AMA Recommends Members To Not Register Until Deadline

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Dear AMA Members,

Yesterday, the AMA Executive Council unanimously approved an action plan to relieve and further protect our members from unnecessary and burdensome regulations. This plan addresses the recently announced interim rule requiring federal registration of all model aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds.

AMA has long used a similar registration system with our members, which we pointed out during the task force deliberations and in private conversations with the FAA. As you are aware, AMA's safety program instructs all members to place his or her AMA number or name and address on or within their model aircraft, effectively accomplishing the safety and accountability objectives of the interim rule. AMA has also argued that the new registration rule runs counter to Congress' intent in Section 336 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, otherwise known as the "Special Rule for Model Aircraft."

The Council is considering all legal and political remedies to address this issue. We believe that resolution to the unnecessary federal registration rule for our members rests with AMA's petition before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. This petition, filed in August 2014, asks the court to review the FAA's interpretation of the "Special Rule for Model Aircraft." The central issue is whether the FAA has the authority to expand the definition of aircraft to include model aircraft; thus, allowing the agency to establish new standards and operating criteria to which model aircraft operators have never been subject to in the past.

In promulgating its interim rule for registration earlier this week, the FAA repeatedly stated that model aircraft are aircraft, despite the fact that litigation is pending on this very question. The Council believes the FAA's reliance on its interpretation of Section 336 for legal authority to compel our members to register warrants the Court's immediate attention to AMA's petition.

While we continue to believe that registration makes sense at some threshold and for flyers operating outside of a community-based organization or flying for commercial purposes, we also strongly believe our members are not the problem and should not have to bear the burden of additional regulations. Safety has been the cornerstone of our organization for 80 years and AMA's members strive to be a part of the solution.

As we proceed with this process, we suggest AMA members hold off on registering their model aircraft with the FAA until advised by the AMA or until February 19, the FAA's legal deadline for registering existing model aircraft.

Holding off on registration will allow AMA time to fully consider all possible options. On a parallel track, it also allows AMA to complete ongoing conversations with the FAA about how best to streamline the registration process for our members.

In the near future, we will also be asking our members to make their voices heard by submitting comments to the FAA's interim rule on registration. We will follow-up soon with more detailed information on how to do this.

Thank you for your continued support of AMA. We will provide you with more updates as they become available.

Kind regards,



The AMA Executive Council

Bob Brown, AMA President
Gary Fitch, AMA Executive Vice President
Andy Argenio, AMA Vice President, District I
Eric Williams, AMA Vice President, District II
Mark Radcliff, AMA Vice President, District III
Jay Marsh, AMA Vice President, District IV
Kris Dixon, AMA Vice President, District V
Randy Cameron, AMA Vice President, District VI
Tim Jesky, AMA Vice President, District VII
Mark Johnston, AMA Vice President, District VIII
Jim Tiller, AMA Vice President, District IX
Lawrence Tougas, AMA Vice President, District X
Chuck Bower, AMA Vice President, District XI
 
AMA's safety program instructs all members to place his or her AMA number or name and address on or within their model aircraft
So, why didn't the FAA just instruct all drone owners to do the same? It's obviously not what they want done. I think the AMA is out of their mind if they think the FAA is going to back down on this. AMA members should not be treated any differently.
 
The AMA suit has great merit and applies to all who fly for hobby purposes, including their Members. We should all be grateful to them for their initiative. They are simply stating that Congress has exempted model aircraft from FAA jurisdiction and that the registration rule for hobbyists is in conflict with current law. I have registered my P3P for commercial use and have a 333 exemption. I'm not 100% sure exactly what Congress intends with its hobby exemption, so I'll wait and see what the court says before I register my P2V.
 
so I'll wait and see what the court says before I register my P2V.
What's the plan if the court does not have time to respond by February 19th?
 
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What's the plan if the court does not have time to respond by February 19th?
You will be in violation of (yet another) Federal Law. Neither Santa Claus nor the Tooth Fairy will visit you. You will be forced to watch the next Republican presidential debate and then do 250 hours of community service by watching C-Span.

It's not worth it.... (Not sure exactly what isn't worth it but something isn't.)

I hope that helps.

The analogy that typically gets tossed about here is the FCC's relationship with the amateur radio community. It would sort of be like the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) saying that it will control call signs and registrations. That likely would not go over well, but the FCC and ARRL have had over 100 years of working things out with each other.

Right now, the ARRL will automagically renew your FCC license (if you're a member of the ARRL) but the database is in Washington.

This really sounds like a pissing match. I don't think the AMA is going to win this one...
 
It's free to register and you don't have to affix the number on your drones until February 19th (at the latest). It seems silly not to take a few minutes to do it.
 
It's free to register and you don't have to affix the number on your drones until February 19th (at the latest). It seems silly not to take a few minutes to do it.
What's the harm in waiting until Feb 19th?
 
It's free to register and you don't have to affix the number on your drones until February 19th (at the latest). It seems silly not to take a few minutes to do it.
Silly? :confused:

It isn't "free" if you have to use a personal credit card in your name to "assist in the authentication process" and pay the $5 with the expectation of a credit of $5 at a future time. That is a charge of $5. It also precludes you using any other anonymous method of paying the $5. It also bribes you to register before the deadline of February 19th, by which time legal challenges may have stayed the registration deadline. Once registered, you cannot delete your data from the system. It is permanently stored forever. It isn't worth a $5 credit to register a moment sooner than absolutely necessary! Don't do it!
 
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It will cost you $5 to register if you wait.
It costs you $5 either way. Only if you use your personal credit card to pay now will you receive a CC credit of $5 later, if you pay within the first 30 days. It's a delayed bribe. It's not truly free, with no CC required!
 
The AMA has stayed before that they feel the or members should be exempt from the Federal registration. Thus makes little sense to me. I can ask people on my street to give me their contact information and vehicle information and think that this somehow is the same as state registration? It's not even close. To me it seems like the AMA wants another selling point on people paying them a membership fee.

I applaud their fight against FAA regulations on hobby drones. Thank you.

Bottom line, I don't have an issue with registering my drone. It won't make any difference as if someone has my drone to run the number than they also should know who I am already. So I'm not sure how an abuse of that system would happen. It's also a pointless system that should not hurt anyone. However, it does serve to get the media and local law enforcement off our backs.
 
They are not doing this on our behalf! They are doing it because they think they are "special" and above the law. FAA has already explicitly told them to go fly a kite! :p

I really do not see anything wrong with AMA doing something for their members ONLY.

AMA has no fiduciary duty to none members. Like existence of any club, it is for the benefit of its members first and foremost.

On PR front, AMA could gain lots of new members if they done a better PR job of inclusion.

I certainly know AARP aren't advocating for me yet. :)
 
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Silly? :confused:

It isn't "free" if you have to use a personal credit card in your name to "assist in the authentication process" and pay the $5 with the expectation of a credit of $5 at a future time. That is a charge of $5. It also precludes you using any other anonymous method of paying the $5. It also bribes you to register before the deadline of February 19th, by which time legal challenges may have stayed the registration deadline. Once registered, you cannot delete your data from the system. It is permanently stored forever. It isn't worth a $5 credit to register a moment sooner than absolutely necessary! Don't do it!
Of course it's free. You're just being silly.
 
I really do not see anything wrong with AMA doing something for their members ONLY.

AMA has no fiduciary duty to none members. Like existence of any club, it is for the benefit of its members first and foremost.

On PR front, AMA could gain lots of new members if they done a better PR job of inclusion.

I certainly know AARP aren't advocating for me yet. :)
Not suggesting they should. Just that they do not represent our interests as drone flyers, but they sure wanted our money to support their agenda!
 
Of course it's free. You're just being silly.
If you say so...Truly "FREE" means you don't ever require my credit card number or any other form of payment first. Otherwise, it's just a ruse. I wasn't born yesterday. It's a refundable deposit, but it isn't free. Remind me not to accept anything from you, that your marketing department says is "free" :rolleyes: Are you now pimping for the FAA, too? That would be just as "silly!"
 
Not suggesting they should. Just that they do not represent our interests as drone flyers, but they sure wanted our money to support their agenda!

Has the AMA asked you to become a member? NO!! Then what makes you think that they should that they should spend their money on attorney fees to represent you or anyone else who isn't a member.
 
Has the AMA asked you to become a member? NO!! Then what makes you think that they should that they should spend their money on attorney fees to represent you or anyone else who isn't a member.
Please don't ask me questions, and then make up answers! :eek:
In case you've missed it, the AMA and their members have been trolling this forum over the last 6 months, trying to promote and sell their worthless insurance included "free" with an AMA membership, under the guise of a liability policy for the paranoid drone flyer, and several drone pilots fell for the scam. They paid for AMA membership and have recently learned the AMA lobbied the FAA to make drone fliers register and force them to fly under all AMA Flying Rules, while trying to exempt all model aircraft flyers from any regulation. Fortunately, the FAA saw through the duplicitous AMA and ordered them to register along with all the drone owners. :p

I have never asked nor expected the AMA to do anything for me and I certainly don't ever want them representing me or pretending to!:eek:

What's the harm in waiting until Feb 19th?
Absolutely none, and a major benefit. A lot of things could happen between now and then! Wait and see!

It's free to register and you don't have to affix the number on your drones until February 19th (at the latest). It seems silly not to take a few minutes to do it.
Silly is, as silly does..:p
Yeah, it's really about saving the few minutes. :rolleyes:
That's called a reduction to the rediculous and a distractor in the world of sales.
"It's free. It's silly not to save money. Just go ahead and do it! It only takes a few minutes."
In the process, the "mark" forgets that they should be really not be questioning when they should do it, or how, but whether they should be doing it at all!:eek:

What's the plan if the court does not have time to respond by February 19th?
Hmmm...Geee...I dunno...maybe register on February 19th?
Certainly, there is no rush to register now!
Oh, wait, you want your $5 back! Is that really what's most important?
Ok.. Give them your credit card, and they'll keep your $5 until they decide they want to give it back. Now they'll have your personal credit card on file, too.
Hey, but you saved $5 right?
Why not just not pay anything at all, until it's resolved?
What's your hurry and why are you shilling for them?
 
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Hmmm...Geee...I dunno...maybe register on February 19th?
Certainly, there is no rush to register now!
Oh, wait, you want your $5 back! Is that really what's most important?
Ok.. Give them your credit card, and they'll keep your $5 until they decide they want to give it back. Now they'll have your personal credit card on file, too.
Hey, but you saved $5 right?
Why not just not pay anything at all, until it's resolved?
What's your hurry and why are you shilling for them?

It has been resolved. Nothing will change between now and 2/19. Saving $5 is not losing $5. If a person wants to wait, they can feel free to do so. Just don't think anything will change if you are not a member of the AMA.
 

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