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Regional Airport denied request to fly

An interesting point to add here. Most of us have operated under the assumption that the airports nearby (not Class B, C, D or surface E) only have to be notified and that they cannot deny permission. However, I was reading the FAA guidance documents that accompany Part 107 and in there the FAA says that if a regional or private airport said you shouldn't fly when you contact them that they (FAA) would consider it a violation if you were to fly. They argue that the law prevents interfering with air traffic and if you fly when any of these people say no, then you are interfering with air traffic.

I'm sure many would object to this interpretation of the law but until it is litigated somewhere, this is apparently the tact that FAA will take.


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You don't ask for permission. You notify and must monitor communication on CTAF like any other pilot.
 
You don't ask for permission. You notify and must monitor communication on CTAF like any other pilot.

You have no requirement to monitor CTAF. You CAN, and it might not be a bad idea, but it's not required.

The FAA's position is that flying near an airport when your notification has been met with an objection constitutes endangering the safety of the NAS.

https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/model_aircraft_spec_rule.pdf

Finally, the statute sets a requirement for model aircraft operating within 5 miles
of an airport to notify the airport operator and control tower, where applicable, prior to
operating. If the model aircraft operator provides notice of forthcoming operations
which are then not authorized by air traffic or objected to by the airport operator, the
FAA expects the model aircraft operator will not conduct the proposed flights. 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.​
 
I took flight training for a year and I can tell you that 90% of the airports in the US are what are called pilot controlled... and have no tower, thus calling them is a complete waste of time. You end up talking to the guy who fuels the plane and takes hangar rent. Its not like they are going to put out an APB to those taking off and landing to watch for a drone 3 miles away at 400'. You never get to 400' until you are within about a half mile of the airport in a pattern or heading directly in for an instrument approach. To conform, I notified my airport by leaving a message that I will be flying my drone about 3 miles away at different times of the day and early evening , for the next year. Guess what.. no call back !

Most glideslopes and traffic pattern finals are based on 300 ft/mile, so 400 ft at a half mile is incorrect
 
Good guide... If all pilots would follow but, sadly they do not. I live within an authorization zone of a local MAP. Sadly enough that I see that 300 ft/mile reduced to 300 ft/3 mile. Nevertheless, I have communicated with the airport well enough, plus I am an FCC license HAM operator. I keep my radio tuned to the airport, keep the airport informed of my flight schedules and use the GEO system for my Mavic. However, when flying my Phantom or racing drone isn't quite as formal but, just as cautious. Also, I am a member of the Emergency Preparedness Organizations including; ARES, CERT, RACES and FEMA.
 
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Just ordered my Mavic from best buy today. I decided to finally reach out to my small, single runway regional airport to make sure they wouldn't have an issue with me flying. I am roughly 2 1/2 miles away, parallel to the runway.
Checked their website and the phone number listed was outdated.
Used the AirMap application and found a working number.

I called and politely started the speech about how I was requesting to fly a UAV in my neighborhood under 300' AGL within line of site. Before I could get the sentence out he cut me off with a "nahhh ahh, I ain't taking liability for them drones." Since I am only required to notify them, can I still fly? I want to do the responsible thing but this guy just seems like he's got an issue with the hobby and isn't going to budge.

Don't know if its relevant, but the city owns the airport. The guy I spoke to was the airport manager. According to him, I could contact the state and request permission but he didn't specify who to contact.
Need much more information...what airport, what class airspace and what part FAR are you flying under...101 or 107. Being so close may not be an issue and you should take to air traffic control, not the airport manager for starters.
 
Page should be notified, as should the hospitals, but I can tell you that it would be highly unusual for anything going in and out of Page to be below 1000 feet over Cape Coral ( I fly out of Page and never went below 1000' AGL over Cape Coral, and as for Fort Myers Beach It is a thread the needle to stay out of the way of planes going into KRSW and above the ParaSailing boats operating off FMB. I am always at 1000' flying over there.

I'd be more worried about the cowboys flying in and out of Pine Shadows than FMY or RSW.

Punta Gorda is way outside of your area of concern too.

I was flying just north of Pine Shadows this weekend under part 107, I wish I knew how to attach pictures I'd post some of them.

I had someone ask me to do a flight over DelTura, which is right across 41 from Pine Shadows.... I told them they were insane for asking... you can count the rivets on a wing as planes on final to 94FL as they go over Deltura.


I know this is a dead horse but I didn't get the opportunity to beat it at least once so please don't holler at me to much I did read the entire thread along with every other I could find.


I live in Cape Coral Florida. Attached (if I figure out the attachment process) is my location on the map.


Thanks ahead of time.
df0616b8d7374aeafd38399a1e57f0a8.jpg



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I called the number you provided and talked to the same guy.
I asked him to point out any FAA reference that gives him the authority he had to deny your request.
His response was what I expected.
He has no authority.
He just doesn't want to be the name you point to if something happens. I think you have done what is required.

I should get into drone law, because dealing with these types of issues is going to get real busy until the FAA addresses these small airport, non official views of people who answer phones but have no authority.

What a bro. You da real MVP.
 
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