FAA Regulations Hobby Pilots?????

[Jerryatric]

• Follow community-based safety guidelines and fly within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization

Read AMA safety guidelines. No biggie. But....what does "fly within the programming..." mean? Have to be a member to be 100% legal?

 

[BigAl07]

That means follow those guidelines. No you don't have to be a member in order to follow the guidelines.

This is taken from the FAA's website:

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need permission from the FAA to fly a UAS for recreation or as a hobby?
There are two ways for recreational or hobby UAS fliers to operate in the National Airspace System in accordance with the law and/or FAA regulations. Each of the two options has specific requirements that the UAS operator must follow. The decision as to which option to follow is up to the individual operator.

Option #1. Fly in accordance with the Special Rule for Model Aircraft (Public Law 112-95 Section 336). Under this rule, operators must:

1. Register their UAS with the FAA
2. Fly for hobby or recreational purposes only
3. Follow a community-based set of safety guidelines
4. Fly the UAS within visual line-of-sight
5. Give way to manned aircraft
6. Provide prior notification to the airport and air traffic control tower, if one is present, when flying within 5 miles of an airport
7. Fly UAS that weigh no more than 55 lbs. unless certified by a community-based organization

 

[Jerryatric]

That means follow those guidelines. No you don't have to be a member in order to follow the guidelines.

This is taken from the FAA's website:

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need permission from the FAA to fly a UAS for recreation or as a hobby?
There are two ways for recreational or hobby UAS fliers to operate in the National Airspace System in accordance with the law and/or FAA regulations. Each of the two options has specific requirements that the UAS operator must follow. The decision as to which option to follow is up to the individual operator.

Option #1. Fly in accordance with the Special Rule for Model Aircraft (Public Law 112-95 Section 336). Under this rule, operators must:

1. Register their UAS with the FAA
2. Fly for hobby or recreational purposes only
3. Follow a community-based set of safety guidelines
4. Fly the UAS within visual line-of-sight
5. Give way to manned aircraft
6. Provide prior notification to the airport and air traffic control tower, if one is present, when flying within 5 miles of an airport
7. Fly UAS that weigh no more than 55 lbs. unless certified by a community-based organization

Read and understand that. Question is what does "AND fly within the programing..." mean. Easy to follow their guidelines just don't understand the and....

 

[msinger]

Another related question that I haven't seen answered anywhere...

Which organizations does US law recognize as a community-based organized? And that of course is important since it's not possible to follow the rules of a community-based organization if one has no idea which organizations are recognized by US law.

FWIW, I asked the FAA this question and they only mentioned the AMA. With that mention, they said the FAA does not endorse the AMA and they only mentioned the AMA since the AMA states they are a community-based organization.

 

[Jerryatric]

Another related question that I haven't seen answered anywhere...

Which organizations does US law recognize as a community-based organized? And that of course is important since it's not possible to follow the rules of a community-based organization if one has no idea which organizations are recognized by US law.

FWIW, I asked the FAA this question and they only mentioned the AMA. With that mention, they said the FAA does not endorse the AMA and they only mentioned the AMA since the AMA states they are a community-based organization.

The "and" is what bothers me. Easy to just pick part of the reg and ignore the part I don't understand......

 

[BigAl07]

Read and understand that. Question is what does "AND fly within the programing..." mean. Easy to follow their guidelines just don't understand the and....

it's called "Covering their bases". If they hadn't put one portion or the other someone would try to find a way "around it". This way you follow them and fly within them... eliminating or at least reducing the possibility for someone to find and exploit a loophole.

Another related question that I haven't seen answered anywhere...

Which organizations does US law recognize as a community-based organized? And that of course is important since it's not possible to follow the rules of a community-based organization if one has no idea which organizations are recognized by US law.

FWIW, I asked the FAA this question and they only mentioned the AMA. With that mention, they said the FAA does not endorse the AMA and they only mentioned the AMA since the AMA states they are a community-based organization.

Again I think they are saying just enough to cover their bases. The FAA is well known to give aviators plenty of rope to hang yourself. If they don't define a specific CBO then they have an OUT because the CBO isn't defined anywhere.

 

[msinger]

If they don't define a specific CBO then they have an OUT because the CBO isn't defined anywhere.

Who is tasked with choosing this list of CBOs? I asked the FAA about this a few times now over the past couple of years and they've seemed to play dumb each time I asked. They literally go out of their way to avoid that question.

 

[BigAl07]

Who is tasked with choosing this list of CBOs? I asked the FAA about this a few times now over the past couple of years and they've seemed to play dumb each time I asked. They literally go out of their way to avoid that question.

I don't think anyone has been appointed with this and I think that's intentional. It allows for a lot of "interpretation" should something go to trial.

I wouldn't be surprised if they do define a CBO at some point in the future but I believe they are leaving things "wide open" to see how it pans out "naturally" for the first few years.

 

[JWH]

I don't mind playing by the rules, if they would quit changing them! This reminds me of a flight I took in my plane years ago, long before drones. There was a presidential TFR about to take place. I planned the flight to land 45 minutes before the TFR started. It turns out that the president arrived an hour early. Luckily I was on VFR flight following and talking to ATC, even though I wasn't required to on this particular flight. They turned me away and I landed at an alternate airport and waited for the airspace to reopen. While I was waiting I asked an FAA "official" what would have happened had I not been talking to ATC and simply flown to the destination. Would I have been arrested by the secret service or a fine from the FAA? I never got a straight answer. I was trying to follow the rules. I even had them printed and in the plane with me. They changed the rules in the middle of the flight. The vague and ever changing UAS rules remind me of that day.

 

[sar104]

I don't mind playing by the rules, if they would quit changing them! This reminds me of a flight I took in my plane years ago, long before drones. There was a presidential TFR about to take place. I planned the flight to land 45 minutes before the TFR started. It turns out that the president arrived an hour early. Luckily I was on VFR flight following and talking to ATC, even though I wasn't required to on this particular flight. They turned me away and I landed at an alternate airport and waited for the airspace to reopen. While I was waiting I asked an FAA "official" what would have happened had I not been talking to ATC and simply flown to the destination. Would I have been arrested by the secret service or a fine from the FAA? I never got a straight answer. I was trying to follow the rules. I even had them printed and in the plane with me. They changed the rules in the middle of the flight. The vague and ever changing UAS rules remind me of that day.

It's only the hobbyist rules that are somewhat vague and changing, and that's the fault of Congress, not the FAA. Where the FAA have been allowed to regulate (Part 107) they have done a pretty good job of it.

 

[Jerryatric]

Almost twenty thousand hours total time in helicopters and I can't figure out, for sure, if I'm flying my model airplane legally. This CBO thing is crazy......