“The one way the world hasn’t changed: Teaching is still the most important job.”
—George Lucas
Who and why we teach is where I’ll start this month. I’ve picked the “who” and “why” approach because it continues to amaze me how some of our members really think that if it’s not what they’re doing or have done, it’s wrong. Many of you will now immediately jump to the sUAS topic flying around, but that’s not always the case.
I recently received an email that, to say the least, was critical, but one comment jumped off the page: “To put electric power systems in models is invalid when none are in full size passenger airliners.”
Invalid? What flying experience/background would someone have that creates this kind of statement?
NEFI, the National Electric Fly-In, just wrapped up here at the AMA flying site and as always, it’s fun to see others having electric fun, but one observation seems appropriate. Attendance was down, and I think it’s for a simple reason. Almost every day at some club in the United States there is an electric fly-in.
What chance at fun does someone calling electric power invalid have? None. So, here’s a classic example of who we educate. When you fly at your club—or anywhere for that matter—respect what others have chosen. It’s quite possible they would like to do what you do but don’t know how.
Share the wealth! After all, what is more fun to talk about that which we have chosen and like? A great place to start is to honor them by asking how their setup works. Remember how much fun it is for you to discuss what you’ve chosen to fly? So it is with others—especially those convinced that what they have chosen is the only choice.
We all know someone in our club like this. Be the one to step forward in a positive way. After all, it is valid to put electric power systems in models.
From another reader/writer came the following:
“FPV and automated flight will not doom model aviation, as you point out, but they will bring a much greater change to the hobby than other past innovations in that they make model aviation useful for real work. They are moving model aviation from ‘pastime’ to ‘work time.’”
The commercial use of models has always been a no-no from an AMA insurance-coverage perspective. Many of the onboard choices available now, such as cameras, autopilots, GPS navigation, etc., are in no way limited to FPV.
In fact, FPV flown within the AMA safety code guidelines (within visual line of site) would be a limited choice for commercial use. The multirotors are a popular choice because you don’t need to know how to fly anything to operate them. If you can play solitaire on your laptop, you can operate a multirotor that has been properly set up.
I think we all have a “preference,” as to what we fly, but more than ever we need to recognize what others choose to do. After all of the analysis is complete, we’re still just flying small platforms and having fun doing so.
One member wrote to point out the potential change (not death this time!) the AMA engagement of the sUAS community would have for remaining members, or more specifically, those who fly what he thinks to be the proper choice.
Here’s was my response:
We agree with your assessment to a degree—this will change some aspects of model aviation, but our engagement of the recreational use of any sUAS is now, and always will be, our primary focus. Folks who want to get into commercial applications coming to the AMA for training/endorsement is a good thing, in our opinion—better something than nothing—operating within our safety guidelines, as you describe not flying over people, property, past line of sight, etc.
Although there are many variations on a theme here, those things remain paramount in the core of safe flight for any sUAS. At the end of the day, it’s important to recognize that as with any activity, there will be those who use little or poor judgment. I think we’ve all just accepted that and have already seen it with traditional model aviation. Those who choose to operate within our guidelines will benefit from our resources.
Add to that the fact that if we don’t do it someone will, and it makes a lot of sense to engage this community, but on our terms.
Maybe this conundrum was with us long ago. As Walt Whitman once wrote, “Be curious, not judgmental.”
And then there’s my simple mantra: “Fly and have fun!
