Recent content by Michael Gordon

  1. M

    Question regarding if i can fly here

    Helicopters can fly as low as 500 feet except over cities; out in the country helicopters and crop dusters can legally fly right down to the ground so we are definitely sharing airspace. The 400 foot AGL thing appears designed to avoid helicopters specifically. They agree to stay above 500...
  2. M

    P3 (any model) reliability

    P3Pro, solid performer for over two years. It auto-landed once or twice because of cold battery until I figured out to make sure the battery is at least 25 C temperature on takeoff, also I watch the battery voltage during flight. Another time it suddenly homed and landed; I was working too...
  3. M

    Helicopter VS Drone

    In addition to "see and avoid" I also listen on the local CTAF frequency (122.8 MHz is commonly used) since I fly in class G airspace. Whether you'll hear any announcement depends on your proximity to an airport of any consequence but I hear radio traffic long before I hear the airplane or...
  4. M

    It went down and I couldn't stop it.

    Critical battery is related ultimately to voltage. If the voltage drops to something like 13.25 volts, it will land. Cold batteries can do this although appears not to be a factor in this present instance. But I notice from the voltage chart that the battery had reached 13.25 volts. I had...
  5. M

    Aircraft Band VHF Radio?

    I listen to the local UNICOM frequency 122.8. The airport is towered but unmanned, the nearest ATC is on the other side of a mountain and cannot be reached via VHF anyway. All pilots in the valley monitor UNICOM. Pilots identify themselves typically by vector from the airport: "Cessna N123DD...