years back I asked certain members to be a little more discrete in sharing their model airplane exploits, and to fly a little smarter and read up on the rules about flying model airplanes near air traffic, etc. Those same people blasted me and one asked me if I really thought the FAA made time to watch Youtube videos of his flying near full size airplanes. I said, "yes, as a matter of fact, my friend (an FAA inspector) shred the link with me and that's how I found out!" The basic reason I mention this is that in this day and age, we are our own bell weather for the future. If we self police and fly safe, we will enjoy our hobby as long as we want. If we act the fool, we will be limited and regulated in kind as our credibility goes out the window to the regulating administrations and legislation bodies.

We have to support our AMA and our right to pursue the happiness and educational inspiration that model aviation provides. Like they say, "the sky is not falling" but it would be a heck of a lot tighter between us and the regulations if it weren't for us flying safe and the AMA being there watching over the "legal-ese".

Thank you AMA!

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Great job Ken!

Appowner

Five years later and where are we now?

ElectriMan

We have come a long way since this was first posted and it's no longer relevant.