Doing commercial missions in class E airspace question

[Jive]

After passing my 107 Monday, I am really looking into flying some Drone Base missions, but I think in my area, any commercial flying is going to be difficult. I live in Beckley, WV, and most all of the city area is class E airspace from the surface up, the rest is class E 700' floor. If I understand everything correctly, I need to request an authorization to fly anywhere under that class E surface airspace, and that is filed 90 days prior to the flight, which basically makes Drone Base a moot point. The odd thing is I am seeing videos posted by a local drone photography business showcasing their commercial flight footage, and these videos are in the class E surface airspace. This is a new company started in January, so how the heck are they getting authorization to fly? Is there something I am missing?

Here is the sectional that covers my area:

 

[BigAl07]

You can request an Airspace Waiver that would give you approval to fly in that airspace for a longer period of time.

Search for this on this forum and you should find more information about it.

 

[Richard R]

My original authorization for Class E has expired, and I'm waiting on approval of a waiver request for the same area. I chose a point centered on the area I was interested in and requested a radius around that point (I used 2.5 nm). I asked for intermittent operations within that area at heights up to 200 ft agl. Only requirement I had was to notify the appropriate approach control when I was going to fly. The only reason that the Class E is there is that there are instrument approach procedures still publish for Beckley. Approach would notify any aircraft coming into BKW on an IFR flight plan.

 

[Jive]

Ok, thanks for the information. I think maybe I am getting authorizations and waivers confused. My thinking was that a waiver would be something like flying at night vs an authorization to fly in a certain airspace that I normally could not fly in.

 

[BigAl07]

Ok, thanks for the information. I think maybe I am getting authorizations and waivers confused. My thinking was that a waiver would be something like flying at night vs an authorization to fly in a certain airspace that I normally could not fly in.

This whole process can seem confusing. Initially you were right. Authorizations were for Airspace and Waivers were for operating outside of the regs. They were kind enough to offer a 3rd option recently but the naming scheme almost guarantees confusion.

An Airspace Waiver will allow operation inside a specific Controlled Airspace in a specific area, at a specific altitude andlower for a longer period of time. Instead of a day you could get weeks, months, or even years (maybe?). It's still a very new and constantly evolving system so your best bet is to immerse yourself in it and be sure to try and stay current by reading FAA documents and following current and trustworthy sources.

 

[Jive]

That is news to me then, very cool. I guess the regs are gonna be in a state of flux for awhile.

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[rladwig]

After passing my 107 Monday, I am really looking into flying some Drone Base missions, but I think in my area, any commercial flying is going to be difficult. I live in Beckley, WV, and most all of the city area is class E airspace from the surface up, the rest is class E 700' floor. If I understand everything correctly, I need to request an authorization to fly anywhere under that class E surface airspace, and that is filed 90 days prior to the flight, which basically makes Drone Base a moot point. The odd thing is I am seeing videos posted by a local drone photography business showcasing their commercial flight footage, and these videos are in the class E surface airspace. This is a new company started in January, so how the heck are they getting authorization to fly? Is there something I am missing?

Here is the sectional that covers my area:

View attachment 77381

Looking at your sectional chart it looks like where I am located, see attached photo. I have checked with my local airport. I was told that since my local airport is not tower controlled it was class E from 700 ft up so anything below that it is class G so no authorization is needed. Best of luck

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[Jive]

If you look closer at mine, you'll see the dashed magenta lines. that's class E from the surface up.

I think I'll file for a waiver, and see what happens.

 

[sar104]

Looking at your sectional chart it looks like where I am located, see attached photo. I have checked with my local airport. I was told that since my local airport is not tower controlled it was class E from 700 ft up so anything below that it is class G so no authorization is needed. Best of luck

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No, it's not the same. Your location has no surface Class E.

 

[BigAl07]

No, it's not the same. Your location has no surface Class E.

BINGO! sar104 points out a very important (albeit small) detail. You've got to know your airspace and the every so slight differences.

 

[rladwig]

No, it's not the same. Your location has no surface Class E.

Sorry I missed your limit on the class E airspace. You can apply forna waiver on the FAA site. I did one for night flights and was approved. It is fairly easly but the biggest issue the FAA is looking for is Visual Observer.

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[Jive]

Just to be clear here, the surface class E is not something someone could call ATC and get clearance for, this has to be done through the FAA, correct?

 

[rladwig]

Just to be clear here, the surface class E is not something someone could call ATC and get clearance for, this has to be done through the FAA, correct?

Yes through the web portal same as night waiver, over people, or BVLS

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[BigAl07]

Sorry I missed your limit on the class E airspace. You can apply forna waiver on the FAA site. I did one for night flights and was approved. It is fairly easly but the biggest issue the FAA is looking for is Visual Observer.

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How long did your Part 107.29 take from submitting to approval?

 

[rladwig]

How long did your Part 107.29 take from submitting to approval?

I submitted my waiver request on Jan 11, 2017 and got my approval on Feb 27, 2017. The waiting was killing me, but glad it is over.

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[Jive]

Yes through the web portal same as night waiver, over people, or BVLS

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That's what I thought, thanks!

 

[BigAl07]

I submitted my waiver request on Jan 11, 2017 and got my approval on Feb 27, 2017. The waiting was killing me, but glad it is over.

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That's not bad at all. About 1/2 of the expected 90 day time frame.

Did you have any contact from them in between? Asking for details, clarification etc?

 

[rladwig]

That's not bad at all. About 1/2 of the expected 90 day time frame.

Did you have any contact from them in between? Asking for details, clarification etc?

No contact from them at all. I thought out all of their issues and wrote out how I would implement training to over come the issues. If it was an equipment ie strobe for night, I purchased what met the requirements and then explained what I had purchased where on the aircraft it will be located. I also limited my height to no more than 200 ft.

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[BigAl07]

No contact from them at all. I thought out all of their issues and wrote out how I would implement training to over come the issues. If it was an equipment ie strobe for night, I purchased what met the requirements and then explained what I had purchased where on the aircraft it will be located. I also limited my height to no more than 200 ft.

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That's pretty much exactly how I submitted mine. I worked with a good friend Vic Moss who actually did the DroneU video on Part 107.29 a while back. I'm 4 weeks today so I've probably still got a few weeks (or more) to wait. It's good to hear yours came back so quickly. There is hope LOL.

 

[Jive]

When you submitted your night flying waiver, I'm assuming you had to specify an area that you'd be flying like you would for an airspace waiver. It's not a blanket waiver to fly at night anywhere, correct?