Good Morning Aviator

[Auby252]

If you have taken a 107 recertification or have a 107 certification you should be call a AVIATOR or PILOT.

 

[deleted member 877]

If you have taken a 107 recertification or have a 107 certification you should be call a AVIATOR or PILOT.

It could be argued that only those who actually fly manned aircraft should be referred to as pilots or aviators.

People who remotely control unmanned aircraft such as drones are operators.

 

[old man mavic]

It could be argued that only those who actually fly manned aircraft should be referred to as pilots or aviators.

People who remotely control unmanned aircraft such as drones are operators.

my hi vis vest that i wear to fly my mav has the words drone pilot on the back,and i guess that the more rules and regs that are required of us to fly our drones,then possibly the term pilot could be appropriate

 

[BigAl07]

I'll be the first to admit that I was a little "butt hurt" when sUAS operators started calling themselves "Pilots". I got over it when the FAA added to this by calling them PILOTS and here we are today. They are called Pilots if they/we want to be called pilots. Much like I hated the word/term DRONE but you can't put the cat back in the bag once its out in the wild.

 

[Huckleberry]

Coming from an aviation background, I prefer the term “operator”. Pilot should be reserved for actual manned aircraft IMO.

 

[deleted member 877]

my hi vis vest that i wear to fly my mav has the words drone pilot on the back

My neighbour wears a T-shirt with the word "Spiderman" on it but I'm certain that he is not a Superhero - LOL.

But seriously, the vast difference in skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required before a Pilot/Aviator can go wheels-up on his/her first solo flight compared to what a UAV operator needs to achieve should be understood and appreciated.

 

[superstarpup]

If you have taken a 107 recertification or have a 107 certification you should be call a AVIATOR or PILOT.

No.

my hi vis vest that i wear to fly my mav has the words drone pilot on the back,and i guess that the more rules and regs that are required of us to fly our drones,then possibly the term pilot could be appropriate

The person driving a semi has rules and regs, but they are not a pilot.

The person driving a train has rules and regs, but they are not a pilot.

About the only people who get called pilots with out leaving the ground are f1 drivers, and they can call themselves whatever they want- they’re awesome.

 

[old man mavic]

well we are told often enough that we are pilots (i did not choose the title) and we must follow the rules on safety and respect them so as not to endanger others, so i will go along with that until the powers that be call me something else

 

[deleted member 877]

No.



The person driving a semi has rules and regs, not a pilot.

The person driving a train has rules and regs, not a pilot.

About the only people who get called pilots with out leaving the ground are f1 drivers, and they can call themselves whatever they want- they’re awesome.

All drone operators or pilots, if one must refer to them as such, certainly do have to comply with "rules and regs". This discussion is more about whether or not "pilots" who don't leave the ground on board their aircraft should be included in the same group as those who do.

 

[skyrex]

I don't come from an aviation background, but do totally and completely respect the profession and industry..

Personally I detest the term "drone pilot". I rather refer to our kind as "operator".
I am not one of them and likely never will be.

Pilots have done their time to earn the title, I just walked into a shop and bought a product. Others never left their homes and had it delivered to their doorstep.

That doesn't make us pilots regardless of what training or certifications we've done for our respective countries laws be it ReOC/107's etc..

Subliminally I feel like "drone pilot" is a coined term in order to convince everyone that drones are aircraft and thus should be treated as such. Whilst I partially agree with this from a safety aspect to protect us more than the public, it's just a way for the rule makers to effectively throw the book at us when it gets to hard for them to regulate overarching rules for how and when we can play with our toys.

One safety aspect I refer to is when people see us flying our craft/toys whatever you want to call them, they should not be allowed to approach us/start conversation/dictating to us along the same lines of passengers cannot talk to pilots when you board a plane for that work trip or holiday getaway.

 

[old man mavic]

I don't come from an aviation background, but do totally and completely respect the profession and industry..

Personally I detest the term "drone pilot". I rather refer to our kind as "operator".
I am not one of them and likely never will be.

Pilots have done their time to earn the title, I just walked into a shop and bought a product. Others never left their homes and had it delivered to their doorstep.

That doesn't make us pilots regardless of what training or certifications we've done for our respective countries laws be it ReOC/107's etc..

Subliminally I feel like "drone pilot" is a coined term in order to convince everyone that drones are aircraft and thus should be treated as such. Whilst I partially agree with this from a safety aspect to protect us more than the public, it's just a way for the rule makers to effectively throw the book at us when it gets to hard for them to regulate overarching rules for how and when we can play with our toys.

One safety aspect I refer to is when people see us flying our craft/toys whatever you want to call them, they should not be allowed to approach us/start conversation/dictating to us along the same lines of passengers cannot talk to pilots when you board a plane for that work trip or holiday getaway.

i agree with your last statement,and have found that when i am wearing the hi vis vest it does tend to stop people from approaching me as i said i did not choose the title my preferred title would be UAV operator i dont like the term drone but apart from getting a special vest printed i have only seen ones with drone pilot or drone crew on sale

 

[superstarpup]

All drone operators or pilots, if one must refer to them as such, certainly do have to comply with "rules and regs". This discussion is more about whether or not "pilots" who don't leave the ground on board their aircraft should be included in the same group as those who do.

I comprehend that, I think you missed my point. He used complying with regulations to strengthen his position of using the term “pilot.” I saying that complying with regulations has nothing to do with being a pilot or not. Leaving the ground does. Unless you’re an f1 driver, of course.

 

[skyrex]

i agree with your last statement,and have found that when i am wearing the hi vis vest it does tend to stop people from approaching me as i said i did not choose the title my preferred title would be UAV operator i dont like the term drone but apart from getting a special vest printed i have only seen ones with drone pilot or drone crew on sale

Haha funny that, I find the same - most vests out there are pilot branded.. I'm contemplating making my own just using a "blank vest", a carboard stencil, and spray paint. the thing I fear is it will only attract negative attention and more people will want to bee-line in my direction once I've done the usual scouting and found a nice little out of the way spot to be alone.

 

[old man mavic]

i am sure that no matter what term is used to describe what we are doing, the most important thing to remember, is to get out there and enjoy our hobby or recreational pastime ,or whatever it is called

 

[deleted member 877]

I comprehend that, I think you missed my point. He used complying with regulations to strengthen his position of using the term “pilot.” I saying that complying with regulations has nothing to do with being a pilot or not. Leaving the ground does. Unless you’re an f1 driver, of course.

But when you wrote, "The person driving a semi has rules and regs, not a pilot" and "The person driving a train has rules and regs, not a pilot", what were people supposed to make of that? Your point was not made in a way that was easy to comprehend.

 

[gnirtS]

"operator" is more realistic.

 

[old man mavic]

Haha funny that, I find the same - most vests out there are pilot branded.. I'm contemplating making my own just using a "blank vest", a carboard stencil, and spray paint. the thing I fear is it will only attract negative attention and more people will want to bee-line in my direction once I've done the usual scouting and found a nice little out of the way spot to be alone.

as i have said before in other threads some of the problems that the public have with drones that are up in the air,is the fact that they assume that we as flyers are spying on them and invading their privacy.
i have found that by advertising what i am doing in full view gives them a chance if they ask me to see my screen and what the drone is seeing ,and when they do they realise that from the height i am flying at their features are not even recognisable.
i understand what you are saying about a nice out of the way spot but others might think you are up to no good because you are hidden out of sight
another reason for the hi vis vest is because i fly a lot in out of the way places, and a RAF scheme is to encourage drone flyers to wear the vests ,so that if their rescue helicopters are flying low looking for people in distress, it makes it easier for their pilots to see us, as we both operate in the airspace below the 400ft ceiling

 

[superstarpup]

i am sure that no matter what term is used to describe what we are doing, the most important thing to remember, is to get out there and enjoy our hobby or recreational pastime ,or whatever it is called

Agreed. Outside of an academic discussion, i don’t care what you call yourself. Have fun operating!

 

[AnzacJack]

I’ve been in aviation for 40 years(RAAF engineer) and a commercial pilot for 20 (civilian) years and designing, building and flying drones (multirotors) for around 10 years. I certainly consider myself an aviator and pilot, but I don’t really care what people call themselves, and I don’t really go around introducing myself as a pilot.
I guess RPAS operators calling themselves pilots, are just showing some pride in what they do. certainly nothing wrong with that in my eyes, and I wouldn’t like to be the one trying to bring that pride down.

 

[sdold]

The person driving a semi has rules and regs, not a pilot.

Yes he does! A ton of them.

The person driving a train has rules and regs, not a pilot.

Yes he does! Way too many if you ask me.

Anyway since what we call the "107 license" is really a Remote Pilot Certificate (with a amall UAS rating), I guess we are officially pilots. But so is a tugboat driver.