I heard a passenger plane flying out of SFO spot a drone buzz by him. Norcal asked about size, shape, color, position, etc. It sounded very close. Pretty scary.

It is just a matter of time. I wonder if GE or Rolls has done any FOD testing of their engines with a 20 lb drone with solid lithium batteries, yet?

At the South Dakota airport conference this topic was brought up, here is a summary of what I heard.


The FAA rep basically said there is many restrictions on there end with pursuing and enforcing these rule breakers. With us pilots they can take our license, which is like taking your first born. With them they have little to loose.

Someone in the crowd asked how to handle the drones breaking rules and that are being a nuisance at there homes sense there is no definition of your property line in the sky. The FAA rep recommended to report it or take matters in your own hands.......

After the FAA rep was identified as a friendly, multiple people spoke up saying they have been knocking them out of the sky with paintball guns, shot guns, water balloons on and on.... Those rebels then asked if they could get in trouble for doing so. The response was that if the person who was flying the drone wants to come after you then they have every right too. But if they are smart enough they will know that if they were breaking the rules on the line of sight or any other law they will have no grounds to stand on and could ultimitely be cited. The FAA did say that if you know who is doing it you should start with a verbal conversation with the individual to come to a resolution first.

The airport manager also has the authority to deny anyone the right to come into there airspace that is not commercial. We own our airport privately but still list it as public, it hasn't been an issue and I have been happy to tell uninformed recreational users to P off. I have allowed a few commercial guys who come by, they are very respectful. They keep a radio on there side tuned to the UNI, they always respect the rules. On days where we have a-lot of flying going on there has never been an issue and communication has always been good. They also have more money invested into there units then some people do in a Bonanza so they understand.

Chris

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2556111/drone-smashes-into-packed-boeing-737-passenger-jet-plane-ripping-holes-in-its-nose-during-landing/

This already happened I thought?

I met a model rocketeer who works nearby. He flies a 20' rocket to 50,000' near Wickenburg AZ with his buddies doing same once a month.

I asked how they avoid planes (he didn't know I was a pilot). "Oh, ATC restricts the airspace for us...once in awhile some dummy pilot flies through anyway"

Yikes!

No, that was not a drone

Am I the only one who thinks the mile-high club is something else?

All that came to mind reading the tag line was a guy I knew who bragged about having sex every night, then saying he was always by himself when it happened. I clicked thinking this might be the same thing, kind of...

Yep, around here, they used to put out a NOTAM a couple hours before launches began, and the NOTAM would be in effect for much of the day. We finally got them to agree to call us just before going above 10,000', and that would usually only last a half hour or so, but folks flying lower than that and not talking to us would fly right through. So basically, anyone who checked NOTAMs at home before departure would have little idea unless they were only minutes from TO and flight into the area. I never liked it.

I had lots of Estes rockets as a kid, but none that would fly over about 1500'. "Big Sky" works in a lot of different ways.

This drone could be problematic!

For nerds, this IS their (only) MHC.

The notion of rules, enforcement, the FAA, it all just makes me laugh.

Who exactly would be doing the enforcement? The police? Uummmm sure, "be on the lookout for a rich, punk, 14 year old, carrying a toy helicopter, use of un-neccessary force is... authorized"

What would the punishment be? You are now on double secret probation per the FAA.

Nerds have more fun than you think they do.

Mike C.

https://jrupprechtlaw.com/drone-operato ... -need-know


Generally fines.

If there is a pilot in the vicinity, license suspension can also occur.

Mike C.

https://jrupprechtlaw.com/drone-operato ... -need-know


Generally fines.

If there is a pilot in the vicinity, license suspension can also occur.

Mike C.

It'll all be fun and games till they kill somebody. It will happen. Personally since they don't have anything that can be taken away such as a license maybe a fine big enough that it takes them a few years to pay off or even jail time might be the way to go. May seem harsh but look how they laugh it off. Wonder if it will be that funny to them when tragedy strikes.