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Do you really call the FAA?

Ltimin

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Hello everyone! I joined in January of this year so I could see some of the drone photos and videos you guys posted, but I didn't have the Mavic (yet). Great content btw. I recently purchased it and there's a lot of red tape that comes with it it seems. For instance, if you look almost everywhere on the B4UFly map it's practically impossible to fly in cities without calling the FAA and asking for clearance to fly. Do you guys REALLY call the FAA every time you fly or do you make sure you don't go above 400 feet, maintain a line of sight, and aware of what's going on? Basically, make sure you're flying safe.

I can't imagine calling someone constantly because there are helipads everywhere. Especially in cities like Los Angeles.
 
You never need to call the FAA. If you are within 5 miles of an airport you need to call the airport tower and owner. There is no above 400' call either. 400' is a recommendation by the FAA, not a regulation.

There are many posts about this that you can search for.

Do I call every airport and heliport? No. only the major airports. Do I fly within VLOS. Not always. If I'm in a populated area I usually do.

Again, it's FAA regulation that you call every airport within 5 miles and stay within VLOS.
 
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You never need to call the FAA. If you are within 5 miles of an airport you need to call the airport tower and owner. There is no above 400' call either. 400' is a recommendation by the FAA, not a regulation.

There are many posts about this that you can search for.

Do I call every airport and heliport? No. only the major airports. Do I fly within VLOS. Not always. If I'm in a populated area I usually do.

Again, it's FAA regulation that you call every airport within 5 miles and stay within VLOS.

"Again, it's FAA regulation that you call every airport within 5 miles and stay within VLOS"

Regulation or recommendation? You said recommendation previously.
 
"Again, it's FAA regulation that you call every airport within 5 miles and stay within VLOS"

Regulation or recommendation? You said recommendation previously.

What I stated was correct.

400' is a recommendation.
Calling the airport and saying within VLOS is a regulation.
 
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I hate calling ATC but I do it because we are supposed to.

Its easy to do. Youre "notifying" them of your activity. They CAN deny you if somethings going on in the area (POTUS, Blue Angels, etc)

Ive never been denied but I have been told to keep my flights at a max altitude of 75'AGL before.
 
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Ok. So there seems to be a lot of inconsistent information here. If I'm in Class B, C, D, or E zone/airspace, I'm suppose to call the tower or helipad listed to tell them I'm there? If they say no, I'm not allowed to fly right?

Also, do you guys log that information every time you call? Sorry for all the questions, but I can't find clear answers.
 
Ok. So there seems to be a lot of inconsistent information here. If I'm in Class B, C, D, or E zone/airspace, I'm suppose to call the tower or helipad listed to tell them I'm there? If they say no, I'm not allowed to fly right?
If you are within 5 miles of any airport tower and owner, you need to call. They cannot restrict your flight. They are free to object to your flight but this does not legally stop you from flying.

Also, do you guys log that information every time you call? Sorry for all the questions, but I can't find clear answers.

I don't log. Most of this information is available on the FAA website.
 
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Ok. So there seems to be a lot of inconsistent information here. If I'm in Class B, C, D, or E zone/airspace, I'm suppose to call the tower or helipad listed to tell them I'm there? If they say no, I'm not allowed to fly right?

Also, do you guys log that information every time you call? Sorry for all the questions, but I can't find clear answers.

I would strongly disagree with the suggestion that they "cannot restrict your flight."
There may be a mix up because the use of non standard terminology.
In my view there is controlled airspace and there is uncontrolled airspace.
The FAA, in the US, is authority over controlled airspace.
If you are within a 5 mile area of an operating control tower, they control that airspace from the surface, just as they do in A, B, C airpsace. If they tell you that you are not cleared to fly in it, doing so would be a violation and if they decided to pursue it, you would be on your own.
That is my view, and that is how I operate.

On the other hand, flying in uncontrolled airspace is on you. It is stated that you should call, but an airport operator, nor a heliport is not the FAA, and "controls" nothing.
If you do so in spite of their disapproval, there is no legal risk other than careless and reckless, which exists everywhere.

This "app-speak" term, "no flying zone," is useless.
Again, there is controlled or uncontrolled airspace. Controlled airspace requires a clearance.
 
Ive been denied here on Oahu, and so has a friend of mine. My denial was due to where in the ring I was- was told that there were training flights going over this area that morning. He did say I could call back in a few hours.

The other one was interesting. Friend got denied by an ATC here because he did not provide a registration number. “I cannot let you fly with out a registration number.” Friend is a hobbyist recreational user. This was last week. I told my friend theyre wrong and not up to date. You are not required to register your Mavic as of now. Friend tried again the following day and again was asked for his registration. Friend contacted FSDO here and sure enough no registration is required for hobbyists under part 336. Friend told the ATC operator to call FSDO.

ATC op apologized and said “have a good flight and call when youre done”.

I was told by FAA FSDO here youre just notifying but in some cases they can deny you. But for the most part they’re really cool. I dont like doing it and hate bugging them but I do it and I keep logs of every flight. Logs arent required but I do it to keep track of how many hours im logging on the motors and props. And I log the names of ATC operators so if some cop comes up to me I can point it out that I got clearance from Joe Blow.
 
They can't deny you if it's a notification. They don't have the authority to deny hobbyists.

If you "notify" a tower, and they respond in a manner that tells you not to do it, and anything happens, you are going to have to defend yourself against a careless and reckless issue.
If its in controlled airspace and the controlling authority says no, you can scream hobbyist all you want.
Above that, hobbyists are not permitted in class B without approval.
Not notification. Approval.
Pays your money. Takes your chances.
 
I call every time I fly from my house or from a park a mile down the road. I've called enough to when I call, and I start talking 2 of them know my voice. the last 3 times I called I got interrupted with, Thanks for calling again, are you at the park, or you over by the dump zone, and are you going to be at 200' or 350' today?
I live 3.58miles from the center of a small regional airport, and the park is 4.68miles. Im thinking about asking the woman on a date cause ya know, women love pilots. Just hope she is pretty.
 
I would strongly disagree with the suggestion that they "cannot restrict your flight."
There may be a mix up because the use of non standard terminology.
In my view there is controlled airspace and there is uncontrolled airspace.
The FAA, in the US, is authority over controlled airspace.
If you are within a 5 mile area of an operating control tower, they control that airspace from the surface, just as they do in A, B, C airpsace. If they tell you that you are not cleared to fly in it, doing so would be a violation and if they decided to pursue it, you would be on your own.
That is my view, and that is how I operate.

On the other hand, flying in uncontrolled airspace is on you. It is stated that you should call, but an airport operator, nor a heliport is not the FAA, and "controls" nothing.
If you do so in spite of their disapproval, there is no legal risk other than careless and reckless, which exists everywhere.

This "app-speak" term, "no flying zone," is useless.
Again, there is controlled or uncontrolled airspace. Controlled airspace requires a clearance.
 
I have decided to call religiously - flying in my back yard, call the tower. Flying in my house, call the tower. (I realize their FAQ says they don't control indoor spaces but the actual law says they control aircraft and define aircraft as something which flies in the air; are you going to rely on a FAQ to keep yourself out of prison? Also, their app says I must call and it doesn't ask me if I am under my porch.)

As RCKable noted, they will get to know you.

Do you know who the FAA listens to more than hobbyists and Chinese drone companies? ATC and tower operators. The only reason this farce continues is because they are counting on you being reasonable until something happens that gets a complaint, then come at you with full force of the bureaucracy.

Follow the rules, ask them on dates, they will get the rules changed for lightweight drones before you know what happened. Follow onerous laws onerously.
 
Do you know who the FAA listens to more than hobbyists and Chinese drone companies? ATC and tower operators. The only reason this farce continues is because they are counting on you being reasonable...Follow the rules, ask them on dates, they will get the rules changed for lightweight drones before you know what happened. Follow onerous laws onerously.

As someone who deals with ATC ad nauseam on a daily basis, I can vouch for this. Many times, silly rules get enacted that require notification to the tower, and at first it can seem like quite a PITA to have to contact them. But, the best way out of it is not to avoid doing it, but as MarkoNW notes, to do it religiously. Contact them to let them know you're starting an activity. Let them know when you've stopped. Let them know when you've changed locations. Let them know when anything else changes. Pretty soon, ATC personnel get tired of you actually following the rules and tell you to cut it out. And this is when it's done over the tower radio frequency. It's 1,000 times more annoying for them to have to answer the phone. Nothing is more infuriating than having to deal with some incessant stupid or silly notification requirement when you're trying to do a more important job (directing actual air traffic). Before you know it, ATC will be fighting to ensure that notification is *not* required, as it impedes their ability to do their job properly and safely. The FAA will then kill the requirement in short order.
 
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I have the hover app and it list the phone numbers to call for each airport. Quick and painless
 
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