- Joined
- May 29, 2014
- Messages
- 843
- Reaction score
- 212
I stopped in at the FAA booth at the CES show (not far from the UAV booth area - imagine that!)
I tried to impress upon them that guidelines/rules should be reasonable. The example I used was flying for commercial use on private property, or at my own events - which they currently claim the airspace too, even below 400 feet.
I expressed that if the rules were going to be unreasonable, such as requiring a Private pilots License then then 10% of the users might conform, while the rest would ignore them as most are doing now. Personally I do not mind going through some 'official" training and getting checked out in some way (or being the one checking out other new pilots!), but it needs to be reasonable and relevant to the industry.... not how to fly a Cessna.
In my view the issue should be strictly how to manage the airspace, not force a real estate agent (or whatever) to have a PPL or somthing outlandish like that.
I asked "what is considered airspace on private property" and she affirmed that in the eyes of the FAA anything off the ground period is under FAA rules.... meaning one inch off the ground.
The whole commercial vs hobby thing to me is ridiculous anyway. It's going to be the ones who are flying without instruction or for the first time that will usually be unknowing about the dangers and common sense practices that should be followed.
Anyway, she was actually fairly open to listening and she affirmed that a ruling (that will then be open for public comment) should be coming "soon".
Cross your fingers and be ready to comment...
I tried to impress upon them that guidelines/rules should be reasonable. The example I used was flying for commercial use on private property, or at my own events - which they currently claim the airspace too, even below 400 feet.
I expressed that if the rules were going to be unreasonable, such as requiring a Private pilots License then then 10% of the users might conform, while the rest would ignore them as most are doing now. Personally I do not mind going through some 'official" training and getting checked out in some way (or being the one checking out other new pilots!), but it needs to be reasonable and relevant to the industry.... not how to fly a Cessna.
In my view the issue should be strictly how to manage the airspace, not force a real estate agent (or whatever) to have a PPL or somthing outlandish like that.
I asked "what is considered airspace on private property" and she affirmed that in the eyes of the FAA anything off the ground period is under FAA rules.... meaning one inch off the ground.
The whole commercial vs hobby thing to me is ridiculous anyway. It's going to be the ones who are flying without instruction or for the first time that will usually be unknowing about the dangers and common sense practices that should be followed.
Anyway, she was actually fairly open to listening and she affirmed that a ruling (that will then be open for public comment) should be coming "soon".
Cross your fingers and be ready to comment...
