This Q&A section is on the AMA website: Understanding the FAA's Interpretation of the Rule and How to Comment.
5. Does your club manage its own flying site in a safe and responsible manner?
In its strictest sense the interpretive rule comes close to giving the FAA the ability to dictate the layout of club flying sites. It has the potential to shut down park pilot flying sites in urban areas, and gives the FAA the ability to take enforcement action against a modeler who violates the statute.
The FAA’s interpretation specifically implies that the FAA may take enforcement action against someone, even a model aviation enthusiast, for posing a risk to people or property on the ground. The interpretation also statesthat “operations may not be conducted closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.” AMA’s recommended guidelines for flying sites has worked well for decades. Imposing such stringent requirements as outlined in the interpretation would have a devastating impact on my flying site, my ability to enjoy model aviation in what I believe is already a safe and responsible manner, and potentially cause the demise of countless model aviation flying sites across the country
In response to “operations may not be conducted closer than500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.” If the modeling community is required to follow this rule then there is no use flying since most smaller models cannot be seen at 500 feet horizontal distance and 500 feet vertical would violate the maximum height of 400 feet the model is allowed to fly.
What is the purpose of this rule and how can it be followed?