FAA drone rules require airport OK before liftoff - News - Virgin Islands Daily News
great, so now everyone down there will ask me, did I get permission from the airport?? Hell NO I didn't...I just alerted them to my flight plan.
I contacted reporter...he was adamant that I needed approval from tower...SMH
Here is what he said to me:
"I think the key is that the FAA specifically and legally defines you as a pilot operating within the airspace.
I assume that the tower or operator could tell you that you shouldn't fly at that particular time and place because the DEA helicopter is operating at low altitude, or a pontoon aircraft has said it is descending to land at Magens Bay because a passenger wants a rum smoothie from the beach bar. (I have seen the latter just a month ago.) So if the tower says that, are they only going to 'suggest' that you not have your sUAS in the air?
As someone wrote online: "When you are operating under ATC, it is your responsibility to comply with their instructions as long as they fall within the regulations, they are safe and you are able to comply, If ATC issues an instruction contrary to regulation or something that would compromise safety, that is when you exercise your PIC authority to deviate from their instruction."
Given that you are legally defined as a pilot, I would think that you are operating under ATC."
great, so now everyone down there will ask me, did I get permission from the airport?? Hell NO I didn't...I just alerted them to my flight plan.
I contacted reporter...he was adamant that I needed approval from tower...SMH
Here is what he said to me:
"I think the key is that the FAA specifically and legally defines you as a pilot operating within the airspace.
I assume that the tower or operator could tell you that you shouldn't fly at that particular time and place because the DEA helicopter is operating at low altitude, or a pontoon aircraft has said it is descending to land at Magens Bay because a passenger wants a rum smoothie from the beach bar. (I have seen the latter just a month ago.) So if the tower says that, are they only going to 'suggest' that you not have your sUAS in the air?
As someone wrote online: "When you are operating under ATC, it is your responsibility to comply with their instructions as long as they fall within the regulations, they are safe and you are able to comply, If ATC issues an instruction contrary to regulation or something that would compromise safety, that is when you exercise your PIC authority to deviate from their instruction."
Given that you are legally defined as a pilot, I would think that you are operating under ATC."
