President’s Perspective - 2003/06
Dave Brown, AMA president
The advent of the Internet has done some wonderful things for people, bringing the availability of information about almost anything literally to our fingertips. For modelers, the Internet and e-mail have enabled us to exchange information quickly and cheaply.
Do you want to know about a particular engine, radio, or airplane? Just type the name into a search engine and you will probably be able to find the information you need. Do you want to know how others feel about any subject? Post a question to any of the myriad newsgroups and you can find out others’ opinions of any item or idea.
While the potential of the Internet has barely been scratched, it has created a few problems. Instant communication and the ability to communicate with a wide audience are wonderful capabilities when the information is correct, but at an amazing speed that medium can also spread information that is either completely wrong or sometimes detrimental to the intended audience.
Recently we have seen well-meaning modelers spreading information via the Internet that could spell big problems for our activity in the future. We have witnessed a huge increase in the number of Internet sites, primarily commercial subscription sites, dedicated to reporting warnings of terrorism. Most of these mean well but seem prone to quoting “reliable sources” which, not surprisingly, seem to be inaccessible to the mainstream press.
I believe much of what these sites report has some basis in fact, but much of what they report seems to be potential rather than reality. A while back, one of these sites reported that the Palestinians were fitting a large number of toy airplanes with explosives for use against Israel. The report detailed the type of model involved, and that detail was ultimately the undoing of the report’s authenticity. In that particular case, the model quoted was not capable of flying with enough explosives to do much more than create a loud pop. Further, the model didn’t have sufficient range to fly the distances cited, nor did the radio have any capability to perform the functions the article said it would.
In spite of this, I received many “information” copies of the article, with pleas for AMA to react. I was glad that we decided to lay low and hope it would fade away. I thought if we rose to the bait and challenged it, the publicity would spread the story further than without our “help.” That report died away only to be replaced by another that doesn’t have the technical deficiencies of the first one. The latest “news” report has terrorists using model airplanes to carry out nefarious deeds here in the United States, and points out that these are not remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) but model airplanes available from your local hobby shop.
This has brought a ton of e-mail from AMA members, asking—and even begging—AMA to make them go away and to protect our right to fly. The problem is that this has become the discussion item of the day on many Internet sites dedicated to radio control (RC) modeling, and it has started to take on a life of its own. It is amazing to see the transformation in the story as the hours—yes, hours—pass. We have all heard how a story repeated from person to person transforms so that after a number of repetitions it changes. This is the electronic equivalent.
The problem with this story is that it is not assailable on technical grounds. What it puts forth as fact is possible, and we cannot argue that it cannot be done. The fact that the story isn’t likely for various reasons is irrelevant. As we all know, any story told repeatedly becomes more believable with each repetition. A story told often enough becomes “fact,” thus urban legends are born. Most of these stories would die a natural death if they were not repeated so often, but these stories may not since they are being widely circulated. The biggest problem is that they are being related by our own members! These modelers, while well meaning, are their own worst enemies. Each time a modeler sends this article to another modeler, intending to solicit his help in fighting the threat, he is spreading the rumor and making matters worse rather than better.
Each site this type of thing is posted to is one more place a search engine can find it, and if it is posted on many sites then some will believe that it must be true.
We at AMA do not know whether this report is true or not, but we have a few reasons to think it is either being wildly exaggerated or is more hypothesis than fact. In the latest case, the rumor has it that a federal agency is about to close down model flying, yet I can’t see that the agency specified has any authority to do this.
AMA is working with the agencies we need to be working with in Washington to ensure our greatest chance of continued right to take part in our hobby/sport. As I write this, I know of no laws being considered which would take that privilege away.
Other factors working in our favor include the fact that while our models could be used in nefarious ways, they are not inherently a threat and could only be used as a delivery vehicle. Almost anything that moves could be used as a delivery vehicle, so we are not any more of a threat than any other vehicle.
Terrorists seem to prefer to be martyred when carrying out their deeds and do not seem to be the least bit hesitant to use suicide missions. Fortunately, RC models do not fit that mold, which may work to our advantage.
AMA is working to develop a planned reaction to any possible occurrence of a model being used to commit a crime or the mainstream press becoming focused on such a possibility.
Another problem we are experiencing is well-meaning modelers reacting to requests from the press. In these requests the press seems interested in promoting the activity, but when the story comes out it is an outline of the dangers our activity creates for society.
The tip-off is when reporters ask how much payload the model is capable of and how far you can fly it. You need to be honest yet careful when dealing with this type of question. Emphasize the fact that you can't accurately hit a target at any significant distance, and you can't fly the model farther than you can see. Draw attention to the positive rather than the sensational.
Do our sport/hobby a favor, and keep the discussion and distribution of damaging reports to a minimum, lest we take careful aim and shoot ourselves in the foot. At the same time, be watchful for any activity that is suspicious, and be ready to report it to the authorities. I hate the thought that we have degenerated into a society in which we need to be ready to report such activity to the authorities, but we must remain vigilant.
— Dave Brown, AMA president
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
