First question from a beginner

[JimCunn]

"Most manned aircraft activities occur at 500 feet or above, except within the controlled airspace near airports".

I, and most of my friends, fly antique, certified, non-electric aircraft mostly from uncontrolled airfields in uncontrolled airspace. Therefore, contrary to the quoted assumption above, we are quite often legally at less than 500' AGL when landing and taking off in this uncontrolled airspace. What's the best way to assure that we maintain separation in those conditions?

 

[MA2 317]

What's the best way to assure that we maintain seperation in those conditions?

Eyes and ears.

Other than the basic senses, there are apps available that may show aircraft in the area if they are transmitting a signal.

I use this app at times that may show aircraft in the area, but it usually shows jets waaaaay above where you are flying.

Mobile Flight Tracker Apps - FlightAware

Free Flight Status / Flight Tracker Mobile Apps - iPhone, iPad, Android from FlightAware.com

flightaware.com

Please note, not all aircraft are transmitting a signal so using an app may not work and the telemetry could be delayed or nonexistent if flying out in the middle of somewhere.

Fly safe.

.

 

[JimCunn]

"apps available that may show aircraft in the area if they are transmitting a signal".

The antique non-electric aircraft we fly are grandfathered and as long as an engine mounted generator has never been installed ADSB is not required. Eyeballs are the only way we can be seen.

 

[MA2 317]

I apologize. I thought you were flying R/C winged aircraft and not the real thing.

Eyeballs are the only way we can be seen.

I live in class G airspace and the weekend flyers come out and fly.

I use my ears most of the time as there is a trio of biplanes and some hot air balloons that fly occasionally that don't transmit a signal.

The biplanes I hear with no problem.

The balloons are sneaky.

.

 

[JimCunn]

I mostly fly stuff that runs small Continentals. They are also quite sneaky.

 

[GFields]

Greetings from Birmingham Alabama, welcome to the forum!

 

[Ty Pilot]

"Most manned aircraft activities occur at 500 feet or above, except within the controlled airspace near airports".

I, and most of my friends, fly antique, certified, non-electric aircraft mostly from uncontrolled airfields in uncontrolled airspace. Therefore, contrary to the quoted assumption above, we are quite often legally at less than 500' AGL when landing and taking off in this uncontrolled airspace. What's the best way to assure that we maintain separation in those conditions?

Just so you know, it is in the regulations for both recreational and commercial UAVs here in the US to yield too; and avoid, any and all manned aviation regardless of location, airspace, altitude or type of manned aircraft. It is 100% incumbent on a UAV pilot to maintain separation from manned aviation.

I saw your initial post where you asked for some guidance in regards to drones (UAVs). I would urge you to go to the FAAs website and spend a little time to check out what the regs for drones look like. Beyond that, if you see someone flying UAVs near your location the best thing to do is to communicate intentions directly so you both are aware of each other and make sure they are aware of their duties to stay well clear of you.

Oh and welcome to the forum.

 

[JimCunn]

"if you see someone flying UAVs near your location the best thing to do is to communicate intentions directly so you both are aware of each other and make sure they are aware of their duties to stay well clear of you".

Other than wing-wagging or just landing and walking over to talk to them, I'm not quite sure how to do that.

 

[old man mavic]

@JimCunn ,just a few questions ,which drone do you own,i am wondering why you actually joined the forum ,as all your posts seem to be appertaining to manned aircraft ,as has already been mentioned if you intend to fly a UAV ,then the rules for such flights can be found on the FAA web site

 

[JimCunn]

At the moment, I am considering the A2S. Something in the $1000-$2000 range with decent video.

I joined the forum because I know nothing about drones and would appreciate advice and suggestions. Good choice, bad choice?
Other choices?

The manned aircraft posts are sort of free association responses to other posts. My friends and I fly antique non-electric aircraft mostly in the same airspace as drones, so I am very interested in the potential interaction between the two. Possibly similar to the risk of bird strikes?

Don't get me started on pterosaur biomechanics and flapping flight mechanics....

 

[old man mavic]

@JimCunn ,thanks for your reply ,the AIR 2 s would be a good choice ,and if portability is an essential element for your choice of drone then the Mini 3Pro with the the new RC controller would also be a good alternative ,if where you intend to fly is not particularly windy ,are you aware of the way drones fly ,compared to winged aircraft ,or helicopters ,i am sure that you will be more than able to fly a drone successfully,just forget what came before, and practice, practice, practice ,until it becomes second nature ,flying from a fixed position on the ground, does present its own set of issues ,in relation to the position of the RC controller ,and the direction the drone is facing during flight ,it is the same for anything that is RC ,and is something that catches a lot of first time users out, good luck in your pursuit of the hobby

 

[JimCunn]

"are you aware of the way drones fly ,compared to winged aircraft"

No, not really. I have no experience with drones, helicopters, or rc aircraft (though I am considering building a 6' span ornithopter 'replica' of the small morph of Quetzalcoatlus (15.75' span) as a research tool. I'm about half way through the design process on that.

Most of my experience with gusty winds has been while flying a J3. Quite a different thing, I expect. My direct crosswind limit in a 3 on grass is about 27kts, gusting 33 (you have to be willing to accept crow hopping).

Re drone portability, as long as the drone and controller will fit inside the baggage compartment of a 3, I'd be good to go.

 

[shb]

A drone should never fly close to either end of a runway.

 

[JimCunn]

"A drone should never fly close to either end of a runway"

Very true. Thank goodness, one of the benefits of a 3 for transport is that you aren't limited to runways or airports.

One of the things I'd really like to try is flying a drone with a good camera along side of a reduced scale Quetz replica. Due to their tiny torso, I can't fit the batteries, motor, gear train, and electronics in a 4 foot span replica, so a 6 footer is about as small as I could go.

Image is of a somehat stylized preliminary attempt at a 4 foot span (approximately a quarter scale replica of the gracile morph of Quetz). Torso was too small for it to work. As an aside, the foot in the image is from a Pteranodon - the Quetz foot is smaller and shaped a bit differently, but hasn't been removed from the matrix.

 

[Flying Shroppie]

I live in an area which has no flight restrictions apart from the national 400ft height limit, but I have to be constantly on the look-out for training heliccopters from RAF Shawbury who use a wind turbine 350 mts away as a way point marker on training flights. The turbine to the top of the blades is around 70 mts. The helicopters are regularly flown lower than the top of the blades.
When they approach from behind a series of tall hedges they can be a bit of a surprise!

 

[JimCunn]

"When they approach from behind a series of tall hedges they can be a bit of a surprise!"

I know what you mean. Back in the late 1960s when the B52s from Blytheville, Arkansas Air Force Base were doing oil burner runs up and down the Mississippi River, I've seen 52s pass by lower than me when I was in my J3 about 250-300 feet above the water. Didn't bother me - it was pretty obvious they knew I was there. Compared to my piddly 80 mph, they were really haulin'.

 

[SoCal2S]

"Most manned aircraft activities occur at 500 feet or above, except within the controlled airspace near airports".

I, and most of my friends, fly antique, certified, non-electric aircraft mostly from uncontrolled airfields in uncontrolled airspace. Therefore, contrary to the quoted assumption above, we are quite often legally at less than 500' AGL when landing and taking off in this uncontrolled airspace. What's the best way to assure that we maintain separation in those conditions?

Back in the mid 90's, I flew RC planes out of an uncontrolled airport with grass runway, near Binghampton, NY. It's operated by the local RC airplane club and they have a rule that you have to fly with an observer, and that any sighting of a plan in anything resembling the traffic pattern, you have to land immediately. I don't recall them having radios though, even to listen to CTAF, which I think would help a lot. Kind of makes me want to check what they are doing now, or if they even exist anymore.

 

[JimCunn]

Is that the Binghampton Aero Group that flies out of the Chenango Bridge Aurport?

 

[SoCal2S]

Is that the Binghampton Aero Group that flies out of the Chenango Bridge Aurport?

Forgot the exact name, but they did fly out of Chennango (bridge?) airport. Thought the acronym for the name was BIG though, but BAG is close enough, reasonably sure that's the one. It's been almost 30 years. Were you in the area?

 

[JimCunn]

No, I was just curious.