RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Hot off the press at that AMA.

http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/PR-Senate-2-2011.pdf

Ken

Zagzoo

My Feedback: (28)

Woooo.... wonder how many ppl sold everything they had? lol

dubd

Awesome!

AndyAndrews

Its looking good for passage too from the NY Times:

Bill ActionsRSSLast ActionDescription Feb. 16, 2011 Considered by Senate.
Feb. 16, 2011 Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 96 - 2. Record Vote Number: 20. (View this vote)
Feb. 16, 2011 The bill was read the third time.
Feb. 16, 2011 Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 87 - 8. Record Vote Number: 25. (View this vote)
Feb. 16, 2011 Ordered held at desk by unanimous consent.
Feb. 15, 2011 Considered by Senate.
Feb. 14, 2011 Considered by Senate.
Feb. 14, 2011 Cloture motion on the bill presented in Senate.
Feb. 13, 2011 Considered by Senate.
Feb. 7, 2011 Considered by Senate.
Feb. 6, 2011 Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S586-596)
Feb. 2, 2011 Considered by Senate.
Feb. 1, 2011 Considered by Senate.
Jan. 31, 2011 Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
Jan. 27, 2011 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 5 under authority of the order of the Senate of 01/27/2011.
Jan. 26, 2011 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time

Kriptonic69

My Feedback: (1)

I just went to read the bill at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill...?bill=s112-223 and i could not find anything pertaining to model aviation. maybe i'm blind.

SPLIT S

Model Airplanes Regulation Amendment

The U.S. Senate adopted S. Amdt. 86 by unanimous consent. This amendment denies the FAA the ability to regulate model airplanes.

President of Academy of Model Aeronautics Dave Mathewson voiced his support and said, “On behalf of our 140,000 members I want to thank Senator Inhofe for helping to preserve model aviation. Aeromodeling is an exceptional family recreational and educational activity that has traditionally been a stepping stone for our children to careers in aviation and aerospace. With the Senator’s help we hope model aviation will continue to help provide that impetus for future generations of engineers, pilots, and astronauts

SPLIT S

Here is the whole deal from Inhofes own website:


INHOFE WELCOMES PASSAGE OF FEDERAL AVIATION BILL


Contacts: Jared Young 202-224-5762
Liz Lathrop 202-224-1282
February 18, 2011


WASHINGTON, D.C. – Citing a need to enhance our nation’s aviation system, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a member of the Senate General Aviation Caucus and certified flight instructor with more than 10,000 flight hours, joined his colleagues to pass S. 223, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act, with a vote of 87-8. This legislation allows the FAA authority to more readily implement the Next General Air Transportation System and contains three amendments offered by Inhofe.



“This long overdue legislation will enhance our nation’s aviation system, ensuring America’s predominate role in aviation throughout the world,� said Inhofe. “Under this legislation, the FAA will have the authority to readily implement the Next Generation Air Transportation System. This new measure will revolutionize the way air traffic is controlled, and help the consumer as air travel will become more efficient and cost-effective.�


Of the three amendments Inhofe proposed, two were accepted and the third was modified and included. Inhofe’s amendments call for providing liability protection to volunteer pilots, taking away the FAA’s ability to regulate model airplanes, and separate rules for supplemental air carriers.

Volunteer Pilot Organization Protection Amendment

S. Amdt. 50, provides liability protection for non-profit, charitable Volunteer Pilot Organizations that provide free transportation to people in need of specialized medical treatment in distant lands due to family, community or national crises.

President of Mercy Medical Airlift Edward Boyer supported this measure and said, “Providing an important incentive for pilot volunteerism is very American and will assist huge numbers of medically indigent patients reach essential distant specialized medical care.�

Chairman of Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic Steve Craven also voiced his support and said, “This will enable hundreds of volunteer pilot to continue to serve the American public and help volunteer pilot organizations recruit more pilots to assist in this important public service task.�

Model Airplanes Regulation Amendment

The U.S. Senate adopted S. Amdt. 86 by unanimous consent. This amendment denies the FAA the ability to regulate model airplanes.

President of Academy of Model Aeronautics Dave Mathewson voiced his support and said, “On behalf of our 140,000 members I want to thank Senator Inhofe for helping to preserve model aviation. Aeromodeling is an exceptional family recreational and educational activity that has traditionally been a stepping stone for our children to careers in aviation and aerospace. With the Senator’s help we hope model aviation will continue to help provide that impetus for future generations of engineers, pilots, and astronauts.�


Supplemental Carrier Amendment S. Amdt. 7 separates supplemental air carriers from current FAA rulemaking. A proposed FAA regulation regarding crew rest and duty time was written specifically for scheduled airlines, but will negatively affect supplemental carriers (non-scheduled, charter airlines). Currently, the Department of Defense relies on supplemental carriers to fly 95% of its personnel and 40% of its cargo in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Senator Inhofe ultimately modified his amendment with legislation that allowed one of the most controversial elements of the bill to receive a vote, thus allowing the bill to proceed, but not until he secured a commitment from the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), to work with Inhofe to ensure a fair rulemaking proceeding for supplemental carriers.

President of the National Air Carrier Association Oakley Brooks supported Inhofe’s amendment and said, “We want to offer our sincere thanks for Senator Inhofe’s tireless work on behalf of all supplemental carriers during the deliberations surrounding the FAA Reauthorization bill. Your advocacy to insure this segment of the industry receives a fair hearing and full consideration of the FAA was reasoned and well conducted.�

###

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

Does anyone know how it might fare in the House vote?

nxtdoor

My Feedback: (10)

That's why I voted for Inhofe!!

jlovitt

My Feedback: (41)

delete

bcovish

My Feedback: (8)

Now that's real smart thinking there. Just when things are turning our way as far as the FAA is concerned, someone comes up with a way to throw the finger at the FAA when they issure a TFR. I can only remember one time here in Austin that it has happened and it only lasted 5 hours.

mongo

My Feedback: (15)

hey bob, ever read the kids story about,
if ya give a mouse a cookie...

rcjetsaok

My Feedback: (7)

He'll want a glass of milk !!!! .... You just got to wonder about people sometimes.... I guess that's what makes the world go round... makes you go ..mmmmmm.

Danno

smitty1001

My Feedback: (29)

I don't care what you guys are gripin' about................... I'm dancing naked in the street currently

rcjetsaok

My Feedback: (7)

Don't call me to post bail !!!!

D

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

Hopefully the AMA will "volunteer" it's members' cooperation with TFR's. Change the safety code and we are bound by it. No point pi$$ing-off the powers that be, because if we flaunt a TFR, the reaction could be devastating to the hobby after the press gets hold of it. Making those folks nervous was what caused a lot of this in the first place. Let's not prove them right.

sideshow

My Feedback: (11)

Time to call your House representatives and tell them to support this bill...

rcjetsaok

My Feedback: (7)

O.K You TEXAS Guys, Gonna make it easy !!! CALL 'em UP !!!!!

•Barton, Joe, Texas, 6th
•Brady, Kevin, Texas, 8th
•Burgess, Michael, Texas, 26th
•Canseco, Francisco, Texas, 23rd
•Carter, John, Texas, 31st
•Conaway, K. Michael, Texas, 11th
•Cuellar, Henry, Texas, 28th
•Culberson, John, Texas, 7th
•Doggett, Lloyd, Texas, 25th
•Farenthold, Blake, Texas, 27th
•Flores, Bill, Texas, 17th
•Gohmert, Louie, Texas 1st
•Gonzalez, Charlie A., Texas, 20th
•Granger, Kay, Texas, 12th
•Green, Al, Texas, 9th
•Green, Gene, Texas, 29th
•Hall, Ralph M., Texas, 4th
•Hensarling, Jeb, Texas, 5th
•Hinojosa, Rubén, Texas, 15th
•Jackson Lee, Sheila, Texas, 18th
•Johnson, Eddie Bernice, Texas 30th
•Johnson, Sam, Texas, 3rd
•Marchant, Kenny, Texas, 24th
•McCaul, Michael T., Texas, 10th
•Neugebauer, Randy, Texas, 19th
•Olson, Pete, Texas, 22nd
•Paul, Ron, Texas, 14th
•Poe, Ted, Texas, 2nd
•Reyes, Silvestre, Texas, 16th
•Sessions, Pete, Texas, 32nd
•Smith, Lamar, Texas, 21st
•Thornberry, Mac, Texas, 13th


Danno

AndyAndrews

Yep its far from being a done deal.. Man you guys have a lot of Representatitves. We only have 4 in Arkansas.

AndyAndrews

So you think this is going to backfire? I guess it could. Especially if the bill doesn't get signed. But even if it does, they can still find "other" ways of making our lives miserable for sure if they wanted to. We need to be careful with this. Good point.

AndyAndrews

I doesn't become law yet. Your dancing may be pre-mature. First, the House has to pass its version of an FAA bill then the two have to be worked-out. Also, I would like to read the actual text of the bill before I get excited. Trying to find it now.

AndyAndrews

It took some digging but I found the actual text of the amendment to the bill - look under "amendments" and SA-86: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:s.223:

SA 86. Mr. INHOFE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 223, to modernize the air traffic control system, improve the safety, reliability, and availability of transportation by air in the United States, provide modernization of the air traffic control system, reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 245, between lines 7 and 8, insert the following:

(g) Special Rule for Model Aircraft.

(1) IN GENERAL.Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to the incorporation of unmanned aircraft systems into FAA plans and policies,, including this section, the Administrator shall not promulgate any rules or regulations regarding model aircraft or aircraft being developed as model aircraft if such aircraft is

(A) flown strictly for recreational, sport, competition, or academic purposes;

(B) operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization; and

(C) limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program currently administered by a community-based organization.

(2) MODEL AIRCRAFT DEFINED.For purposes of this subsection, the term ``model aircraft'' means a nonhuman-carrying (unmanned) radio-controlled aircraft capable of sustained flight in the atmosphere, navigating the airspace and flown within visual line-of-sight of the operator for the exclusive and intended use for sport, recreation, competition, or academic purposes.

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

Andy, what makes you think he is dancing naked on the street as a result of this legislation?
Let Smitty be. He just likes doing that.

AndyAndrews

Its too bad that the federal government has to get into regulating model aircraft at all. By putting this amendment in the FAA bill, it protects us on one hand, but then creates an open door for further restrictions on the other. I wish Inhofe would have stayed away from specific restrictions, ie the weight restriction. I'm concerned what the House will add to it before sending it back up. They could add anything they want. Any kind of restriction; lower the weight, altitude or even speed restrictions. Moreover, once its officially an amendment to the bill, its much easier for Congress to go in and make changes depending on how the political winds blow.

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

Actually, I was a bit worried about the 55 lb limit too, but read what it says. It allows above the 55 lb limit if certified by a community organization - i.e., the AMA large-model program.

I'll bet that they couldn't talk about it, but I'm sure that the AMA was involved in crafting this legislation, and it looks perfect to me. I'm also not too worried about it getting changed in Congress. I think that those guys have way too much on their plate to mess with this - and if they do, I'd be willing to bet that the Senator and his staff will be keeping an eye on it.

As far as FAA back-lash is concerned and TFR's etc., I don't think that there is much to worry about there. I don't believe that the majority in the FAA had any desire to regulate model airplanes - they just don't have the people and $'s to do that and they realize as well and anybody (who isn't an idiot) that it hasn't been necessary for the past 75 years, and its not necessary now. The issue was *not* *not* driven by security, it *was* driven by the sUAS community and their desire to access the NAS to conduct civilian operations to make money. As Rich Hanson said, they have been cut off from flying for about 5 years now and yet, they can go down to their local AMA field and see the same size/type of airplanse being flown every weekend. It matters not to them that it was for a different purpose (recreation) and in a totally different manner (unaided line-of-sight), it just pissed them off! This legislation gives the FAA and out - they can tell the sUAS guys, "its not our fault, its the LAW" I think its great!

Bob