Not always the drone operators who are wrong

[worldtraveller]

I try and fly by the rules and do the correct thing. In Switzerland I wanted to fly my drone about 4km from a heliport (Interlaken) so technically within the 5km zone. After telephoning the airport I was sent by email a form to complete. For some reason, the heliport wanted 24 hours notice of drone flights, even though an IFR flight plan for an aircraft can be submitted up to 30 minutes before a flight, but I completed the form and emailed the heliport ahead of my flight. Trying to follow their rules.....

The forms were completely ignored for the flights that I wanted to make (tried more than once) and it appears that the airport manager is anti drones. I finally managed to get a reply from the manager and his attitude is that he does not have to give permission for drone flying and he appears unwilling to give permission, even if there is no activity in the area.

My view is that the airspace should be shared. The heliport manager does not own the airspace, so when traffic conditions permit, then drone operators should be allowed to fly. But in this case, the heliport manager appears to have other ideas and keeps saying that he does not have to give permission for drone flights.

Due to the attitude of this manager then I am now pursuing the issue with the Swiss aviation authorities. Here is a case of a drone flyer trying to follow the rules only to be stopped by somebody who apparently dislikes drones. The crux of the matter is that the airspace should be shared, and when there is no safety conflict then drones should be allowed to operate. And in this case it concerns a heliport rather than an airport too.

It will be interesting to see what the Swiss aviation authorities say. Watch this space.



Jerry

 

[dronerdave]

The crux of the matter is that the airspace should be shared, and when there is no safety conflict then drones should be allowed to operate.

Not to argue one way or the other but I'd say it all depends on the current airspace rules you must fly under in that particular country.

 

[Mrmund]

I try and fly by the rules and do the correct thing. In Switzerland I wanted to fly my drone about 4km from a heliport (Interlaken) so technically within the 5km zone. After telephoning the airport I was sent by email a form to complete. For some reason, the heliport wanted 24 hours notice of drone flights, even though an IFR flight plan for an aircraft can be submitted up to 30 minutes before a flight, but I completed the form and emailed the heliport ahead of my flight. Trying to follow their rules.....

The forms were completely ignored for the flights that I wanted to make (tried more than once) and it appears that the airport manager is anti drones. I finally managed to get a reply from the manager and his attitude is that he does not have to give permission for drone flying and he appears unwilling to give permission, even if there is no activity in the area.

My view is that the airspace should be shared. The heliport manager does not own the airspace, so when traffic conditions permit, then drone operators should be allowed to fly. But in this case, the heliport manager appears to have other ideas and keeps saying that he does not have to give permission for drone flights.

Due to the attitude of this manager then I am now pursuing the issue with the Swiss aviation authorities. Here is a case of a drone flyer trying to follow the rules only to be stopped by somebody who apparently dislikes drones. The crux of the matter is that the airspace should be shared, and when there is no safety conflict then drones should be allowed to operate. And in this case it concerns a heliport rather than an airport too.

It will be interesting to see what the Swiss aviation authorities say. Watch this space.



Jerry

So...
What's happened?

 

[vindibona1]

It sure makes us in the US appreciate automated LAANC authorization.

 

[DoomMeister]

It sure makes us in the US appreciate automated LAANC authorization.

I’ll lay odds that the heliport in this case is in Class G airspace. I deal with a medical heliport in Class G. It really is not a problem to fly near it. Before the rule changes in 2018 it was always iffy because the number listed for the heliport was the information desk at the hospital. They didn’t even know who was in charge of the heliport. I even tried contacting the hospital director and he was anti-drone and felt nothing should fly around the area. Thankfully the new rules made it clear for us in the US and took control away from the morons at these sites.

The MediVac choppers are LOUD and you know when they are in the vicinity. They usually approach at about 500ft AGL until they are downwind of the pad then make a sloping descent to the ground.

If I am flying and hear one, I get to tree top level ASAP. Haven’t seen a chopper yet that flies through the trees.