2022 IN REVIEW
By Tyler Dobbs, Senior Director of Government Affairs | tylerd@modelaircraft.org
LAST MONTH, AMA’s Government Affairs department released its annual report that highlights the initiatives and accomplishments that took place in 2022. AMA continues to be the voice of the recreational model aircraft community and uses that voice to educate policy makers, government agencies, and industry stakeholders.
The biggest accomplishment of last year was that the FAA officially recognized the AMA as a community-based organization (CBO) on November 15, 2022. CBO recognition is important for many reasons. It validates and gives credibility to our existing 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 regulations. This designation opened the door to additional advocacy efforts, including applying for FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) status and higher altitudes for our clubs’ flying sites. This recognition came after the long-awaited release of Advisory Circular
91-57C, the FAA’s published guidance on how recreational and educational UAS operators can comply with the laws and rules of the airspace.
Additionally, AMA resumed in-person congressional and agency meetings in 2022, participating in more than 100 meetings with members of Congress, congressional staff, the FAA, the Department of Transportation, the National Security Agency, and industry stakeholders. Some of these meetings included club visits, which allowed policy makers to learn about, and get firsthand experience with, our safety culture and the model aviation hobby overall.
It’s important that AMA continues to educate and advocate on behalf of our members as we work toward FAA Reauthorization and possible rule changes later this year.
This article can’t encompass all of the efforts and achievements that took place last year, but I would encourage everyone to review the complete 2022 AMA Government Affairs Report at www.modelaircraft.org/gov.
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.
