This article is in the EAA newsletter. Fortunately the FAA Reauthorization Bill will contain an amendment to exempt model aircraft. Who proof reads this stuff?

AMA Works to Include Aeromodeling Exemption in Final FAA Bill
February 24, 2011 — The FAA is currently developing new regulations aimed at enabling small unmanned aerial vehicles (sUAV) to operate in the National Airspace System (NAS). By all indications the NPRM, due out later this summer, will include model aircraft, potentially creating significant and unnecessary regulations that would have a detrimental impact to this important form of aviation.

I haven't read the EAA article but another side of the coin that may be prompting some of this is that every police department in the country seems to want their own UAV to orbit whatever incident they might have going on. Some of the affordable ones seem to be remote control type aircraft with a camera package on it. I would prefer these are regulated in some way so that I have at least a chance of not meeting one somewhere up there. Also would prefer that they aren't granted a pop up TFR every time they launch one.

Should have included a link to the EAA story. http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-02-24_ama.a
Note: Just realized this will say the page cannot be found but follow the EAA homepage link to the stories on the right side of the page. It is n# 7.

Bit hard to find, but thanks for the link.

Somebody send them a photo of a small free flight rubber pwoered model, and tell them it's a stealth terrorist device. The balsa, dope, and tissue are transparent to radar and they now make plastic propeller hooks!

Where the hell are they gonna draw the line on the difference between a "small" UAV (which can fit in your hand nowadays) and a large R/C model airplane (which can be larger than some of the smaller man-carrying aircraft I've flown)?

Easy now. Not all progress is bad. How about fully programable autopilot, in flight adjustable, ground station or sticks controllable, redundant gps systems. Auto return auto land auto shutoff if lost communications, mode c/s transponder on board which can be re-coded in flight. Not a toy RC by any measure These are just some of the features. Much more advanced and safer than most of our airplanes. By the way, these just may have (cannot either confirm nor deny) protected the Super Bowl while you watched, as well as many other current operations to keep you safe.

http://www.leptron.com

The question of this post is not whether to regulate UAV 's but to be careful not over regulate to the point of catching kids or adult toys and recreation in the process.

SkySteve wrote:Easy now. Not all progress is bad. How about fully programable autopilot, in flight adjustable, ground station or sticks controllable, redundant gps systems. Auto return auto land auto shutoff if lost communications, mode c/s transponder on board which can be re-coded in flight. Not a toy RC by any measure These are just some of the features. Much more advanced and safer than most of our airplanes. By the way, these just may have (cannot either confirm nor deny) protected the Super Bowl while you watched, as well as many other current operations to keep you safe.

http://www.leptron.com

What do you call the see and avoid feature that keeps us from trading paint? I can keep myself safe from the boogey man terrorists thank you.

Edit, didn't mean to sound like a wise guy but truely hate where the world is headed with airspace restrictions and transponders, ads-b etc. Born way too late and dreading the flying that will be left for my 3 yr old.

TCAS: Traffic Collision Avoidance System.

As for taking care of yourself, there thousands of wounded and dead soldiers who could take care of themselves too until some terrorist put an IED in a road culvert and blew it up when the troup carrier drove by. Some of us are trying to give those soldiers an eye in the sky that they can take with them and control on site (rather than wait until the Air Force has time and available aircraft) to look down the road, inside the culverts, over the hill, around the corner and over the village before they get there. Terrorists don't play fair. No one plays fair in war.

EDIT: Just read your edit. I totally agree with you ... for my grandkids.

Steve do you have mode C or S in your Kitfox? I know a couple guys building a zenith with all glass, IFR panel auto pilot etc. Seems silly here in the Rockies with the ice and mountains. Guess I'd rather keep the weight and complexity down on the bush plane...

Totally different scenerio overseas than the superbowl you mentioned earlier. The main issue I have is the expected preception of security or safety here in the states and the real not perceptual loss of freedom. Oh and no one plays fair in war, have to disagree there a bit too. One of the biggest reasons I left uncle sam was the ROE's they expected us to play by.

Hope you get the grandkids out in the Kitfox now and again. Maybe come across each other on a Utah strip some day.

I fly the Kitfox out of Ogden class D, so yes, it has a mode c transponder. Other than that it is very basic. My fox was the original show plane built by Dan Denny. Still has 1st pace sticker from 1986 Osh.

I know nobody asked, but here's my opinion...

Anything going more than a few hundred feet up should have a transponder in it. Plane, UAV, balloon, sailplane, whatever.

You say you don't have an electrical system? Fine, bring a handheld. Fine by me. See and avoid works fine, but TCAS works GREAT. I trust it way more than I do myself. I get distracted, TCAS doesn't. I have blind spots, TCAS doesn't. I get tired, TCAS doesn't. I know some people are passionate about their right to not have this amazing safety feature on board. I don't get it.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox.

Agreed. And it's even more helpful in class Echo where no one else is helping us look out for each other.

Ahm, traffic information systems are a great idea but, you guys do realize that a basic real TCAS unit is usually over $15,000 plus Installation and certification, right? The inexpensive portable units are not TCAS. A TCAS unit requires a mode S transponder and sends out it's own interrogation of surrounding transponders then displays range, azmith and relitive altitude information of potential threat aircraft plus providing escape guidance. Those inexpensive are nice but those units only receive a transponder signal which is replying to ATC radar interrogation and give much less information. They also will provide no data where there is no ATC radar coverage. I'm all in favor of technology which makes flying safer, I have no real issue with transponders and I have looked seriously at installing one of the inexpensive traffic monitors. But, I live where you have to be above 10,000 to be on radar thus making all but the full (expensive) TCAS unit almost worthless. I'll fly for days and unless I head for Billings MT I won't see a flicker from the reply light. Putting a $15,000 TCAS unit plus a $5,000 mode S transponder into my $30,000 C-170 makes no (dollars and) sense.

No no, I'm not suggesting a requirement for TCAS. I'm saying a requirement for just a transponder. Handheld is fine.

If I come along doing 250 and you have nothing onboard we are both in danger. If you have just the transponder then my TCAS can save us both. You don't need to be in radar coverage to have benefits.

Transponder? Sure. I carried an early handheld xpdr when I flew gliders south of Phoenix AZ for just the reasons you stated. Having TCAS in my "work" aircraft I appreciate the capabilities. The comment "I come along doing 250..." is the exact reason I do have the xpdr in my 170 with mode C tuned on from takeoff to landing. We're rather remote up here but we do see the occasional corporate jet and a 1900 or two and having myself on their TCAS make everyone feel better.

Anyone know what a hand-held Mode C (or whatever it is this week)transponder costs? Is this a $500 purchase or a $3500 purchase?