First glimpse at what Hobby/Recreational Operators will be facing on 5/17/2019

[BigAl07]

This is going to cause some "Uproar" in the hobby community to say the least. I knew tighter restrictions were coming but had no idea just HOW tight they were gonna be....

Stay tuned for more as it's released:

https://phantompilots.com/attachments/faa-pdf.111232/

 

[Phaedrus]

That looks familiar!!

Here is section 349 which is what all this is based on:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/302/text?r=1&s=1#toc-H18D986236849404B96CEF256C94335C6

Scroll down to section 349

 

[TreeLineView]

so "Limited Recreational Flyers" can now only fly in designated model fields and or any unrestricted air space? will they be allowed to use LAANC or is that restricted to Part 107 Pilots

 

[BigAl07]

so "Limited Recreational Flyers" can now only fly in designated model fields and or any unrestricted air space? will they be allowed to use LAANC or is that restricted to Part 107 Pilots

It's anticipated that Recreational LAANC will role out in the 180 day time allotment for testing etc.

 

[Phaedrus]

It appears the first phase is at fixed sites in controlled airspace, then LAANC come the summer. Class G is ok as no authorization needed with a 400-foot altitude cap. Also, no longer needed to contact airports outside controlled airspace.

 

[R Martin]

This is going to cause some "Uproar" in the hobby community to say the least. I knew tighter restrictions were coming but had no idea just HOW tight they were gonna be....

Stay tuned for more as it's released:

https://phantompilots.com/attachments/faa-pdf.111232/

That was a big change in policy. Enforcement will be another issue if it happens but the new rules certainly clamp down on airspace usage by hobbyist.

 

[Phaedrus]

AMA issued an official statement:

FAA_ATC_Memorandum

contentsharing.net

 

[Fred Garvin]

AMA issued an official statement:

FAA_ATC_Memorandum

contentsharing.net

I just got that too....seems this was meant for ATC eyes and not general public release yet. Call it Firmware 809.

 

[Phaedrus]

Issue is what happens when some unsuspecting soul contacts ATC and gets told what was in the FAA memo to their staff. Sort of silly to say it was not meant for the public since we are the ones directly affected by it.

 

[BigAl07]

I just got that too....seems this was meant for ATC eyes and not general public release yet. Call it Firmware 809.

These memos always get "accidentally" released and it's way too coincidental IMHO. This one got released along with the Power Point Presentation too? Seems just too "easy" if you ask me.

 

[Phaedrus]

It bothers me that the AMA basically says that AMA members can ignore what the FAA told their own ATC staff. Seems something is not matching up here.

 

[BigAl07]

It bothers me that the AMA basically says that AMA members can ignore what the FAA told their own ATC staff. Seems something is not matching up here.

It's just saying that existing agreements will be honored going forward. If a flying site is allowed to fly Thursday (under 336 with a LOA ) then they will still be allowed to fly on Saturday morning as the FAA will honor the existing agreements until a new LOA with new wording can be put into place.

This same thing happened when 336 went into effect a few years back so that we didn't have to call and "Notify" 7 days a week at "documented" flying sites in close proximity to the airports.

 

[Phaedrus]

It's just saying that existing agreements will be honored going forward. If a flying site is allowed to fly Thursday (under 336 with a LOA ) then they will still be allowed to fly on Saturday morning as the FAA will honor the existing agreements until a new LOA with new wording can be put into place.

The issue is that 336 no longer exists, it was repealed the moment the new law was signed. In addition, Congress explicitly excluded 336/349 from the list of sections that could operate in a transition time (See Section 380 of FMRA 2018).

SEC. 380. TRANSITION LANGUAGE.
(a) Regulations.—Notwithstanding the repeals under sections 341, 348, 347, and 383 of this Act, all orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, grants, and contracts, which have been issued under any law described under subsection (b) of this section before the effective date of this Act shall continue in effect until modified or revoked by the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, as applicable, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law other than this Act.

(b) Laws Described.—The laws described under this subsection are as follows:

(1) Section 332 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).

(2) Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).

(3) Section 334 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).

(4) Section 2206 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–190; 130 Stat. 615).

Very few sites have LOA, in fact the AMA recently wrote a column about how to do that.

Letters of Agreement Between Clubs and Air Traffic Control - AMA IN ACTION Advocating for Members

In the near future, hobbyists and drone operators will no longer have to notify every airport within a five mile radius before an operation. When this prov ...

amablog.modelaircraft.org

And why does the AMA say the FAA told them to continue on as before but clearly instructed their ATC personnel NOT to continue on as before?

 

[Phaedrus]

FAA Website updated:

Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations

www.faa.gov

 

[Earnest Ward]

I may be completely off the mark but, as I see it, we have an sUAS community that can be divided into two camps: 107 and recreational pilots who adhere to the rules, regulations, guidelines, and safe practices; and "out-laws" who are either blissfully ignorant of the rules, or who flagrantly and wantonly ignore same.

IMHO, the problem with the congressional mandates being hoisted on the FAA is that: A) they're only really effective with pilots who are both knowledgable and demonstrate a propensity toward compliance; and B) they don't give the FAA the "teeth" (budget, manpower and tech tools such as Remote ID & UTM) to force compliance upon the rouges.