Sectional Chart Question- "For reasons of National Welfare Pilots Are Requested to Avoid Flights Below 2400 MSL"

[Sanuk828]

Hello All,
Has anyone seen a notice on a sectional chart similar to this? This is an area just south of Charlottesville, VA. I was hoping to fly my drone right around Batesville (on the map). I am Part 107 certified and the property on which I'd be flying is owned by the company I work for, so no issues there.

Common sense would dictate that I should avoid flying in this area but I just wanted to get some other opinions from more experienced pilots than myself. Is this really a "request" or more of a regulation? Thanks in advance.

 

[Kilrah]

I would vote it is for noise reasons, aka unapplicable for a Mavic.

 

[Kilrah]

"Pilots are requested" on charts...

Respect for a historical site in this case.

 

[Sanuk828]

"Pilots are requested" on charts...

Respect for a historical site in this case.

Thank you. So according to that forum, it sounds like this notice is out of respect for Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's plantation) which is over 20 miles away. Flying of a drone would probably be alright then?

 

[Kilrah]

IANAL, but would consider so.

 

[dhorvath]

I drove in that area and it looks like a bunch of long range antenna there.

 

[MS Coast]

Thank you. So according to that forum, it sounds like this notice is out of respect for Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's plantation) which is over 20 miles away. Flying of a drone would probably be alright then?

I got curious about this while having coffee and avoiding the news this morning. Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home) is in the area shown by the orange oval below. I don't see anything official saying that Monticello is the reason for the notice. Note that it's inside the Class E airspace for CHO.

A look at Google maps didn't turn up anything of significance in the area of the box with the notice, but I did see a marker for Trump Winery, inside the blue oval. (No, I'm not seriously suggesting that's the reason for the notice.)

There's a hawk migration route west of that area, toward Waynesboro and an observatory near Covesville to the southwest. But I can't find an obvious reason for the notice. It doesn't seem likely that Monticello is the reason.

This isn't Prohibited Airspace or even Restricted Airspace. It's not a National Security Area. B4YOUFLY shows no flight limitations. I'd be comfortable flying a drone there.

 

[Rich QR]

The people who make those charts are very familiar with words like "required" and "prohibited", and they will use them when appropriate. When they say "requested", I believe that's exactly what they mean.