Keith
Mansfield
, Douglasville
, Georgia
, United States
Posted on
2020-02-22 14:39:30
“I have been flying traditional model airplanes, control line, since the 1950’s, and radio controlled since the late 1960’s. I built the majority of my planes from kits requiring careful and accurate construction techniques. In the 1990’s I joined an AMA affiliated flying club and am still a member. I fly for fun and relaxation. I have flown full-scale, man carrying, airplanes since the 1970’s, and am building a full-size airplane now. Model aviation paved the way for me to enter full-scale aviation as a recreational pilot. Aviation is my primary hobby. Being interested in new technology, I built two multirotor aircraft that I fly in my back yard, only within visual range and below 200 feet of altitude. I have never witnessed a traditional model aircraft creating a safety problem for people or other aircraft. I believe the advent of computer controlled multirotor aircraft has allowed people totally uneducated in aviation, and especially aviation safety, to buy and fly these aircraft in airspace traditional model aircraft have never entered. I do not believe that traditional model aircraft are part of any safety issue.
Education is an issue that should be addressed. I propose a brief airspace and aircraft safety test be required with each aircraft or aircraft kit purchase. When purchased online, the sale could not be completed until an online test was successfully completed. When purchased at a fixed store the sale could not be completed unless the purchaser successfully completes a written test. Modelers that build aircraft from raw materials should not need to take a test because they are already “aviation knowledgeable”
I further propose that only aircraft that can be flown out of unassisted visual range of the operator be required to carry a Remote I.D. device. Aircraft not fitted with Remote I.D. must fly in uncontrolled airspace unless they comply with the currently in place LAANC regulations. If this is not acceptable, I propose that an operator be required to purchase only one transferable Remote I.D. device that can be fitted to any of his/her aircraft prior to him/her flying that aircraft. Currently in place FAA Pilot Registration would require the single Remote I.D. device and pilot carry the same registration number. Therefore, pilots should not be required to register each aircraft.”