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I got questioned by a Real Pilot.

To your response in that thread, I personally have gotten 400ft authorization in a zero grid with no real justification at all. I simply described the area I would be flying and the precautions I would take. In this particular zero grid, there are buildings and terrain higher than 400ft, so 400 was actually lower than what air traffic needed to avoid normally. I suspect that could be the case in some of the areas around Vegas as well. Not all zero grids are created equal and I imagine even within the same airspace the FAA has some that it will easily approve and some it will require an extremely good justification for.
 
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I remain highly skeptical of the veracity of your claims here, given the process necessary to fly in Zero Grid sections, the AGL you are claiming to be permitted to fly in those locations, and your refusal to even share a general description of the missions you are flying that would cause the FAA to grant such a waiver.

In short, I think you're trolling, and simply making all this up. Easy to help dispel that skepticism, simply tell us, in general, what you're doing near the airport at 400ft AGL that the FAA though important enough to grant the waiver.

I don't think he is trolling at all. Neither has he "refused" to share anything asked of him in this thread. In fact, everything about the OP's post gets a "thumbs up" from a majority of responsible flyers (as indicated by the 'like' count).

He indicated that; for the flight in question, he had authorization (its not a waiver), up to 200 feet. Later in the conversation he mentioned that there are grids that go up to 400 in controlled airspace. Thats true. Nothing suspect about that.

I have a site that I fly at regularly, that is under class C and have gotten authorization through LAANC for various altitudes. Most of those flights; I am flying under 107 rules but am not performing actual work. Nothing wrong with that is there?

So far all you've told us your purpose was was "flying around and having fun". The FAA does not grant waivers in Zero Grid locations to fly around and have fun.

Just to clear up any possible misconceptions; drones are no different than manned aviation - BOTH have to get authorization to fly in controlled airspace and this includes zero grids in the LAANC system used for UAV's. But that permission is not a waiver.

Also, In the process to get permission to fly in a zero grid; when one goes through the FAA Drone Zone rather than an app like Aloft/Kittyhawk or what have you - at no point does the FAA require to know WHY you are doing the flight. Rather they will ask for a "Description of Proposed Operations" in which you are asked to provide any details that will ensure to the FAA, that you intend to operate a safe flight. Whether it is for fun, practice or actual work is irrelevant.

"Real Pilots" (pun intended), fly into congested and controlled airspace all the time, whether for fun, practice, or just to see if they can, and we mere drone pilots can do the same. ;)
 
I was legally flying in zero grid in Class B last night and a 'real pilot' (sort of) confronted me.

Him: Hey, you realize this is Bravo right? (I was up shooting at this point)
Me: I do, I'm working right now but I can chat in a minute when I land my aircraft
Him: You're not allowed to fly in Bravo Speed Test
Me: (who was wearing my 107 card clipped to my safety vest) Are you law enforcement?
Him No I'm a real pilot, you're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (still watching my aircraft) My name's ______ what's yours?
Him: Mark
Me: Hi Mark I am a real pilot too and this is my FAA part 107 license (points at vest) I am authorized to 200' AGL this evening at this location, and I've notified Metro in advance of this mission too. They're watching me on the Fusion Watch system right now.
Him: You guys can DO that?
Me: Those of us who follow the rules can, we're allowed to share this airspace up to 400' AGL.
Him: Oh, I didn't know that, huh, way cool, can I see what you're getting?
Me: Sure, here's the shot I'm taking right now. (shows him RC screen)
Him: Holy s**t that's badass! Man I so need to get me one of these things!

I then landed and we talked the usual stock questions for a few minutes. Mark turned out to be a great guy.
I handed him my business card and he went on his way.

Kindness counts.
Sounds like your interaction turned out good for you both.
Fly Safe!
 
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I was legally flying in zero grid in Class B last night and a 'real pilot' (sort of) confronted me.

Him: Hey, you realize this is Bravo right? (I was up shooting at this point)
Me: I do, I'm working right now but I can chat in a minute when I land my aircraft
Him: You're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (who was wearing my 107 card clipped to my safety vest) Are you law enforcement?
Him No I'm a real pilot, you're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (still watching my aircraft) My name's ______ what's yours?
Him: Mark
Me: Hi Mark I am a real pilot too and this is my FAA part 107 license (points at vest) I am authorized to 200' AGL this evening at this location, and I've notified Metro in advance of this mission too. They're watching me on the Fusion Watch system right now.
Him: You guys can DO that?
Me: Those of us who follow the rules can, we're allowed to share this airspace up to 400' AGL.
Him: Oh, I didn't know that, huh, way cool, can I see what you're getting?
Me: Sure, here's the shot I'm taking right now. (shows him RC screen)
Him: Holy s**t that's badass! Man I so need to get me one of these things!

I then landed and we talked the usual stock questions for a few minutes. Mark turned out to be a great guy.
I handed him my business card and he went on his way.

Kindness counts.
It’s too bad he started out as a Karen, but you handled it well. Its sad that ignorance is standard and it takes lots of patience to educate those folks. Outstanding on your part, thanks for sharing. This story alone should be retold many times to forge that path to progress!
 
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I was legally flying in zero grid in Class B last night and a 'real pilot' (sort of) confronted me.

Him: Hey, you realize this is Bravo right? (I was up shooting at this point)
Me: I do, I'm working right now but I can chat in a minute when I land my aircraft
Him: You're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (who was wearing my 107 card clipped to my safety vest) Are you law enforcement?
Him No I'm a real pilot, you're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (still watching my aircraft) My name's ______ what's yours?
Him: Mark
Me: Hi Mark I am a real pilot too and this is my FAA part 107 license (points at vest) I am authorized to 200' AGL this evening at this location, and I've notified Metro in advance of this mission too. They're watching me on the Fusion Watch system right now.
Him: You guys can DO that?
Me: Those of us who follow the rules can, we're allowed to share this airspace up to 400' AGL.
Him: Oh, I didn't know that, huh, way cool, can I see what you're getting?
Me: Sure, here's the shot I'm taking right now. (shows him RC screen)
Him: Holy s**t that's badass! Man I so need to get me one of these things!

I then landed and we talked the usual stock questions for a few minutes. Mark turned out to be a great guy.
I handed him my business card and he went on his way.

Kindness counts.
Well done. Perfectly handled. And you converted one for the rest of us! Jeff/Annapolis
 
Right? "Oh, you fly around nimbus clouds? That's great. I have to deal with Karen"
Believe me, those of us that fly in the aircraft, not just remotely, also have to deal with the Karens. Late to show, packed the kitchen sink and the storage shed for a 3-day trip, flight was bumpy, it’s raining where we’re going??? You name it. I don’t know which is worse; the ones who come out and bark at you, or the ones that you’re stuck with for a few hours in the plane. 🤪
 
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I was legally flying in zero grid in Class B last night and a 'real pilot' (sort of) confronted me.

Him: Hey, you realize this is Bravo right? (I was up shooting at this point)
Me: I do, I'm working right now but I can chat in a minute when I land my aircraft
Him: You're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (who was wearing my 107 card clipped to my safety vest) Are you law enforcement?
Him No I'm a real pilot, you're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (still watching my aircraft) My name's ______ what's yours?
Him: Mark
Me: Hi Mark I am a real pilot too and this is my FAA part 107 license (points at vest) I am authorized to 200' AGL this evening at this location, and I've notified Metro in advance of this mission too. They're watching me on the Fusion Watch system right now.
Him: You guys can DO that?
Me: Those of us who follow the rules can, we're allowed to share this airspace up to 400' AGL.
Him: Oh, I didn't know that, huh, way cool, can I see what you're getting?
Me: Sure, here's the shot I'm taking right now. (shows him RC screen)
Him: Holy s**t that's badass! Man I so need to get me one of these things!

I then landed and we talked the usual stock questions for a few minutes. Mark turned out to be a great guy.
I handed him my business card and he went on his way.

Kindness counts.
I do the same. You catch more flies with honey. I never understood the UAV pilot push back on the curious. Generally, the dork vest makes me look official enough that nobody bothers me. But occasionally the "invisibility cloak" doesn't work and someone WILL approach me. I'm always friendly and always happy to answer all their questions and educate them on how managed air space works.

D
 
I do the same. You catch more flies with honey. I never understood the UAV pilot push back on the curious. Generally, the dork vest makes me look official enough that nobody bothers me.
I thought that might be you the other day. However I don't think "looking official" is what's keeping people from bothering you...

9410688.jpg


😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
 
Kudos to you for keeping your cool and responding in a very professional manner. You really won him over.
Congratulations.
 
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A great example of how flying legally (and being able to prove it by carrying your license and registration) can make a huge difference when you are approached by others.
Your conversation with him could have easily gone very different had you been breaking the law.
Here in Canada, you MUST be able to produce the following items on demand to fly legally (above 250G category):
1. Your Pilot's license.
2. Your Registration certificate for the Aircraft along with the Registration number on the Aircraft.
3. The Manufacturer's operation manual for the Aircraft (in electronic or printed form).
4. Flight Logs.
5. Completed preflight checklist.
I have never been questioned by enforcement officers, but the odd bystander will ask if I'm licensed to fly and I happily show them my license.
Are you/we expected/required to show proof to bystanders? If a citizen walked up to me as I was getting in my car and asked for my driver's license, I think I'd have to decline.
 
We're the Rodney Dangerfield of pilots. I was talking to a fellow photojournalist and she says it's "pretentious" when I call myself a "pilot." When I pointed out I really am (107) she said "I know, but it's still pretentious." Lol.
 
I was legally flying in zero grid in Class B last night and a 'real pilot' (sort of) confronted me.

Him: Hey, you realize this is Bravo right? (I was up shooting at this point)
Me: I do, I'm working right now but I can chat in a minute when I land my aircraft
Him: You're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (who was wearing my 107 card clipped to my safety vest) Are you law enforcement?
Him No I'm a real pilot, you're not allowed to fly in Bravo
Me: (still watching my aircraft) My name's ______ what's yours?
Him: Mark
Me: Hi Mark I am a real pilot too and this is my FAA part 107 license (points at vest) I am authorized to 200' AGL this evening at this location, and I've notified Metro in advance of this mission too. They're watching me on the Fusion Watch system right now.
Him: You guys can DO that?
Me: Those of us who follow the rules can, we're allowed to share this airspace up to 400' AGL.
Him: Oh, I didn't know that, huh, way cool, can I see what you're getting?
Me: Sure, here's the shot I'm taking right now. (shows him RC screen)
Him: Holy s**t that's badass! Man I so need to get me one of these things!

I then landed and we talked the usual stock questions for a few minutes. Mark turned out to be a great guy.
I handed him my business card and he went on his way.

Kindness counts.
That's an impressive way to diffuse such a situation! An uplifting story and a lesson to be learned. Maintaining a cool head can't be overstated.
 
There is always a more "real" pilot. If you haven't read the SR71 groundspeed story yet then you're in for a chuckle.

😄😄😄
.....
I bet I've heard that over 100X and I still listen to it every-single-time I see a link to it (just did again LOL).
 
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I don't know about the one thousand eight hundred part, but my Mavic Air 2 hit forty-two a couple of times...
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is, to date, the fastest airplane ever to streak across the sky, even though it's more than 30 years old. Capable of speeds over 2200 miles per hour—that's more than three times the speed of sound—the SR-71 can fly at altitudes above 80,000 feet.
 
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The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is, to date, the fastest airplane ever to streak across the sky, even though it's more than 30 years old. Capable of speeds over 2200 miles per hour—that's more than three times the speed of sound—the SR-71 can fly at altitudes above 80,000 feet.
....which is why it is retired and we still use the U-2. ;)
 
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