Collision Risk with single prop engine plane

[yawnalot29]

When you fly around under 400 feet, are you at all concern with colliding with these low flying single prop engine plane (like Cessna)?

Yesterday while at a friend's place I saw 2 single engine plane flew overhead of me. They were flying in "formation" and doing some sort of aerial maneuvers of some sort. One in front, one in the back, the gap between the two plane were less then the length of the plane. From the ground, the gap looked to be about 1/5 of the plane length.

Anyway, the size of plane looks huge and I can clearly see the tail numbers so I am guessing they are not flying all that high.

I believe these planes were flying out of a small airport about 3 miles away (as the crow flies) with one 4000 ft asphalt runway.


Are these planes allow to be flying that low?

Are there any safe height to fly around in that area?

On a broader note, I often see news helicopter and other helicopter flying overhead and they don't look at all flying that high. Are there any concerns with colliding with these helicopter even at height below 400 ft?

 

[phantomguy]

no different than the same concern I had 20 years ago with my first model rocket or RC plane.

Game hasnt changed, just the players.

 

[Werz]

When you fly around under 400 feet, are you at all concern with colliding with these low flying single prop engine plane (like Cessna)?

Yesterday while at a friend's place I saw 2 single engine plane flew overhead of me. They were flying in "formation" and doing some sort of aerial maneuvers of some sort. One in front, one in the back, the gap between the two plane were less then the length of the plane. From the ground, the gap looked to be about 1/5 of the plane length.

Anyway, the size of plane looks huge and I can clearly see the tail numbers so I am guessing they are not flying all that high.

I believe these planes were flying out of a small airport about 3 miles away (as the crow flies) with one 4000 ft asphalt runway.


Are these planes allow to be flying that low?

Are there any safe height to fly around in that area?

14 CFR § 91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:
* * *
(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

On a broader note, I often see news helicopter and other helicopter flying overhead and they don't look at all flying that high. Are there any concerns with colliding with these helicopter even at height below 400 ft?

There are less limitations on helicopters. But yesterday, I faced a situation which is even more complicated. The foregoing rules do not apply to "ultralights" or what are designated "weight-shift-control aircraft." A local guy owns one, and he likes to fly it all over town at an altitude of about 200-300 feet. I saw him circling near the park where I was operating the Phantom, and he obviously saw it flying. I could tell that he was interested in flying over the park because he made several passes around the perimeter, but he didn't want to take a chance while the Phantom was airborne. Eventually, he turned around and flew away.

Yes, I am required by the rules to yield to any manned aircraft, even an ultralight flying below 500 feet. But I don't think that requires me to ground my UAV just because he looks like he wants to cruise the area above me. My wife was quite pleased that I did not. If we are required to tolerate his "flying lawnmower" cruising over our neighborhood on quiet summer afternoons, I think he can live with a little disappointment.

 

[yawnalot29]

no different than the same concern I had 20 years ago with my first model rocket or RC plane.

Game hasnt changed, just the players.

I am sorry, I am not aware of the concerns from 20 years ago.

I first take up RC toy about slightly over a month ago.

 

[yawnalot29]

14 CFR § 91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:
* * *
(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

On a broader note, I often see news helicopter and other helicopter flying overhead and they don't look at all flying that high. Are there any concerns with colliding with these helicopter even at height below 400 ft?

There are less limitations on helicopters. But yesterday, I faced a situation which is even more complicated. The foregoing rules do not apply to "ultralights" or what are designated "weight-shift-control aircraft." A local guy owns one, and he likes to fly it all over town at an altitude of about 200-300 feet. I saw him circling near the park where I was operating the Phantom, and he obviously saw it flying. I could tell that he was interested in flying over the park because he made several passes around the perimeter, but he didn't want to take a chance while the Phantom was airborne. Eventually, he turned around and flew away.

Yes, I am required by the rules to yield to any manned aircraft, even an ultralight flying below 500 feet. But I don't think that requires me to ground my UAV just because he looks like he wants to cruise the area above me. My wife was quite pleased that I did not. If we are required to tolerate his "flying lawnmower" cruising over our neighborhood on quiet summer afternoons, I think he can live with a little disappointment.

Thanks. I am just concern that they are flying pretty fast and low, so by the time I see them I may not have time to get out of way.

Every once in a while, I would suddenly see them and they would appear to be move very fast because they fly pretty low.


My $1300 toy is replaceable, but if they go down because of a collision with me plunge into other's house, that's a much bigger issue. I would just rather not get into that scenario.

And yeah, I was in Southern California, Los Angeles county area. So I would consider this to be a congested area. Maybe not congested like midtown Manhattan or downtown San Francisco, but got to be near the top 50 across US in terms of congested area.

 

[Fplvert]

yes rc aircraft have been around for many years, and we have to be aware of things that we could crash. I don't think a real helicopter would be endangered by a rc flyer, but all we need is an accident causing a loss of life to accelerate legislation to limit our freedom. Yes, we could be very dangerous to small aircraft!

I was at a local rc aircraft flying area where a small plane clipped a power line and started a grass fire which threatened a business park. With all the DRONES in the news, we all need to be careful. Fly safe.