Before You Fly
Club Requirements
What every pilot needs to fly at Marlow Anderson Field — Lake Sawyer Hawks club rules, AMA membership, and FAA regulations. These requirements keep our site safe, legal, and open for everyone.
Quick Checklist Before You Fly
Do these three things and you're ready to join us on the flightline.
Join the AMA
Academy of Model Aeronautics membership provides liability insurance, supports our FRIA status, and helps protect the hobby nationally.
Meet FAA Requirements
Register with the FAA and comply with Remote ID, or fly at our FRIA field where Remote ID broadcast is not required.
Complete TRUST
Take the free TRUST safety course (required for all recreational pilots) and keep your completion certificate with you when you fly.
Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)
The Academy of Model Aeronautics is the national organization for model aviation in the U.S. Recognized by the FAA as a Community-Based Organization (CBO), the AMA promotes safety, education, and protects flying sites like ours.
Up to $2.5M in coverage for members while flying — including landowners.
AMA membership is required at most FAA-approved FRIA club fields.
AMA works directly with the FAA to protect recreational flying.
Magazine, online resources, youth programs, thousands of clubs.
FAA Remote ID & Registration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) created Remote ID as a digital "license plate" for unmanned aircraft. It improves safety and accountability when flying outside designated club fields.
For most outdoor model flying anywhere in the U.S.
At FAA-recognized FRIA sites like ours, Remote ID broadcast is not required.
Built-in Remote ID, or an external broadcast module clipped to the airframe.
Even at FRIA fields, you need a current FAA registration number.
FAA TRUST Safety Test
TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) is a free, online safety course required for all recreational drone and model aircraft pilots in the U.S. Print or save your completion certificate and carry it with you when you fly.
Anyone flying for fun must complete TRUST at least once.
No expiration — take it once and you're set.
Questions are educational; explanations follow each answer.
Free, online, can be completed on a phone or computer.
All set with AMA, FAA, and TRUST?
Once you've met these requirements, you're ready to join or renew with Lake Sawyer Hawks and enjoy flying at our field.