Has Anyone Actually Contacted an Airport to Fly Within 5 miles?

[sar104]

Follow up: Yesterday, Feb 1, 2019, I had a rather pleasant conversation with the local FAA Tower Supervisor, KCOS. I informed him I was drafting an MoA to negate having to call each time when flying as a hobbyist. I needed names and addresses for the letter. He gave the requested data but also told me he is NOT required to grant or deny hobbyist, only the 107s. I informed him the FAA states, as a hobbyist I assimilate the Safety Policies of a CBO, such as the AMA. He told me that’s fine, but not required by the FAA as far as hobbyist requesting or informing of flight within 5 miles of airport. Only that I fly safely! Again, I told him I am within 1.5 of his Class C KCOS. He response was “Cool, just be careful, and stay below 400 AGL in the Class C. He told me all the fixed wing are limited to no lower than 500 by FAA. He told me if I am in landing patterns, then keep a closer eye as pilots must come down in altitude. I thanked him for his time, redrafted the letter for the KCOS OPs Supervisor instead. I’ll advise of outcome.

Interesting - he is wrong about the Part 107 - local ATC is not the approving authority, and has specifically been directed by the FAA not to do so:

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/JO_7200.23A_Unmanned_Aircraft_Systems_(UAS).pdf

 

[dondi]

Sure. I have two heliports that are local to me and indicated to be within 5 miles of my home. I knew that I would be flying near my home at times so I used the template that was posted here on the forum and customized it with my contact details and noted that I would be flying occasionally.

I sent these letters to the two local heliports informing them of intent to fly .

I received a call back from one hospital (which is where the heliport is located). The security manager called back and asked me if they could text me on my phone if a life flight helicopter was inbound or outbound. I told them sure and I would be very cautious or not fly at all during those short windows of time.

The other hospital with the heliport never even responded. Thats not the point though. The point is that I notified them.

Here is a copy of the template I used.

WOW, you are a real mother may I. A simple phone call is faster, direct and personal.

 

[twoheadlines]

Yes! In New Zealand the distance is 4km; more or less half the distance from an airport when you are referring to a distance of 5 miles.
Anyway, late last year I did request flight clearance as I was going to be about 800 metres from one end of the local airport runway.
Permission was denied for two main reasons. 1) I wasn't able to be more specific about actually flight times. The flying needed to fit in with the varied work commitments of the property owner. 2) On the airport side of the property where I would have been flying there were no trees or buildings that would have screened my flying.
I kind of thought their last reason was something of a no brainer since trees and any buildings over a certain height would not have been permitted anyway.
But that was it. The airport authority had the ultimate legal right of decision, so in this context it was easier to consider other options than argue the point.

 

[BD0G]

WOW, you are a real mother may I. A simple phone call is faster, direct and personal.

Just for clarification. I was not asking for permission to fly in the area. Instead I was notifying them that I would regularly be flying in the area. Why one earth call every single time I fly if there is no need?

 

[thomashall1993]

As a 107 operator in a town without LAANC and required COAs in Class D, I have to contact ATC everytime I want to fly in controlled airspace. If I am going to fly around the Capitol building, I notify the Capitol Police Dispatch as well to stop any LEO interruptions; and if in the vicinity of the hospitals, I contact LifeStar dispatch.

 

[sar104]

As a 107 operator in a town without LAANC and required COAs in Class D, I have to contact ATC everytime I want to fly in controlled airspace. If I am going to fly around the Capitol building, I notify the Capitol Police Dispatch as well to stop any LEO interruptions; and if in the vicinity of the hospitals, I contact LifeStar dispatch.

No - that's not the correct procedure - you should be using the FAA authorization portal:

Flying Drones Near Airports (Controlled Airspace) – Part 107

ATC facilities have been instructed not to approve Part 107 flights in controlled airspace - I posted the link to that order above in post #41.

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/JO_7200.23A_Unmanned_Aircraft_Systems_(UAS).pdf. - page 9.

 

[MGR457]

I have flown within 5 miles of a towered airport in south Florida several times. I call the tower and tell them where I will be flying, my max altitude, and duration of flight. They told me they keep a clipboard in the tower to record the information. Nice guys.

 

[dondi]

Just for clarification. I was not asking for permission to fly in the area. Instead I was notifying them that I would regularly be flying in the area. Why one earth call every single time I fly if there is no need?

Are u serious or a joker

 

[BD0G]

100 percent serious. They text me when there is inbound or outbound lifeflight helicopters. These are Heliports at hospitals.

 

[BingErr]

Has anyone actually contacted an airport if flying within the 5 mile circle and if you did, whom did you contact?

YES, in Greenbay to get permission to fly over Lambeau (not during season) and my local airport when I needed to get a shot of a friends billboard for a commercial. Neither was a problem.

 

[Jberton]

Has anyone actually contacted an airport if flying within the 5 mile circle and if you did, whom did you contact?

Yes, quite often. My favorite flying is within airport. I call every time I fly and they want to know how high I will be flying and how long, when finish please call back. I have gotten to know them my name. Great guys.

 

[dlrdmd]

Has anyone actually contacted an airport if flying within the 5 mile circle and if you did, whom did you contact?

Yes I have. The controllers are quite nice. I told them where I was flying, height, and range and they say either yes or no, usually yes.

 

[FormerMember07122019_2]

In addition to notifying the airport, , it is very useful and prudent ( As many others have posted elsewhere on this forum) to know the landing and takeoff patterns of the airport that you are operating near. The landing end of the runway is the most critical because the aircraft are the closest to the ground at that point. On takeoff, most aircraft gain altitude quickly for noise and other reasons. Remember, the landing and takeoff directions change with the predominant wind direction, taking off and landing into the wind.

The information you give the tower, or FBO could be (should be?) used to alert arriving or departing pilots of the potential conflict with your drone operations. This is commonly done via a regularly updated recording called ATIS which pilots are required to listen to before contacting the tower for arrivals or departures.

 

[BD0G]

Flightradar24 app will give you real time data on all aircraft (except military) that are in the area.

 

[JAW]

Ignoring a denial is not a felony. It does, however, leave you open to being pursued by the FAA under 14 CFR 101.43 for endangering the NAS, if they can show that you did so.

Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but the FAA has stated, "The FAA would consider flying model aircraft over the objections of FAA air traffic or airport operators to be endangering the safety of the NAS."
See p.14 of https://www.faa.gov/uas/educational_users/media/model_aircraft_spec_rule.pdf
The way I read it is merely flying over the objections would be considered endangering the NAS regardless of whether the actual flight did something untoward.
As I said, I may be reading too much into it.

 

[sar104]

Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but the FAA has stated, "The FAA would consider flying model aircraft over the objections of FAA air traffic or airport operators to be endangering the safety of the NAS."
See p.14 of https://www.faa.gov/uas/educational_users/media/model_aircraft_spec_rule.pdf
The way I read it is merely flying over the objections would be considered endangering the NAS regardless of whether the actual flight did something untoward.
As I said, I may be reading too much into it.

I'm sure that would be their default position, but they would still have to make the case.

 

[Aerial West]

We contact the airport manager directly.

 

[thomashall1993]

No - that's not the correct procedure - you should be using the FAA authorization portal:

Flying Drones Near Airports (Controlled Airspace) – Part 107

ATC facilities have been instructed not to approve Part 107 flights in controlled airspace - I posted the link to that order above in post #41.

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/JO_7200.23A_Unmanned_Aircraft_Systems_(UAS).pdf. - page 9.

Excuse me, as I said in my post. We do NOT have LAANC here. There is no electronic means of receiving authorization. In our town, you MUST have a COA on paper from the FAA and then when you fly, you must notify ATC via phone.

 

[sar104]

Excuse me, as I said in my post. We do NOT have LAANC here. There is no electronic means of receiving authorization. In our town, you MUST have a COA on paper from the FAA and then when you fly, you must notify ATC via phone.

And as I said - no that's not correct. LAANC is one option. Where that is not available you apply for authorization via the FAA portal that was the default before LAANC was created. I even gave you the link to the FAA page that offers the two options.

Flying Drones Near Airports (Controlled Airspace) – Part 107

 

[thomashall1993]

And as I said - no that's not correct. LAANC is one option. Where that is not available you apply for authorization via the FAA portal that was the default before LAANC was created. I even gave you the link to the FAA page that offers the two options.

Flying Drones Near Airports (Controlled Airspace) – Part 107

Well I hate to break it to you, but the Dronezone is where my COA's (Certificates of Authorizations) are located and that the paperwork says to call ATC to get authorization. Thanks for your input even if it is incorrect.