District Update

From: Mike Mosbrooker -  District XI VP

January 2012

Expo:  I just returned from the AMA Expo in Ontario and will give you a few thoughts. I was also told of a youtube video from Nitro Models at :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Fa4YEZjbecY

It is little biased toward their products but does capture the essence of the show. Lots of large foam aircraft being built. Need to find out how they are designed to be able to withstand the requisite G forces. These are virtually all electric powered. A fair number of well built ARF’s and not surprisingly, no kits. Show was fairly quiet on Friday and Sunday but Saturday was a zoo. AMA Insider, January 2012 also has links to many pictures. At 20 minutes before the show opened on Friday, I looked around and thought I had my days mixed up - packing material all over the place - but magically, it was all ready to go at noon. Actually, most shows are like that. My predecessor, Bruce Nelson, told me that the secret to my enjoyment was to go in before the doors actually opened so I could see everything and shop in peace. Great advice. That only cost me about $400. Thanks Bruce.

FAA NPRM sUAS: The rule making process by the FAA is the center of discussion by the executive council and lots of other folks. It appears that the release of a draft of the rule for public comment will be further delayed until about May. And I don’t mean to sound cynical but the longer the FAA takes to publish this rule to deal with unmanned aircraft, the longer they can rest easy without fearing that some incident will cause blame to fall on them for something they omitted from the rule. When they do eventually publish the rule, the AMA membership will be asked to submit comments and this means that the AMA will need to reach the membership quickly, preferably by email. Many members do not have their current email address shown within their profile at AMA. Please encourage anyone you come in contact with to provide the correct information to the AMA..

To enter or change your email, go to the AMA website, login to MEMBERS ONLY, click on your name in the upper right corner, select Personal Information and make the appropriate entry under Email. And while you’re at it, check out the latest news – best way to stay current. If you have any trouble with the web site, please let me know.

As we hear now, the FAA rule governing unmanned aircraft will stipulate many restrictions for the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles. The operator will have to either comply with the restrictions or operate in accordance with a standard that is put forth by an organization such as the AMA and approved by the FAA. The AMA is writing this standard now. In a nutshell, we only want to put into this standard what we have to. The AMA first offered up our existing safety code and that was deemed insufficient. Apparently the FAA would like all of us to go through some sort of formal training regimen, such as full scale pilots must do. Nobody in the AMA that I’ve talked to wants to do that. And so it goes.

District Changes:  Claude Tanner is stepping down as an AVP in Boise Idaho. Many thanks to you Claude for your years of volunteer effort. The District is adding two new AVPs, Chuck Bower of Langley, WA and Chris Rankin of Bend Oregon. Chuck has been a club president for 10 of the past 16 years, a Contest Director, and a turbine waiver holder. Chuck has worked with the FAA on turbine flight demos at local air shows and has assisted the University of Washington’s aeronautics senior design class for the past six years. Chris is a captain for a major airline flying the Airbus A320, the District XI webmaster, a turbine waiver holder, CD, past club president and current club officer. Chris started in control line and is interested in all facets of model aviation. Please join me in welcoming our new AVPs.

MM

 

January 2012

• Ensure AMA has your current Email
• sUAS NPRM expected Spring 2012

 

 

AMA District XI Display Banner - March 2012

District Banners:  The district now has two banners to be used by members at events. 
They measure 3x24 feet and 3x8 feet.
You call and I will send to you and you can return after the event at District cost. 
They show AMA and District XI logos and have eyelets for attachment to a fence or booth wall. 

Mike Mosbrooker