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Low flying planes or aircraft

Jaysjob

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Flying from home I am about 6 miles out from the nearest airport however, I've noticed that the private pilots using the airport are well below 400' a lot of the time. I descend immediately when I notice any aircraft in the sky (as per the rules) but I wonder if it is common for aircraft traffic to be below the 400 foot height when they are outside the 3-5 mile range?


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The FAA rules say 500 feet AGL over populated areas for manned aircraft... THAT BEING SAID... I see it all the time, aircraft... usually helicopters... news, police and private, way below 400 feet around my neighborhood. It kinda pisses me off. Everyone whining about "drone near misses" (supposedly) and yet the small manned aircraft don't even stick to the rules...
 
You might check the local FAA charts to see what exactly your immediate airspace actually is... not that they should be buzzing your house 6 miles from an airport anyway...
 
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Just double check that there's no other air control in the area on a full map. I recently discovered a restricted flight area near where I live that explained low flying planes & heli's that were flying there.
 
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The FAA rules say 500 feet AGL over populated areas for manned aircraft... THAT BEING SAID... I see it all the time, aircraft... usually helicopters... news, police and private, way below 400 feet around my neighborhood. It kinda pisses me off. Everyone whining about "drone near misses" (supposedly) and yet the small manned aircraft don't even stick to the rules...

It's not an all the time thing. But It just happened again tonight. We're sitting on the couch and you can hear the plane and as it got closer to crossing over our house we could hear the pilot pouring on the power. I think this guy might be doing something wrong?


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Just double check that there's no other air control in the area on a full map. I recently discovered a restricted flight area near where I live that explained low flying planes & heli's that were flying there.

I double checked. There are others but I am well outside the 5 miles from the airport. I think it might be the same pilot every time and he's just not getting high enough, fast enough. I'm not a passenger pilot so I don't know their rules. Are they supposed to be above a certain level at a certain distance away from the airport?


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Use a flight radar app on your phone to make sure no aircraft are coming.

Thanks for the suggestion! Do you have a preferred app? There are a few and I'm not opposed to paying for one on a recommendation.


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Thanks for the suggestion! Do you have a preferred app? There are a few and I'm not opposed to paying for one on a recommendation.


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I use the free version of flight radar 24, they do offer a paid version as well, the paid one gives you a lot more detail than the free version like how high the aircraft is flying and things like that. Here is the web version of what they offer. That app is pretty much like this Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker!

I also use Flight Status Information to check when the arrivals and departures are and try to plan to fly in between them as well. I'll plan my flights around them and then once im out about to fly i'll check flight radar to see if any other aircraft is near by.
 
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I use the free version of flight radar 24, they do offer a paid version as well, the paid one gives you a lot more detail than the free version like how high the aircraft is flying and things like that. Here is the web version of what they offer. That app is pretty much like this Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker!

I also use Flight Status Information to check when the arrivals and departures are and try to plan to fly in between them as well. I'll plan my flights around them and then once im out about to fly i'll check flight radar to see if any other aircraft is near by.

Thank you very much! I didn't know this type of app was even available until now. I checked them out and they are very cool! Along with Flightradar I am trying one called Planes Live. I appreciate your help with this!


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Flight radar is a good idea! It will only show you aircraft with an active transponder registered by the system where the app gets its information though.


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Thank You JaysJob for asking this question, I had no idea something like this even existed.
I downloaded the Planes Live..... and am playing with it, I will say that they sure put ADS everywhere!! but if I like the app I will buy it.... It looks like it is $4

I have a small airport by me, It will be interesting if the small planes will show up on the app.
 
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Thank You JaysJob for asking this question, I had no idea something like this even existed.
I downloaded the Planes Live..... and am playing with it, I will say that they sure put ADS everywhere!! but if I like the app I will buy it.... It looks like it is $4

I have a small airport by me, It will be interesting if the small planes will show up on the app.

Yes! It's crazy right? I've tried both apps. I like them both for different reasons. The Plane Live seems to have some information the other doesn't and a little easier to use but the Flightradar24 seems to follow the flight paths more accurately. So idk. I'm still testing too. I think the $4 for the app removes ads so that would be nice. Keep us posted on what you decide on as well.


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Update: I sprang for the $5 and got the Planes Live app and I really like it! There are a lot more features and easier navigation with the paid app. (And as you know from my gimbal post I am hard pressed to part with five bucks! So there's that.) Hahaha!


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The FAA rules say 500 feet AGL over populated areas for manned aircraft... THAT BEING SAID... I see it all the time, aircraft... usually helicopters... news, police and private, way below 400 feet around my neighborhood. It kinda pisses me off. Everyone whining about "drone near misses" (supposedly) and yet the small manned aircraft don't even stick to the rules...
They would have to get permission to do it so they are following the rules.
 
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The specific FAA reg related to the 500 foot rule mentioned above is 91.119. It says: "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."

"Populated areas" are defined on sectional or terminal chart as solid yellow areas. (indicating city/populated area) If you live outside of a populated area (as defined by the charts) and the airport nearby is uncontrolled, it's completely legal for a fixed wing pilot to be flying 10 feet off the deck, so long as they're 500 feet away from you laterally.

Apps like flightaware and flightradar24 are only going to show you airplanes that are in communication with air traffic control, have filed a flight plan, and or have been issued a transponder code after requesting flight following. If you live near a small uncontrolled airfield, chances are most of the planes coming in and out won't be on the apps.
 
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The specific FAA reg related to the 500 foot rule mentioned above is 91.119. It says: "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."

"Populated areas" are defined on sectional or terminal chart as solid yellow areas. (indicating city/populated area) If you live outside of a populated area (as defined by the charts) and the airport nearby is uncontrolled, it's completely legal for a fixed wing pilot to be flying 10 feet off the deck, so long as they're 500 feet away from you laterally.

Apps like flightaware and flightradar24 are only going to show you airplanes that are in communication with air traffic control, have filed a flight plan, and or have been issued a transponder code after requesting flight following. If you live near a small uncontrolled airfield, chances are most of the planes coming in and out won't be on the apps.

Thanks for the info David! I live in a pretty populated area. Houses, publix grocery, target etc. I'm using the app for now. Again, I'm not a pilot so you would know better than me. My BIL is a private jet pilot and he had mentioned yesterday that there is a new identification system coming, hopefully soon that uses gps and will be on all private and commercial aircraft? That would be really nice! I'll bide my time and stay visually aware and out of the way as fast as I can. [emoji3]


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Not that it matters to small UAV operators, but be very careful when reading interpretations of the regs that do not quote the reg.
Above is a perfect example.
91.119 reads:

"91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General.
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

(a)Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.

(b)Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.

(c)Over other than congested areas. 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."

(And helicopters have a bit of an exemption as long as they don't pose a hazard.)

"(1) A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA;"

Nowhere does it say that congested areas are defined on any chart, though the yellow areas on sections certainly are, but they are not in any way exclusive.
The FAA has specifically not identified what a congested area is, and rules on a case by case basis.
As an example, a beach could be, a road with a number of cars could be, and a picnic could be.
 
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on flight rader24 app what does the calibrated altitude mean? Is that how high the plane is from the ground? if it is the free app the gps altitude is blocked out. Is that any different? I just want to see how high the planes are in my area.
 
on flight rader24 app what does the calibrated altitude mean? Is that how high the plane is from the ground? if it is the free app the gps altitude is blocked out. Is that any different? I just want to see how high the planes are in my area.

Yes, it is the AGL altitude, based on the current barometric pressure, (altimeter setting), unless it's above 18,000', then it's the height based on a 29.92 altimeter setting.
That is in the US.
In other countries 29.92 is not necessarily set at 18000'.
 
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