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What are you doing to fight the FAA's proposed Remote ID?

fliers1 said:
This is what the public, the public and government needs to see, if they haven't already
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Do you really think the public and powers that be are unaware of our toys? The issue is the perceived danger, not that RC flying is a great hobby. The issue for us, is how to cut through this perception Many TV shows portray us as anti social nerds. This is scary to many and drives irrational behavior from our elected officials who are responding to their constituents. I hope everyone calls their representative every week if not every day.
 
AMA Enrolls 12,000 New Adult Members
AMA completely revised its marketing efforts to include an aggressive digital marketing campaign. The campaign successfully introduced thousands of new members to the AMA and AMA clubs. Approximately 87% of new members are in the adult or senior category.
 
What are you getting at?

12k new member with digital exposure! So, how did this compare to the Dead Tree press. Or the real question, membership retention and growth. New members does not equate to total membership.
 
fliers1 said:
AMA Enrolls 12,000 New Adult Members
AMA completely revised its marketing efforts to include an aggressive digital marketing campaign. The campaign successfully introduced thousands of new members to the AMA and AMA clubs. Approximately 87% of new members are in the adult or senior category.
Click to expand...

Perhaps my head is thick. I'm not seeing your point. I recognize your information from the AMA 2019 Annual Report. The first ever annual report is more of an advertisement than a picture of how things are, especially relative to how they've been.

The annual report doesn't state that AMA had a 20% budget reduction for 2020 which will be revisited in July because they may need to cut the budget more. It doesn't state that they had to put part of the Muncy property into crops in order to try to increase income. It doesn't state that despite signing up 12,000 new members they lost even more continuing the steady decline in membership seen over the past 5 years. It doesn't state that AMA has discontinued their Expo East and Expo west due to lack of interest and loss of money or that they've had to severely cut the hours and operations of the museum.
I'm not harshing on the AMA - just stating facts as presented in Model Aviation.

I'd love to see this turn around - but I'm afraid that whether the RID NPRM is enacted or not - will have collateral damage of causing a major membership drop over then next year - at least. I see so much angst about how the AMA has failed the quad guys - and the same about how AMA has failed the traditional modelers. Many from both groups seem equally disgusted and dissatisfied.

Long term prospects don't look so rosy either. The PMA is continuing their move to become a viable replacement for the AMA - although they MAY only shave a slice off the membership (currently 40 clubs indicating interest) -- every slice counts. Flite Test is also preparing their bid to be a CBO, although I don't know if they intend to offer insurance as the AMA and PMA do/will. And of course it remains to be seen (probably for a couple years) how the RID rules will be written and enacted, but unless the FAA carve out a massive exception to recreational models it will have a chilling effect on AMA membership.
 
Scott Page said:
Perhaps my head is thick. I'm not seeing your point. I recognize your information from the AMA 2019 Annual Report. The first ever annual report is more of an advertisement than a picture of how things are, especially relative to how they've been.

The annual report doesn't state that AMA had a 20% budget reduction for 2020 which will be revisited in July because they may need to cut the budget more. It doesn't state that they had to put part of the Muncy property into crops in order to try to increase income. It doesn't state that despite signing up 12,000 new members they lost even more continuing the steady decline in membership seen over the past 5 years. It doesn't state that AMA has discontinued their Expo East and Expo west due to lack of interest and loss of money or that they've had to severely cut the hours and operations of the museum.
I'm not harshing on the AMA - just stating facts as presented in Model Aviation.

I'd love to see this turn around - but I'm afraid that whether the RID NPRM is enacted or not - will have collateral damage of causing a major membership drop over then next year - at least. I see so much angst about how the AMA has failed the quad guys - and the same about how AMA has failed the traditional modelers. Many from both groups seem equally disgusted and dissatisfied.

Long term prospects don't look so rosy either. The PMA is continuing their move to become a viable replacement for the AMA - although they MAY only shave a slice off the membership (currently 40 clubs indicating interest) -- every slice counts. Flite Test is also preparing their bid to be a CBO, although I don't know if they intend to offer insurance as the AMA and PMA do/will. And of course it remains to be seen (probably for a couple years) how the RID rules will be written and enacted, but unless the FAA carve out a massive exception to recreational models it will have a chilling effect on AMA membership.
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Perhaps I got the wrong impression from the OP, but he seems to think that getting our hobby on TV won't do any good. I was just showing that AMA did just that and signed up 12000 new members. In a previous post here I explained how AMA ignored my growth program even though some on high personally witnessed it working extremely well. I'm not particularly a big fan of AMA, as they knew that I could help them for decades but chose to ignore my efforts and look where we are now. The late Dave Mathewson allowed me to demonstrate my promotion method way back in 2004. He was AMA vice president back then. I have a link that I've presented many times. Hopefully, our club will create a aeromodeling program in our local new YMCA. There is a flying field out back for flight training and we will have simulators set up indoors. There is a huge gym where we can fly Horizon's Vapor or whatever aircraft suitable for indoor flying.
I contacted the head honcho for all YMCAs and explain how this program may be set up in eventually all Ys. As they say, the longest journal starts with the first step. Just hope that the FAA doesn't spoil it for everyone.
 
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fliers1 said:
Perhaps I got the wrong impression from the OP, but he seems to think that getting our hobby on TV won't do any good. I was just showing that AMA did just that and signed up 12000 new members. In a previous post here I explained how AMA ignored my growth program even though some on high personally witnessed it working extremely well. I'm not particularly a big fan of AMA, as they knew that I could help them for decades but chose to ignore my efforts and look where we are now. The late Dave Mathewson allowed me to demonstrate my promotion method way back in 2004. He was AMA vice president back then. I have a link that I've presented many times. Hopefully, our club will create a aeromodeling program in our local new YMCA. There is a flying field out back for flight training and we will have simulators set up indoors. There is a huge gym where we can fly Horizon's Vapor or whatever aircraft suitable for indoor flying.
I contacted the head honcho for all YMCAs and explain how this program may be set up in eventually all Ys. As they say, the longest journal starts with the first step. Just hope that the FAA doesn't spoil it for everyone.
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Ok -- I see what you're driving at. In 2019 the AMA signed up 12,000 new members. What we don't know is 1. how many new members they sign up on other years. 2. what the retention rate is of these new members. 3. how many of these new members signed up as a result of the promotions mentioned.

I have been or am an officer in two local clubs. On an annual basis each club generally has a 10% to 20% membership of new members. Most of those turn out to be looky loos, and are not retained for another year. They have the idea they want to be in a club - pay the dues and also AMA dues - but find out life doesn't afford them the time, or they're not that interested and they fade away. Since I'm in both local clubs I'd know if they were just migrating from one club to the other - and that does happen - but not often. So my point is that if this is the case nation wide then this 12,000 is about 10% of the AMA paid membership - which correlates pretty well with what I've seen locally on an annual basis.

Now if the AMA had 12,000 more new members then usual -- that would be much more interesting, but as their membership is in steady decline I'm afraid is not the case.

That said -- I do think that getting our hobby portrayed in a positive light on the tube is in our best interest. All the way back to the A-team model airplanes have been used in entertainment for smuggling or spying. The current season of SWAT - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10482296/ Episode 1 "Fire in the Sky" "The SWAT team works with Lt. Piper Lynch to hunt down a serial bomber who is using drones as bombs. "
 
Scott Page said:
Ok -- I see what you're driving at. In 2019 the AMA signed up 12,000 new members. What we don't know is 1. how many new members they sign up on other years. 2. what the retention rate is of these new members. 3. how many of these new members signed up as a result of the promotions mentioned.

I have been or am an officer in two local clubs. On an annual basis each club generally has a 10% to 20% membership of new members. Most of those turn out to be looky loos, and are not retained for another year. They have the idea they want to be in a club - pay the dues and also AMA dues - but find out life doesn't afford them the time, or they're not that interested and they fade away. Since I'm in both local clubs I'd know if they were just migrating from one club to the other - and that does happen - but not often. So my point is that if this is the case nation wide then this 12,000 is about 10% of the AMA paid membership - which correlates pretty well with what I've seen locally on an annual basis.

Now if the AMA had 12,000 more new members then usual -- that would be much more interesting, but as their membership is in steady decline I'm afraid is not the case.

That said -- I do think that getting our hobby portrayed in a positive light on the tube is in our best interest. All the way back to the A-team model airplanes have been used in entertainment for smuggling or spying. The current season of SWAT - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10482296/ Episode 1 "Fire in the Sky" "The SWAT team works with Lt. Piper Lynch to hunt down a serial bomber who is using drones as bombs. "
Click to expand...

AMA knew full well that I have a means to attract and retain any number of new members any club would want to have. There then is the problem. Many clubs, locally and otherwise proved to me they did not want a large amount of new members. I contacted several local clubs and even clubs that I belonged to made it a point that they were quite satisfied with their status quo. I emailed our district 2 representative Eric Williams and as usual, it was a one and done conversation even though he also was totally aware of what I can do for the hobby/sport. If you had the skill to do what I've been doing for over 40 years, what would you do with such productive skill? So far all I've gotten was at best, "good luck." Mass and rapid growth is a threat to it seems all clubs.
I have trained a couple of people how to use this method, but they only allowed me 20 minutes to teach them. If this is a scam, I don't know how it could be since I'm not asking for any money.
If I'm a fraud, anyone taking up on my offer to demonstrate and teach them is method and they do show up, that will be immediately quite evident. I'm the one sticking my neck out here.
So, that fear of mass and rapid growth appears to be universal, otherwise, Dave Mathewson and others like Gary Fitch at AMA HQ, one who I trained more than likely ran into the same fear of too much, too fast growth brick wall as I have. Please let me know what your thoughts are. I can easily attract and retain many newcomers as wanted or needed per week. I know, it sounds too good to be true, but like I said, no one ever gives me the chance to prove it. Now why would that be?
 

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A vision is a picture or idea you have in
your mind of what the end product needs to
deliver. It is an idea about what the future
will look like. It is about possibilities. A well defined
vision helps to focus and create a
purpose, which becomes the measurement
of success.
Nothing is accomplished, if there is no
vision to start things moving. A vision is the
capability to see beyond the current reality.
It also can be a powerful way to keep one
focused on what you want to achieve, while
keeping you motivated in achieving it.
No lasting achievement is possible
without a vision, and no dream can become
real without action and responsibility.

MAAC President Peter Schaffer
 
I don’t know that we’ll make a difference. It’s awfully depressing.... but I put in a comment, and it was honestly pretty cool to read through a bunch of comments tha people had submitted. 90% of my flying is DLGs and I’ve got two or three that can stay under 250 w/out ballast, but it’s not all that I like to fly (and I like to go to remote field and parks, not club sites or “FRIAs”)— the whole situation is just gut wrenching.

Thanks for all those that commented (or encourage others to do so)
 
I made one last comment to the FAA: This comment was mostly to get this manipulation of the comment system on the record for possible legal action in the future.

Now the comment period is over. Time to take a breath and prepare to educate and communicate with congressional leaders and other elected officials. Turned out the AOPA shot us in the back in the final hours by arguing in favor of RID for all aircraft - but the official comment from the AMA was fairly well composed. If you got 'em fly 'em.

Final comment below----------------------------
The FAA's refusal to extend the comment period on this NPRM appears to be intentional to reduce the number of comments by not allowing all stakeholders to receive a timely notification of this NPRM in order to construct an educated and rational response.

Because of the lead time necessary to publish Model Aviation Magazine the AMA was not able get printed notification to many of their members before the comment period closed. This is compounded because a great many of the AMA members are senior citizens with little or no online presence. The model magazine is the primary way many modelers receive notification of anything of note in the hobby. The March issue of Model Aviation has only been arriving to mail boxes within the past couple days - and many members such as myself have not even received it. If I didn't have an online presence I would not have known about this NPRM.
This is clearly discrimination against older people and those who do not have an online presence for financial or other reasons.
It appears that this NPRM was INTENTIONALLY timed to correspond with the time of year that modelers are not in close contact with one another - just after club winter banquets and in the dead of winter when they are not flying at club fields or attending events around the country.

This manipulation of the comment process will be shared with my elected representatives and I hope to see some legal action in this regard.
 
Just wanted to say thanks to all of you for your efforts and submitting your comments. It’s definitely not over. As one of the members Scott spoke about joining one club and leaving after a year to another one. Well sometimes you don’t find the group you want to be with the first time.
 
 
Wayne said:

Link above is a change in the names for model Aircraft from the FAA. At least that is my take. I guess we ll fly "unmanned aircraft systems" now.
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It seems they are asserting their right/mandate/prerogative/ to regulate model aircraft by eliminating any legal distinction between model aircraft and other UAS. Waiting for the other shoe to drop......
 
:mad::cry:
Here we go again. We got some reprieve when Covid and the election came out, but looks like there back in action to terrorize our hobby.
 
Looking at Federal Register: https://ecfr.federalregister.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-101

As a result of this rule Subpart E - Special Rule for Model Aircraft from the Federal Register --- had been deleted. It previously read:

​

​

PART 101 - MOORED BALLOONS, KITES, AMATEUR ROCKETS, UNMANNED FREE BALLOONS, AND CERTAIN MODEL AIRCRAFT​

Subpart E - Special Rule for Model Aircraft

Source: Docket FAA-2015-0150, Amdt. 101-9, 81 FR 42208, June 28, 2016, unless otherwise noted.

§ 101.41 Applicability.
This subpart prescribes rules governing the operation of a model aircraft (or an aircraft being developed as a model aircraft) that meets all of the following conditions as set forth in section 336 of Public Law 112-95:
(a) The aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use;
(b) The aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization;
(c) The aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program administered by a community-based organization;
(d) The aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; and
(e) When flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the operation.
§ 101.43 Endangering the safety of the National Airspace System.
No person may operate model aircraft so as to endanger the safety of the national airspace system.
 
The FAA is policing organization charged with making its own rules. You ever hear of the police listening to anybody they think of as being the problem?
 
The final rule is released. I attached the 470 page document. First cursory look it appears that it's not AS BAD as originally proposed. I need a condensed version or I may have to go buy a ream of paper to print this so I can review it.
 

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