Recent content by Steven Graham

I agree. Ours is indeed an unusual situation and that someone without operational history at a fixed/controlled location would face an uphill struggle. We even brought it up in our conversations that while ATC could declare us a "threat" and shut us down we were respectfully asking for due...

We have two long established fields that predate the construction of Denver international airport and fall within the class B surface area. One is a sod farm that hosts RC soaring. The other is a club field. Years ago when FAA rule making and section 336 were being contemplated both clubs...

Yes, the FAA has a long history of making strong suggestions that lead the listener to believe they are speaking with regulatory backing when in fact a careful reading of the regulations reveals just the opposite. The airline I work for has run into this repeatedly in the 23 years I've worked...

There is also no provision anywhere in the current law that restricts part 101 operators from flying in Class B airspace. Here in Denver we have two established fields, one a glider field that both operate within the class B surface area. We have no altitude limits, nor are any implied in any...

It would be very helpful when people ask questions if they clarify whether they are operating under part 101 or part 107. Most of the details have been discussed here save the following. Part 107 operations require there to be 3 miles of visibility at the control station so this also would...

Thanks Joet, If I'd seen that previously I'd forgotten it.

^ This right here. While there is no specific altitude limit for part 101 pilots the CBO programming most claim to operate under, that of the AMA, requires you to remain within sight of your aircraft. So in reality there is a very practical legal limitation to how high/far you can fly. How...

91.111 Operations near other aircraft states in part the following: (a) No person may operate an aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard. (b) No person may operate an aircraft in formation flight except by arrangement with the pilot in command of each aircraft in...

City of Denver has also banned flying from any of it's parks. Not much you can do when the property owner tells you this :( One tactic that has been used with varying degrees of success is talking with and showing local politicians the benefits to the community of having a couple designated...

The last few posts illustrate the importance of concerned citizens in the law making process. A couple years back we had similar legislation rearing it's head in Colorado. In touch hobbyists found out. The proposal would have had severe impacts on our freedoms to fly in CO. A large group of...

FWIW, I just had a lengthy conversation with the airport manager for W55. He said he's probably had just short of 10 calls from part 101 pilots and he knew that it was just a notification requirement. He said it offered a little relief when people actually called in a notification as it...

As a long time member of the AMA and contest director the guidelines on the back of your registration card are just that for the most part. An example of that is the admonition to not fly above 400 feet. The AMA spent a lot of time with the FAA getting them to finally admit "in writing" that...

Wow, so much wrong with many of the comments on this thread. Here's my analysis but it must come with the qualification that some details remain unkown: The FAA right now is in the process of determining, if they haven't already, whether this pilot was attempting to fly within the guidance of...

Suffice to say there are numerous violations likely occurring regardless of whether he claims he was operating under part 101 OR 107 I suspect the FAA will work with local authorities to wrap this guy up in a tidy little bundle of litigation for a long time to come costing him far more in money...

^ Good summary of the purpose of the advisory circular system. It should be noted that even though advisory circulars are largely informational in nature they have been used in legal proceedings when the FAA was trying to make a claim of careless or reckless operations leading to some type of...