WOW! You are a combative ol' cuss, aren't you? Three rather in your face responses. And I was posting in support of some of what you said! I was pointing out that it is not easy for drone pilots to know what they need to know.
This may take a while, but I will answer every one of your questions. But first, you have stated many times that you have two decades airborne, and like myself, you are getting up in age. Firstly, thank you for your service. Who, in our generation hasn't wished that they could save their kids some pain by transferring your knowledge to their brains? I see kids doing stunts with a skateboard on the library steps, without even a helmet, and I want to stop and tell them, for their own good that they are being stupid. You and I both know how that would end. At best, they would dismiss us as a stupid old man. Frustrating. Well like you, I am ex military. I flew single seat fighters in the USMC for twenty years. I might have had you try to track me with in your air defense roll, or provided you with CAS. I then flew all over the world for a major airline. I stopped counting flight hours some years ago, but I know it is over 25,000, and probably approaching 30,000 hours. I have credibility in operating in the NAS and in flying safely. Perhaps those thousands of hours are why I am what you refer to as "a very cautious flyer." Now, in pilot years, I am the experienced old man talking to the inexperienced kid. And you just think I'm an old codger who doesn't have any nerve.
Answers to your questions:
1. Yes, I own a Mavic Pro.
2. I do not know how far away at 400' AGL it has to be to not be able to see it. I haven't flown it farther than I can see it. I am a "very cautious pilot". I have had it far enough away that it took me a bit to find it when looking up from the controller, but not so far away that I couldn't find it. VLOS.
3. You should NOT worry that an F-18 will hit you at 200' over your local park. When you don't like things it seems your replies often twist what was said. I talked in my post about VFR routes and specifically mentioned that they tended to be "in the middle of nowhere". I have flown many hundreds of such missions, but I never went over a "local park". But I am pretty sure that you know my point was that there are published routes where fast movers operate right in our envelope, and most drone pilots don't where to find info on them, or even that they exist. I suspect you would know if a low level route is near your home. The evidence is hard to miss. But I have seen videos where people who say they live in cities, drive out to some remote area, and then try to set distance records. I suspect they went on Google Earth and mapped out what looks like a nice benign area to operate. But, due to lack of knowledge, I bet none of them ever even thought of VR routes.
4. Not asked, but I don't hang out with Air Force guys, either. Yeesh.
5. There were about five questions about the "laws" we keep referring to. Remember when you were getting all upset about the NY helo incident. Then someone posted the link to the accident report? And I think you then got mad at them for not having supplied you with it earlier.
The "LAW" we have been talking about has been discussed, explained, and copied and pasted here for you. Your reply above questioning its validity included this `quote "There can't be a "law" that states "you are required to follow some club's rules that you don't even belong to". It took me less than 2 minutes on Google to find this link:
H.R.658 - 112th Congress (2011-2012): FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012
Here is the pertinent portion:
"H.R.658 - FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012112th Congress (2011-2012)
LAW
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Sponsor: Rep. Mica, John L. [R-FL-7] (Introduced 02/11/2011)
Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure; Science, Space, and Technology; Judiciary
Committee Reports: H. Rept. 112-29,Part 1;
H. Rept. 112-29,Part 2;
H. Rept. 112-381 (Conference Report)
Latest Action: 02/14/2012 Became Public Law No: 112-95. (
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Roll Call Votes: There have been
15 roll call votes
Tracker:
This bill has the status Became Law
Here are the steps for Status of Legislation:"
Perhaps you shouldn't be spring loaded to the attack position when someone says something you don't like. Perhaps you could keep an open mind and do a little research. Might save you some apologies. Just sayin'.
I just have one question for you, please. Did you have a reserve with you when you jumped out of those airplanes?