RE: autonomous flight
JR-
If you recall what you have posted about it previously, after consulting with presumably knowledgeable people in AMA, is that the issue is more about people's perceptions than the realistic prospect of terrorists employing model airplanes to do their dirty deeds. The only inference I made with reference to DB's involvement with TAM had to do with exactly that: perceptions. Reread the rationale for it currently in the minutes posted on the AMA web site for the July 03 EC meeting. Does that, or does it not, express a concern for potential problems for a club based on perceptions of a psychotic neighbor? The facts of the legitimacy of TAM under FAI vs. AMA rules is not likely going to be much of an influence on said neighbor's hysteria. Nor, IMHO, would it matter to perceptions of those agency officials AMA is lobbying.
Edited to add:
While you are perusing the rationalizing of this motion contained in the minutes, think about how the nutcase neighbor would know whether a model airplane is autonomous or under the control of a human operator. Then ask yourself if it would make any difference to him. I really don't know; it just doesn't make any sense to me, as is the case with everything else about this action by the EC. I admit to having little comprehension of the machinations of a hysterical mind. Guess I'll have to defer to DB's experience on that.
H(*