Problem Understanding the Kittyhawk Airmap

[Rmcolon]

I'm new using the LAANC system from Kittyhawk app. When I choose an area to fly I have this:


That means that I can fly or not. Also I don't see any authorization requirement. Help!

 

[pelagic_one]

Yes, you may fly there. If you click the word “more”, it will expand to describe the Leeward Air Ranch as a private aerodrome located 2.2 miles away. The spot you mapped in Kittyhawk is not airspace requiring authorization.

Have some great flights!

 

[Rmcolon]

Thanks!

 

[apeel]

This has always confused me as well. If you are trying to fly in the area with the gridlines, you would be able to seek authorization. If you are in an area without gridlines, and at least 5 miles from any airports (private or otherwise), it will give a GREEN 0 indicator, with a LET'S FLY indicator like the screenshot that I have attached. So this is clearly an area that does not require authorization.

However, it does not show a "Let's Fly' indication in the spot requested by the original poster, and it is not possible to get authorization. So are you sure pelagic_one that he is OK to fly there without any authorization? I hope you are correct as I often run into this scenario where there are small airports around, you get warning levels and no 'Let's Fly' induction and unable to request authorization.

 

[pelagic_one]

I see a location (like your spot) without advisories as the perfect condition to fly, primarily because there are no advisories within VLOS distance to concern the RPIC. This is not to say that one cannot fly unless there are perfect conditions or zero advisories in the vicinity.

The OP’s spot has advisories in the vicinity, so one will need to be cognizant of the direction one flies. One will also need to understand situational awareness. Since the nearby advisories warn of heliports at those relatively close locations (within VLOS), the RPIC has to have eyes and ears open, scanning from one sector of sky to another sector (not sweeping scans left and right). In other words, common sense means more here than at your spot.

This does not mean that it’s not okay to take off and fly from the OP’s spot. The way I see it...if no authorization is available - without TFRs - then authorization is not needed. But you can be sure that if I were flying in that area, any low-flying manned aircraft sound would have me descending quickly and hovering low and within LOS pretty quick. And if I hear a helicopter flying low a couple times within the span of a battery, I would pack up and head elsewhere or call it a day.

I always appreciate questions that make me think through my response a few times, so I appreciate your question, @apeel. I hope I provided a valid, acceptable response.

 

[apeel]

The way I see it...if no authorization is available - without TFRs - then authorization is not needed.

Thanks for the reply pelagic_one. I really hope that you are correct, but I still remain unsure. Here's why. If an area is not supported by LAANC, then I think you do need to request authorization if it is not a Class E space. So this would be a case that disagrees with your comment that I quoted above.

In the case being discussed, LAANC authorization is available near the larger airports in the area, but only where the grid-lines appears. Then there are warnings or advisories in the pin-point shown by the OP, and an 'All Clear .. Let's Fly' in my spot.

As I said .. I appreciate pelagic_one's comment and viewpoint, but I find I run into this scenario often (i.e. LAANC is available nearby, but the spot is outside LAANC gridlines (so cannot get authorization via Kittyhawk or Airmap), has a Level 1 or 2 advisory about an airfield or aerodrome within a 5-mile radius of where I want to fly, and does NOT have a 'Let's Fly!' message. I would hate to violate FAA rules, so does anyone know for certain if we are allowed to fly in such an area without any form of authorization as suggested by pelagic_one, and assuming we always stay VLOS and immediately give right-of-way to any nearby aircraft that may be seen?

 

[sgotuaco]

Good morning!!! I was wondering you guys ever encountered this issue. I’m just looking around this heavily controlled area and found a box that’s says, “Permissible altitude for authorization: 200 ft” but it’s not giving me the option to “Get Authorization” This isn’t the first place that I’ve come across it. Does anyone know why?

 

[apeel]

I have seen this happen before to me as well. I am not sure what the rules say, so anxiously await more experienced people's input. Your pin is sitting right between two light blue circles and as such the quadrant grid lines that you have is multi-colored (i.e a yellow line on top, green on right, red on bottom, grey on left). So I am not sure if you can get authorization, or whether you even need it? If you move your pin just a bit to the bottom-right so it still stays in the same quadrant on the map, but is just inside the blue circle, you will be given ability to get authorization (I just tested it). even though it is not exactly the take-off point you want, the park looks like it should be in VLOS so it should be fine. With that, it should be OK to fly over that park (unless the park has separate rules).