Originally Posted by
NorfolkSouthern
About the only way things will every change with RC, would be several incidents that involve fatalities with people on the ground and/or passengers in regional and interstate carriers, and model airplanes. Such an incident will be extremely unlikely, involving an airliner due to the vast structural differences between the jet, and a model airplane, whether it be a drone or some RC club plane flying out of the envelope. Even a 55 pound giant-scale gasser proved to not be much of a match between it and a full-scale biplane.
That clause in the FAA funding act really threw a monkey wrench on the whole idea of coming up with any form of regulations that govern the use of drones, or model airplanes. So, the FAA will define that rule which ever way it thinks will make it more likely their enforcement actions will hold. The FAA has already extended the comment period clear through September, and I am sure they will very likely extend it for another year, for that matter. I am sure that comment period was extended, because I seriously doubt there's much else they can do, short of getting Congress to amend the funding act to include model airplanes under drone regulations.
It's not a contest. The NTSB reported the damage to the biplane as "significant". "The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the bi-plane reported that lower left wing was crushed aft to the main spar. A six to eight inch tear was noted in the upper left wing fabric, and damage was noted on the leading edge of the left aileron."
http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/br...0LA487A&akey=1
While I agree that "Such an incident will be extremely unlikely" the frequency of drones/models/UAVs being reported by airliners while on approach is increasing. I have no doubt that a small quad such as the DJI Phantom with photo gear and its denser materials than any bird will cause “significant” damage if ingested in an airliners engine. Would it be enough to bring down an airliner? Probably not, because pilots train for those unexpected failures. I don’t think anyone will disagree that the most dangerous phases of flight are takeoffs and landings. Would you want to be responsable if the "extremely unlikely" were to occur? I hope the FAA and we can get a handle on it before anything does happen.
Frank