ORIGINAL: P-51B
Not quite accurate. The AMA does not make any laws and is not a governing body. I think the FAA may have numbers the AMA may have adopted though.
Yes, I know that, but the FAA views the AMA as the "regulating body" for recreational model aircraft flying. The FAA does not have the manpower or the desire to regulate model airplanes, so as long as they feel that the AMA is doing the job, they will leave that alone. As you describe, they have essentially said that as long as a model aircraft complies with the AMA safety code, then go operate it according to AC 91-57 and as long as its non-commercial, you're not subject to FAA regulation...
Bob