I was thinking How many small towns with population of 5000 plus have an general operational airport within a mile of town.
Does that mean no Drone flying and such in town right.
Does that mean no Drone flying and such in town right.
Small town thinking
- Thread starter Dr. Dave
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I think you basically just going to use common sense if it's not on the no-fly zone but it is an airport you might want to let them know that you're flying in I fly a lot in Eastern Washington weather is cropduster's I tried to tell them when I'm flying
I believe the rule is whether the airport has a tower. If it doesn't have a tower, I think the 5 mile rule is reduced to... something. But as bachstaber says, you could also use common sense. For example if you're in the zone but 4 miles away from the airport and you fly 100 ft max, it is unlikely they'll come after you since you are not "endangering the NAS." And besides, I don't think there are any laws passed yet that allows them to prosecute you even if they wanted to, since the test seems to be whether you are endangering the NAS. On the other hand, if you're 2 miles away and you fly 300 ft max, they might very well have a case against you. So use your head.
A lot of towns/small citys have airport with a fair amount of traffic. just got me thinking as to what extent are these rules going to be policed.
Take Millard airport, in the middle of Omaha NE How many Drones will be opened this Christmas within 5 miles of this airport. Omaha Airport Authority |
Take Millard airport, in the middle of Omaha NE How many Drones will be opened this Christmas within 5 miles of this airport. Omaha Airport Authority |
I had my phantom up at 400 feet the other day and two small planes flew close enough to make me a bit nervous under the drone. I would guess they were at about 200 feet. Same path a couple minutes apart like they were following each other. I was about 4 miles from a small airport (no tower) but no where near what the approach for landing would be. I was mostly due north and the run way runs east/west
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Airports are airports. Most small town airports don't have a tower - the tower isn't a factor. Small airports will show up an a sectional chart with a magenta circle around them. Basically, if you are in the circle, you are in the no fly zone. That said, if you contact the airport manager and tell him where you are and that you occasionally fly at or under 400 feet, he shouldnt have a problem with it.
That strip you see in my signature is 4.5 nautical miles from our local airport(KRNH). It is also within the 30 mile traffic circle for KMSP. I fly my P2 off of and around that strip. No problem. The airport manager knows where I am and has no problem. I also flew homebuilts off that strip for years and friends still land there occasionally.
If GA airplanes are flying around the neighborhood at 200 feet, they are in violation of FAR 1.119.
In the US, Part 91 (specifically 91.119[4]) of the Federal Aviation Regulations controls the minimum safe altitudes by which aircraft can be operated in the National Airspace System.
500 ft rule
An aircraft must maintain 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.
1000 ft rule
An aircraft must maintain an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons.
Other aircraft, such as helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft, are not required to meet the FAR 91 minimums, so long as their operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface.
That strip you see in my signature is 4.5 nautical miles from our local airport(KRNH). It is also within the 30 mile traffic circle for KMSP. I fly my P2 off of and around that strip. No problem. The airport manager knows where I am and has no problem. I also flew homebuilts off that strip for years and friends still land there occasionally.
If GA airplanes are flying around the neighborhood at 200 feet, they are in violation of FAR 1.119.
In the US, Part 91 (specifically 91.119[4]) of the Federal Aviation Regulations controls the minimum safe altitudes by which aircraft can be operated in the National Airspace System.
500 ft rule
An aircraft must maintain 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.
1000 ft rule
An aircraft must maintain an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons.
Other aircraft, such as helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft, are not required to meet the FAR 91 minimums, so long as their operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface.
It is going to be rough. The rules have been in place for years, unfortunately the percent of bad apples have not changed but we now have have a huge amount of RC pilots operating video drones. if you have 1 in 20 that does not care about the rules, laws, and people. After Christmas that population is going to be substantial.
There has been outstanding progress over the last 30 years. Most of you will understand that back in the day we built our aircraft and had great pride in the finished product. We all knew it was a privilege and a gift that we had the skills to build and fly rc aircraft. Even now I have an emotional attachment to my Phantom and other aircraft in my fleet. I saddens me that a large portion of this market has been targeted as toys and not a hobby anymore.
buy charge and crash the new way of our hobby.
There has been outstanding progress over the last 30 years. Most of you will understand that back in the day we built our aircraft and had great pride in the finished product. We all knew it was a privilege and a gift that we had the skills to build and fly rc aircraft. Even now I have an emotional attachment to my Phantom and other aircraft in my fleet. I saddens me that a large portion of this market has been targeted as toys and not a hobby anymore.
buy charge and crash the new way of our hobby.
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Agreed, Doc. I started in RC back in 1975. I was poor enough that a crash was a major trauma. Of course, now with the prices for these things, a crash is still a major trauma.
Back in the days of Enya and K&B and the on board equipment used up most the space and weightAgreed, Doc. I started in RC back in 1975. I was poor enough that a crash was a major trauma. Of course, now with the prices for these things, a crash is still a major trauma.
Those small planes have low altitude rules too. And sometimes like drone pilots they forget and play.. I have a few that get low enough once in a while buzzing our area, low enough to get their numbers, but I don't report them. Get out of my air space and fly safely you guys!!! Hmmm roles reversed.
Hopefully this will be just a passing fad. The kids will grow tired of it when they have to keep charging it up. They want to play for hours, not minutes. As they say "This too, shall pass".
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