Jacob

Sickeler

, Aliquippa

, Pennsylvania

, United States

Posted on
2020-02-18 8:12:38
“As a commercially rated pilot myself I am well aware of the substantial expense involved with flying any full size aircraft. Model aircraft then become one of the best ways for many people to experience the joys of aviation. As many of us well know, there is a tremendous pilot shortage right now. If mdoel flying can help light the fire within others to begin persuing a career in full size aviation then taking away that path would do quite a disservice to the industry. I understand there needs to be more regulation regrding how some of these aricraft are being used and in the areaes in which they are flown, but this proposed set of rules seems more like the death knoll for the hobbyist than a way to safeguard the national airspace. I feel there needs to be a stronger push for more required education, training and licensesing for the larger camera style platforms to be operated. There needs to be a better understanding by the operators of some of these platforms of airspace restrictions and FAA regulations in which they are flying their systems. I was reqired to learn this as a pilot so it seems there can be some stronger educational requirements as a operator. Calling all model aircraft unmanned arial platforms is shortsighted in my opinion. Flying a small foam cub around my local park or flying a home made craft in your back yard should not be lumped into the same catagory as opertaing a larger style camera platform over a crowd of people in a area of Temporary Flight Restriction that one isn’t even alowed to fly over in fulle sized commercial aircraft. I sincerely hope the FAA take more time to speak with those involved in this hobby to better craft a set of more thought out and more helpful regulatioins regarding a very quickly evolving sector in aviation.”