Anyone in Nova Scotia

[cacherjoe]

Hey,

Thought I would start a Nova Scotia thread. I'm in HRM but spend some time in Pictou County. Curious how many more Mavic owners are out there from these areas. Maybe we can organize a meet up sometime.

 

[Sloth469]

Just picked mine up yesterday! In Cole harbour and cant wait for some decent flying weather

 

[cacherjoe]

Just picked mine up yesterday! In Cole harbour and cant wait for some decent flying weather

I have had some good days since I got mine. I'm in Dartmouth.

Last night would have been interesting. Blew the roof off a building on Wyse.


Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

 

[Sloth469]

Much calmer today, but I am stuck at work and by the time I get out it is dark... come on weekend !!

 

[cacherjoe]

I hear you. I plan to do some flying this weekend also.

 

[HaydenMR]

Also in Cole Harbour area.
Any idea on regulations over the Harbour? I know helicopters fly quite low over it. I also get a class D airspace warning at my house, which I can assume is from shearwater. Has anyone contacted Shearwater to see if there were any issues with flying in the area?

 

[cacherjoe]

The harbour is almost completely NFZ. The Bedford side and a small area around Shannon Park are ok. Down the shore from Shearwater is NFZ to Musquodoboit Harbour except for a small area near Lawrencetown Beach. The entire peninsula is NFZ also due to the Dock Yard and 3 heliports.

Careful. Some apps look at Shearwater as a heliport and give it 3nm but it is an airport and the 5nm rule applies.

Anything I missed?

 

[HaydenMR]

The harbour is almost completely NFZ. The Bedford side and a small area around Shannon Park are ok. Down the shore from Shearwater is NFZ to Musquodoboit Harbour except for a small area near Lawrencetown Beach. The entire peninsula is NFZ also due to the Dock Yard and 3 heliports.

Careful. Some apps look at Shearwater as a heliport and give it 3nm but it is an airport and the 5nm rule applies.

Anything I missed?

Thanks for the quick reply, i do have a couple of other questions
can we fly within the 5nm of Shearwater as long as they are notified?
if not can i fly on my property as long as i stay under a certain height? id love to get some practice on the controls of this and would prefer to not have to travel to do so.

 

[cacherjoe]

Yes if they give permission however don't forget there are 2 hospital pads and the one at Point Pleasant that may creep into where you want to fly. Also I wouldn't be calling Shearwater daily or they will simply say no.

As for flying and staying below the ceiling as long as you are not in a NFZ and outside a populated area.

I pretty much have to travel to fly anytime. I live in North Dartmouth.

 

[HaydenMR]

Thanks for the quick reply, i do have a couple of other questions
can we fly within the 5nm of Shearwater as long as they are notified?
if not can i fly on my property as long as i stay under a certain height? id love to get some practice on the controls of this and would prefer to not have to travel to do so.

in addition, it looks as though Shearwater is not an Airport and is in fact a Heliport. it appears to have been completely converted since 2012 according to this Wikipedia article.
would the fact that there are no runways for any aircraft apart from helicopters be enough to classify this as a heliport or is their a federal re-classification required? forgive my ignorance i am extremely new to this.

 

[HaydenMR]

Yes if they give permission however don't forget there are 2 hospital pads and the one at Point Pleasant that may creep into where you want to fly. Also I wouldn't be calling Shearwater daily or they will simply say no.

As for flying and staying below the ceiling as long as you are not in a NFZ and outside a populated area.

I pretty much have to travel to fly anytime. I live in North Dartmouth.

Thanks for all your help!
That's unfortunate that you have to travel anytime you want to fly.
luckily i have a one acre yard so i should be good to fly around it, i will try and keep it below the treeline.

 

[Sloth469]

in addition, it looks as though Shearwater is not an Airport and is in fact a Heliport. it appears to have been completely converted since 2012 according to this Wikipedia article.
would the fact that there are no runways for any aircraft apart from helicopters be enough to classify this as a heliport or is their a federal re-classification required? forgive my ignorance i am extremely new to this.

I can confirm that Shearwater is a Heliport (I can see it from my place)... I believe they have a flying club there but I haven't seen a fix wing out of there in years...

 

[HaydenMR]

I can confirm that Shearwater is a Heliport (I can see it from my place)... I believe they have a flying club there but I haven't seen a fix wing out of there in years...

Thanks for the response!
My Father is retired from Shearwater, and i do recall the conversion project. i guess i'm just wondering if Transport Canada or someone actually has to re-classify it, or would its designed use and our judgement be enough?? seems there is a lot of Gray Area in Canada for flying drones.

 

[Sloth469]

Letter from Transport Canada wrt #nodronezone campaign

No Drone Zone Clarification from Transport Canada

 

[Sloth469]

The harbour is almost completely NFZ. The Bedford side and a small area around Shannon Park are ok. Down the shore from Shearwater is NFZ to Musquodoboit Harbour except for a small area near Lawrencetown Beach. The entire peninsula is NFZ also due to the Dock Yard and 3 heliports.

Careful. Some apps look at Shearwater as a heliport and give it 3nm but it is an airport and the 5nm rule applies.

Anything I missed?

The QE2 Heliport is shut down until they get a newer/lighter bird, Point pleasant park is where the Lifeflights land now, Windsor Park I believe is now a parking lot so I think the emergency pad is no longer in use. I don't think that there is a restriction on the dockyard, but I wouldn't want to push my luck . All the zones up and down the coast are fair game as per the rules that are mentioned in the #Nodronezone letter

 

[Sloth469]

Also in Cole Harbour area.
Any idea on regulations over the Harbour? I know helicopters fly quite low over it. I also get a class D airspace warning at my house, which I can assume is from shearwater. Has anyone contacted Shearwater to see if there were any issues with flying in the area?

Where abouts in Cole Harbour? I had mine out for a spin at the Astral Dr school... kept it below 75 feet just to get some air time

 

[HaydenMR]

Letter from Transport Canada wrt #nodronezone campaign

No Drone Zone Clarification from Transport Canada

Lol, "Clarification" --- "#nodronezone is a guideline only"

 

[HaydenMR]

Where abouts in Cole Harbour? I had mine out for a spin at the Astral Dr school... kept it below 75 feet just to get some air time

Im down by Ross Road, pretty much on the border of Lawrencetown.

 

[cacherjoe]

The letter is interesting. I have to say I like it and don't at the same time, if that makes sense. It opens up a lot of space to fly. The problem as I see it is it leaves things too broad and open for the recreational user.

I'll have to print a copy and keep it with me as I'm sure someone will ask at some point.

 

[Sloth469]

Lol, "Clarification" --- "#nodronezone is a guideline only"

I think they meant the 9Km rule is a guideline since recreational drones are class as a model aircraft

Operating a model aircraft (recreational drone) within 9km of an aerodrome would be a violation of CAR 602.45 if the aircraft was being operated in a manner that is hazardous to aviation safety. The 9km (5nm) guideline is provided as guidance on how a recreational user of an unmanned aircraft (a model aircraft by definition) can comply with section 602.45 of the CARs which governs the operation of model aircraft. This regulation states “No person shall fly a model aircraft or a kite or launch a model rocket or a rocket of a type used in a fireworks display into cloud or in a manner that is or is likely to be hazardous to aviation safety”. The guidelines were provided to help those that are less familiar with aviation with how to operate their aircraft in a safe manner. This will keep these aircraft out of most control zones and away from concentrations of manned aircraft. As stated, the 9km (5nm) direction is only guidelines and not a regulations.