Originally Posted by
ECHO24
The AMA did not "propose" that to the FAA. AMA unilaterally decided that anyone flying under 336 had to join the AMA
and announced it in a national online newspaper, and "told" the FAA and Congress that the FAA had to take enforcemnt
action against those non-AMA members for being in violation of Part 107.
That ended AMA's relationship with both the FAA and Conrgress. Section 336 was repealed 9 months later.
Not only did it do damage to the relationship with the FAA but it alienated and pushed away the people who were not AMA members already. All of the people who paid for the FAA registration and did not join the AMA were not drone fliers, though the majority of them likely were. Here's a strategy, call the crowd of folks that you want to "welcome" into your organization but who are not yet members rogues and criminals and call for their prosecution! *sarcasm* That's bound to endear them to us yes?*/sarcasm*
I am an AMA member but I personally know people who fly traditional model airplanes and helicopters in rural areas over their farm fields or their neighbors (with permission) who fly safely and are not AMA members. Calling them criminals for not joining the AMA and advocating for their prosecution under 107 is no way to get them to say... gee sounds like a fun group...