“Dear FliteTest, I would like to begin by saying that your continued support and action to preserve our amazing hobby is truly appreciated and I cannot praise you enough for your efforts. FliteTest has been instrumental in my journey with flight, as with countless others, and I hope that our community can continue to grow and experience the same joy that I have for years to come. From an early age I have always had a fascination with flight. I remember watching Tom Cruise in Top Gun for the first time as a child and afterwards dreaming of being in that cockpit. Although knowing that becoming the next Maverick was not my calling, I also knew that flying, in some form or fashion, would be a part of my life. My curiosity and amazement around aircraft continued to grow after receiving my first motorized, tethered plane for my birthday which I would play with for hours, spinning in circles until I got too dizzy to stand. It was then that my love for RC began. I so badly wanted to merge my love of flight and RC by building a radio controlled airplane, but at the time the barriers to entry were too high. So, I resorted to building nitro race cars with my father and racing at the local hobby shop. The time I spent with my father bonding and learning to take a pile of parts and turning it into a fully functional vehicle was invaluable. It taught me so many things including dedication, problem solving and even mechanics as I learned how each part worked together and served a purpose. Even though I enjoyed that hobby, cars were not my passion and decided to spend my time on other activities. However, my love for RC still remained. Fast forward to 2015, I stumbled across a Youtube channel called FliteTest. I was so thrilled to find out that a company had removed as many barriers to entry into RC flight as possible and began following the channel, watching every video that was uploaded. After following the channel for a couple years I finally decided to build a parts list for my very first RC airplane that I’ve wanted ever since I was a child. However, shortly after that decision was made, FliteTest announced the release of the FT 270 quadcopter and I instantly knew that was the direction I would head. The thought of flying an aircraft as though in the cockpit brought me back to my dreams of tearing through the skies in an F14 Tomcat. Since I had developed a love for building through my RC car days, I knew that quadcopters would be a good fit for me as they would give me the opportunity to assemble them piece by piece. I purchased my kit, electronics and soldering iron and assembled my very first quadcopter by watching FliteTest’s step by step build video. The process allowed me to grow by learning new skills (such as soldering) and expanded my knowledge around electronics and electrical engineering. It further developed my ability to problem solve and overcome challenges as well. I have since build 10+ homebuilt quadcopters ranging from sub 250 gram to 750 gram aircrafts carrying HD cameras. I am an active member in the local FPV community and have made several long-lasting friendships through this hobby. It has also reignited my creative passions by providing me the opportunity to edit my flight footage into content to be uploaded to social media. Before being introduced into FPV I had zero experience with film & video editing and didn’t even know I had a passion for it. This is yet another skill I have been able to develop through this amazing hobby. Because of this I decided to begin preparing to obtain my Part 107 certificate with the goal of starting my own media company where I could follow my passion and put the new skills I have gained to work. Unfortunately, the recent NPRM proposed by the FAA has given me second thoughts about pursuing this as my aircrafts would be considered noncompliant under the current edition of the rule. So, why does flying matter to me? It matters because it means freedom. Freedom to explore the world around me through a vantage point unlike any other. Freedom to become a business owner where I can blend my passion for flight and creativity. It matters because it has given me the chance to experience my dream of flying that I’ve carried with me since I was a child. And lastly, it matters because it means family. I wish that one day I can share with my children the same experience I had with my father. I wish that I will get the opportunity to spark their own curiosity and thirst for knowledge, provide them with skills such as problem solving and engineering as well as giving them the opportunity to experience joy and friendships unlike any other. Thank you for allowing me to share my story.”