AMA RECOGNIZED AS A CBO
AND THE FRIA PROCESS
BEGINS
By Tyler Dobbs, Senior Director of Government Affairs | tylendl@modelaircraft.org
ON OCTOBER 25, 2022, the FAA began accepting applications to be recognized as a community-based organization (CBO) and AMA immediately submitted its application. Within days, on November 15, 2022, the FAA officially recognized AMA as a CBO. This recognition is important for many reasons. This validates and gives additional credibility to our safety program among stakeholders and regulators.
Although AMA has been shaping regulations for decades, legislation gives CBOs a more formal seat at the table when the FAA considers recreational operating requirements. This designation opens the door to additional advocacy efforts, including applying for FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) status and higher altitudes for our clubs’ flying sites.
The FAA also published AC 89-3 on October 25, 2022, which outlined the application process for CBOs to begin requesting FRIAs. For those who might not be aware, flying at a FRIA is one of the three ways that recreational and most educational operators can satisfy the Remote ID requirement that takes affect for everyone flying a UAS larger than .55 pounds on September 16, 2023.
If you are not flying your aircraft at a FRIA, you would need to satisfy the Remote ID requirement by flying an aircraft with standard Remote ID built in at the manufacturer’s level or affix an add-on broadcast module to the aircraft you are flying. AMA has shared additional information regarding Remote ID requirements in past issues of Model Aviation, on the AMA Government Affairs blog, and webinars on our YouTube channel.
As a reminder, AMA must apply on behalf of our clubs wishing to designate their flying site as a FRIA. AMA’s Clubs department has contacted club officers regarding FRIAs and has already begun the FRIA application process. If you have recently chartered a new AMA club and your club officers have not received AMA’s FRIA questionnaire, please contact the AMA Clubs department to start the process. AMA also recommends that clubs designate one point of contact to apply for a FRIA. Multiple FRIA requests by the same club will likely delay its application.
To remain current with the most recent government-related news, regularly visit the AMA Government Affairs blog. If you have any further questions or concerns, contact the Government Affairs department at (765) 287-1256 or amagov@modelaircraft.org.
