Bill

, North Carolina

, United States

Posted on
2020-02-15 21:26:07
“All that is needed is a reasonable weight limit for unregulated model aircraft. Potential danger is directly related to weight. You can’t realistically hurt anyone or cause measurable damage with most model aircraft outside of larger models. My suggestion is to create a reasonable weight limit (not 250 grams which is ridiculously conservative) which would be completely exempt from all FAA oversight. As a mechanical engineer I can tell you with absolute certainty that any full scale aircraft that can’t stay flight worthy with an impact with most model aircraft in use today, has no business being certified to fly and carry people. Also, where is the risk assessment the FAA is required to do before making regulations? If they had done one, they would not be able to justify this action. There is no safer hobby than model aircraft. There can’t be because more people die falling down in their homes than have been killed by model aircraft. This attempt at control is therefore essentially illegal because they have failed to properly identify the risk. I also think the courts will have something to say about the FAA’s contention that all air is under their purview down to the ground of private property. They will lose that battle in court and I look forward to that day. Finally the FAA ought to spend more time doing their jobs as originally defined when they were formed. For example not allowing helicopters with a VFR rating to fly in mountainous terrain in heavy fog. That killed more people (including a 13 year old) in one accident than model aircraft have killed in the entire world, for all of history. And it was the lack of oversight by the FAA that led to those deaths. And now they will be spreading their attention to toy airplanes. More deaths will happen, because they aren’t doing their jobs well now. Their ability to regulate is already stretched to the limit. Adding this attempt of control for no properly identified reason, will lead to additional lapses of oversight and therefore necessarily more full scale deaths. This is why this regulation not only will fail to improve safety, I can guarantee you the air will be less safe directly because of it.”