“### My 81 year old Dad and I have a connection and a relationship deepened by time in the workshop, and time out of doors experiencing the flight of our craft built by our own hands. We both have had very intense, sometimes stressful occupations. Dad as a project manager, me as a cardiovascular ICU RN. The time we spend building, flying, improving and maintaining our planes and multi-rotor are relaxing and satisfying, but more than that it is quality time for discussion of important issues and life lessons. There is a bond we have with others who tinker, dream, and bond while pursuing goals. We love to share our experience by teaching those who are new whether young or older. Dad and I take the time to get to know those we fly with and enjoy serving one another when we see a need. Dad’s first experience with radio control was while in Japan after WW2 while his Dad was station there. One day Dad got a chance to hang out with his dad’s unit at a 50 cal. antiaircraft range. They were using an early Radio control target drone. When the drone operator noticed My teenage dad’s interest in the drone, the operator asked if he would like to try flying it, YES! and he and we were hooked. I would have loved to become a pilot, and I did serve as a flight medivac medic in the Gulf War on Huey UH-1Ds. But full scale aircraft are expensive to operate with some additional risk over model flying. Dad and a few of his friends started a flying club at a field about 4000 foot from the final path of a then busy Air Force base. The club operated there for nearly 20 years before moving about 8000 feet further from that runway, not because of any incident, but because the land changed hands. In the nearly 40 years the club has operated near this now municipal, NASA, Coast Guard, F16 wing, field. There has not been one incident or even a close call because we always look and listen so that we give a clear right of way to full scale aircraft. It is easy and a natural part of any type of flying and common sense. Although our field is clearly marked on air charts, planes do cross our field. Some at or near 500 foot but they all are easy to detect and avoid. Now many of our models have crashed over the years mind you. But no one has been injured except for maybe our pride placed into the aircraft we pride. Model aircraft do not pose a threat to full scale aviation, and will not threaten commercial UAV of the future. Model aircraft are the safest form of aviation, the best training platform for future aviators, drone or manned and an incubator for future aerospace innovators. Please do not burden such a great hobby with nearly a hundred years of demonstrated safe operation which has been statistically evaluated as a low insurance risk. The real challenge and potential risk will come from larger, heavier, noisier, more powerful commercial UAV which may have the potential, like full sized manned aircraft to inflict injury and death. But I am confident that the US will lead the world in the integration of manned and UAV aviation. I also believe that among those leaders will be past present and future model aviation enthusiasts much like those who have come before. STEM Aviation programs are a great example of such programs, but many Flying clubs also teach boy Scout troops and school field trip programs. Indeed Modelers, I feel will and would be a great resource for solving some of the actual and potential risks posed by those with bad intent. Many modelers have advanced technical skill and knowledge useful for detection and locating craft. And as mentioned above, we are aviation enthusiasts always on the lookout and listening for aircraft. I have much more to say, but please know that we are on the side of safety, our families use air to travel as well. Thank you for your consideration, Robin Bayer. ICU RN, AMA member”