Good thing its never happened with regular models... Hate to see the negative impact that would cause to our hobby...probably instant shut down.

Agreed, don't think it's just a FPV thing. Any model aviation craft could cause a negative reaction from the powers that be. A relative of some one "powerful" gets their finger bit by a prop and it will be mandated that props be made of child safe foam. Pessimist? Maybe. Tell me this scenario has never happened. I truly hope we are all able to continue enjoying this amazing hobby without being handcuffed with regulation. Wait and see. I still like the idea of a cert. on a post it note.

James

Being "handcuffed with regulation" is the last thing that will happen, if it ever does. I have stated that flying a model airplane is a privilege, not a right. But I am going to add something here. So is skateboarding, and so is bicycling! And to top this off: People have indeed been run over by mountain bikes and killed, but no regulations have ever resulted. Why? Because it would be unenforceable. I can save enough money to set up one of my fixed-wings with a camera, fill it full of fuel, and go "Full Trippy" on a landmark. As long as I don't publish the video, there would be no evidence as long as nobody else is in the vicinity. What would the AMA do then? Nothing. Absolutely, positively NOTHING. What can they do? If nobody sees me, and there's no evidence, then what can the FAA do? I don't need a license, there are no regulations with teeth so to speak.. So what?

I thought that mountain bike users had to be licensed? Isn't that a regulation? My concern is not the atypical accident on an AMA Club field, but for the jerks who fly their FPV toys in public places without regard for the damage they could cause if something went wrong.

OK, so what are you going to do to stop that from happening? The only way a safety-related event can be prevented from taking place, would be for ALL model airplanes to be regulated, like full-scale aircraft. But that has never happened, and it never will. No requirement for a license, a medical, or any kind of certificate, means that there are really no rules tied to the activity.

My club has rules, if you don't obey the rules, you don't get to fly there.

NorfolkSouthern, I hope you are right. I truly do. As much as us regular folks have done things that could be considered "stupid" (me included). So have the folks that are "in charge". The "knee Jerk" phenomenon is, I'm sure, something all of us have seen in the past in one form or another. If the cell phone hero down the street sees you buzzing the local landmark and makes a few calls. Wham "knee jerk" regulation. Enforceable or not. Again, I don't think it would take a camera strapped the the aircraft for this to happen. You could just simply be buzzing the landmark for the fun of it. Not that you would. Point is that regulation seems to be the first answer to a perceived problem these days. My hope is that the FAA will leave regulation and enforcement to the CBO. I guess we will see.

James

One thing that has yet to be determined is what enforcement power does the AMA have?

The AMA has no enforcement power and never will. All they can do is kick you out of the club if you persist in stupid behavior. The FAA and local law enforcement can enforce specific laws.

I like this part (emphaisis added:

Myth #4: There are too many commercial UAS operations for the FAA to stop.
Fact—The FAA has to prioritize its safety responsibilities, but the agency is monitoring UAS operations closely. Many times, the FAA learns about suspected commercial UAS operations via a complaint from the public or other businesses. The agency occasionally discovers such operations through the news media or postings on internet sites. When the FAA discovers apparent unauthorized UAS operations, the agency has a number of enforcement tools available to address these operations, including a verbal warning, a warning letter, and an order to stop the operation.
Litlecrankshaf, they're looking for ya.

I was wondering why those black helicopters keep flying over... Dang...I wonder why those tanks are rolling down the street now? I'll have to quit posting for a little while and see what they are up to.

As a founding member of the Civil Responsible Aeronautics Program (CRAP), we have incorporated an organization with similar goals to JohnShe's flight organization. Due to our limited overhead and access to major international airports and modern Bahama Anonymous bank accounts, we offer substantially reduced fees for licensing and flight testing of your aircraft. We use all virgin multi-colored paper-stock on all of our very excellent certifications and have World Wide Web access to BitCoin payment and depository plans.

We have the finest virtual bricks and mortar pilot training programs located in Hawaii. Please consider us for all your small piloting aircraft needs.

You are welcome to contact us at your earliest convenience.

Competition! Ve hav vays to deal wit dat!

Vee suggest zee partnership... Vee Identifiy der Mark, unt Vee take zeem fur all zeaa orr wort!

Der split shall be 70% CRAP unt 30% JohnShe, furstieen Zee?

\\

S9ince it was my idea I think 60% for me and 40% for you. Shake on it?

Or outlaw metal props.

Actually, most of these atypical accidents may be settled by lawsuits and insurance claims. At, least as long as it can be shown the the operators behavior was reasonable and responsible.

I saw this from the OPs (FAA) webpage

"Flying model aircraft solely for hobby or recreational reasons doesn’t require FAA approval, but hobbyists must operate according to the agency's model aircraft guidance, which prohibits operations in populated areas."

Where does the FAA prohibit operation in populated areas?

the FAA issued AC 91-57 in 1981, it is long standing and soon to be replaced by the FAA/AMA agreement to use the AMA as CBO so that we can follow AMA safety guidelines which say essentially the same thing, with a little more detail.

OK, but I did not think an AC could prohibit anything that was not already prohibited by regulation.

I'm not aware of any guidelines or rules that say you can't operate a model in populated areas. Perhaps that meant to say they don't want you to over fly people
or buildings.

i cant tell anyone where the >faa> can go i can always go to the desert and fly we let to many people run our lives

I thought that that was the point, the presence of people makes it a populated area. The also meant over homes, businesses and public parks.

That's going to come as quite a surprise for the largest segment of our hobby, park flyers. Oh well, the AMA PPP was a really bad idea anyway.

That is why i have ignored the park Flyer Program. It makes no sense. It is nearly impossible to get permission to fly any model airplane in a public park and there are many stories on the model aviation forums of people being accosted by the police and evicted from parks for flying without permission. I don't know what the AMA is really doing with this program.