Markham Park Pilots Association has applied through AMA for FRIA status with the FAA. Club officers have spoken with AMA officials who have informed us that they are flooded with applicants and therefore are behind in processing them. They informed us the FAA is also behind in the processing of their applications. The only community based flying organization that the FAA currently recognizes for the FRIA process is the AMA. AMA has a small number of employees and is having to review applications for every flying site on US soil. AMA has assured us that the FAA is working well with them and because we are in the FRIA application process to not be concerned with the September deadline. Our application is a complicated area measurement due to the location of three flying sites within the park. The main airfield and helicopter area, the drone zone, and the RC flying lake are separate measurement flight zones. Currently we are on a waiting list with AMA to have a custom FRIA map of our zones created by AMA for final submission to the FAA. We have not been given a specific time when this will be completed. We have been told by AMA to continue flying and operating as usual during this process.
