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Old 06-28-2014, 08:23 PM
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Hossfly
 
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Originally Posted by bradpaul
Horrace as you have "thrown your hat into the ring" for AMA EVP, could you please state your position on the recent Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft published by the FAA?
Well Bradpaul, I have been wondering when this question would jump into the arena. First I am not in favor of any sort of model aviation, being a sport and hobby as one wishes to call it, even unto being a passion, as it has been with me all my life, where the development and use provides a very good place to grow the activity to where almost any person has the tools and ability to create a very dangerous situation. I have witnessed these machines leave a site and fly into clouds and then return. Absolutely outstanding, yet in my 41 years of 1:1 scale flying large machines through valleys, low-level tasks, in clouds from ground level to 45,000 ft MSL, such was not performed in a fun-sport or the typical, "Now watch this," scenario. Providing lesser than professionals with the tools to use as they wish with the FPV and other such tools that have the capability to create very dangerous situations in many weather conditions, well Sir, it just, at this time, does not sit well with this person.
So this answer will not be the one that so many wish to hear, I will not lie about my feelings. I am more on the side of the FAA's interpretation than the AMA's position, and the position of what I perceive as some Drone manufacturing companies using the AMA to assure that those manufacturers' products get tested at little or no cost to the manufacturers, said tests being performed more by amateurs that are without any significant expense to the said manufacturers, and or importers.
As one that has enjoyed model aviation for a life-time, has spent some 41 years in 1:1 scale, 5 of those in combat operations, I just have to be HONEST and state that I side with the FAA until a really safe and secure method of drone types is accomplished, including some kind of actual confirmation is developed that any civil use of such machines are not considered toy levels. I had to have various licenses to fly my civil aircraft, take test after test when I was in the B-47, on alert many days loaded with nukes, and different licenses with various ratings when I was airline. I see no reason why some kind of license - other than AMA - is asking too much for piloting drones.