Caleb
Ramos
, Dallas
, Texas
, United States
Posted on
2020-02-15 19:19:33
“Exploration into the RC flying hobby helped supplant my interest in aviation, and guide me to what I want to do with my life. I began flying RC airplanes very early in life, around 12 years old, and by 15 I was already building custom designs out of no more humble-a-material than paper laminated foam board. Projects at school were centered around aviation; my membership to the Civil Air Patrol, an Air Force partnered youth cadet team, encouraged by its association with flying and education. Long before I graduated high school I knew I wanted to build aircraft for a living and pursue careers as an engineer, and would continue onto college to study in it thanks to what I could do as a young man building small RC craft. My passion for aviation would continue to see me not only build personal projects meant to explore the natures of flight, but join with other like minded students in University Clubs, were together we would design competition RC aircraft to put to test what we learned in class, and expanded on what we could do. During times of struggles during courses, where it seemed like there was no joy or benefit towards learning, being able to simply fly small aircraft and craft build my own simple aircraft from measly materials and cost effective parts helped keep me determined to study and expand my involvement in this field. The RC aircraft hobby is an important way on how I express myself and connect with others; an art form where I find my confidence in what I can do, and get a glimpse towards what I can add to the lives of those around me. And thanks to the other great people within this family of aircraft hobbyist even important lessons on how to be cordial, respective, and considerate of others has been learned. I would be worse off if I never did fly an RC plane all those years ago.
It is these experiences that make me very concerned for certain elements of the NPRM for Remote ID. As I currently explore this hobby, the luxuries of well constructed and nearby flying fields for RC aircraft is near nonexistent, as is my capacity to join in membership to these fields and most commonly their required AMA accompaniment. I mentioned before that I explored the hobby through meager ways; even after 8 years my main tool for creation is still light weight foam board, where a a couple dollars or so can create a whole air frame, and I most often utilize discount electronics and electric powerplants never even exceeding $100 for parts, if that much is ever spent. One can imagine that as I begin university studies, the finances to explore anything beyond bare necessities of living and study material become all the more scarce, though I have been blessed by these economical ways to still see some engagement. To have to be restricted to flying fields that are outside even my local metroplex, and begin a minimum of 2 memberships to flying fields (one for local club and another for CBO) is only the beginning of the problems. In a full life that needs just a little bit of light, the near by abandoned lots, empty fields, and the occasional deserted parking lots are a life blood for flying my >2 lb foam airplanes. To be prohibited from designing and creating what I like if only barred to a rare and volatile field will kill my hobby, kill my art. And that is not even getting into the concerns of flying fields being limited and regulation designed to see the fields die off over time… As a long time hobbyist, even one who’s been limited in his engagement, I just can’t see nor can survive under these proposed regulations and their intent. In essence the number of incidents that have resulted in a misuse of a recreation model or autonomous aircraft aren’t even 1% of the +100 years people have explored this hobby to this day. As far as recreation scratch builders like myself, we’re concerned that this important part of our lives will be made inaccessible to ourselves, those who would love to know it, and those who’ve yet to have the chance, with our children afterward
~ Caleb Ramos, Texas”