Michael
Zachau
, New Braunfels
, Texas
, United States
Posted on
2020-02-25 16:54:08
“I believe that the FAA rules, as proposed, will kill a hobby that I have participated in for most of my 60 years. As an aerospace engineer, these hobbies started me down the path of getting my engineering degree and have a wonderful career with the Boeing Company, including working 20 years on the International Space Station Program.
I’m afraid that these new FAA rules will (over time) reduce the ability to fly radio control planes and other vehicle as there are no provisions for new fields to be added to the approved flying list. Current flying fields are being sold off for Industrial or Residential development so there is no guarantee the current fields will remain active.
The rules on Remote ID are costly and very difficult for the FAA to administer. As an active home builder, I currently have 11 built planes and 3 in development. The cost per plane to register with the FAA will be burdensome but even worse the system will be an administrative night for the FAA to remove or add planes that have been scraped or sold to another pilot. The current rule which requires that pilots register and mark each plane with their FAA and AMA numbers, and pilot name and phone number is enough.
If a plane is found at a crash site where it should not be, the FAA has the information for contacting the pilot. I strongly feel that the FAA should be concentrating their efforts on keeping the full size planes in the air. Every week there are stories of plane crashes that cause major damage and death. To the best of my knowledge there has never been a death in the United States due to a Radio Control plane. So why invent a reason to do a poor job in controlling radio control planes which are not hurting anybody.
I feel sorry for the young people who will never get the chance to experience RC flight because the Federal Government makes it too difficult.”