I have kind of just skimmed through this thread, so I am not quite up to speed. I would like to make some points if I may.

In Central California, we have been witnessing the FAA using Cal Trans to shut down flying fields close to and based on Municipal airports.

As of sun down October tenth, 2010, Cal trans forced the closing of the flying sight that the Madera Aeromodelers Radio Controlled Society has been flying on with permission from the airport and the local government for over 27 years. This club has never ever had any complaints filed against them. The airport manager and the local government wants the club to be able to continue flying at this site A large number of the full scale pilots also want this club to be able to fly there. It is the FAA who wants the closure of this facility. Not only did they not want credit for this wrongful action, but they had Cal trans come in and do the honors of closing down this club. In efect, ending the club.

Now I wish to point out that once your flying sight had been targeted, YOU ARE GONE. There is no way to figtht an agency who can pull vital funding.

I am sure that the FAA wants to regulate the RC aircraft flying in this country. They want to take rights away in the name of safety. It really scares me when you hear the word safety used to regulate something. Our club was doing a very good job making sure we didn't break the rules. (especially not exceeding the 400 foot maximum altitude). We never had a pilot file a report against us in 27 years. I think that is a great record for a club that self polices. That was not good enough for the FAA. They still closed us down.

I now worry that these new regulations that are coming will in efFect make it easier to close us down. If I were part of the AMA organiztion representing there members, I would make sure that there are previsions in the new ordinances that make the FAA's inforcing agencies have to provide safe sites on government land for those clubs that were in good standing who are being forced off there fields. If they want to make it safe then make it safe for everyone including the aircfaft hobbiest.

I also think that AMA members need to come together and pressure there local, state, and federal politicains to start including these issues in there agenda or we will not vote for them. We need to find politicains who will support the continued growth of our safe hobby. The military has used the RC industry to advance it's recon and weapons systems to save pilots lives. Why can't the government pay our hobby back by supporting it. Not getting rid of it.

Thank you for your time,

Matthew Raymond

I also want to point out that there is a lot of confusion about what the rules are. Confusion that the FAA will find a way to clarify by regultion. That means that they will confuse matters more inorder to have a massive grey zone. Which means that they will pretty much be able to do what they want any way. DON'T THINK THAT YOUR CLUB IS SAFE FROM THE FAA.