I just sent the message below to my AVP, with CC's to the president, technical director, and safety director. It's easy to get their email addresses from the AMA website (follow the "contact us" links) at:
http://www.modelaircraft.org Feel free to plagiarize. Glenn > I received an email today that indicated the AMA is considering a > change to the AMA Safety Code that would ban the intentional collision > between aircraft. > > Let me say that while I think this is a good idea where powered > aircraft are concerned, it would also have the (possibly unintended) > side effect of banning slope combat. In slope combat, if you are > unfamiliar with it, unpowered EPP foam gliders of approximately 48" > span, weighing less than two pounds, are flown to score a "kill" by > knocking the other aircraft out of the air. > > This is a very popular activity in the slope sailplane community. It > is a low cost, simple means of fun and competition that is quite safe > when flown in accordance with the rest of the AMA safety code. Many > new fliers have been attracted to RC aircraft through EPP slope > combat, and an entire manufacturing industry depend upon it. Slope > combat has led to advances in materials that have given us virtually > crash-proof trainers. > > Please stop action on this proposal until it can be considered in > greater detail, and amended such that it would not prohibit the safe > practice of RC slope combat. > > Sincerely, > > Glenn A. Dean > AMA 146762 > Harker Heights, TX RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
