Who Regularly Checks NOTAMS?

[2nckayakers]

As I have stated in other posts, I live within 5 miles of a small non-towered regional airport. The airspace around where I live is Class E down to 700 agl and then below that I am in Class G. I have an agreement with the airport manager and I just email her every time I am going to fly. Usually I do a basic flight plan and I will cover multiple days. Since I am in Class G even though I am within 5 miles she really doesn't care as long as I am staying under 400 agl.

I regularly check NOTAMS at the airport as we are relatively close to two large military facilities that both have airfields and a lot of military traffic both fixed wing and rotary wing use our small regional airport for training. We also get a lot of TFR notices too as sometimes we get a lot of big wigs from DC or the Pentagon coming into the bases. So it is always good to check, and since my airport manager knows I do this it makes her more comfortable with me flying in the vicinity of her facility.

This past weekend as I was getting ready to send in my plan to the manager I checked the NOTAMS for the airport and the Army is there all this week with a temporary control tower and the airspace has switched over to Class D with an outer ring of 5 miles and down to SFC. So when I emailed my airport manager this week I asked her about who to notify this week in case I was planning on flying within the Class D. She basically told me I should stay below the trees this week or not fly at all. I didn't relay anything to her about how I really felt about that as I want to keep our relationship in good standing, but I wasn't real happy to say the least. But, after seeing all the Helo traffic last night and all at around 200 to 300 agl coming right over the house, I think I will just stay grounded for the week.

It got me to wondering though as to how many of you in the group here actually look at NOTAMS for the areas in which you are going to fly.

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

There's a guy in my flying group (also forum member) who regularly checks NOTAMS and actually carries a scanner with him.

 

[2nckayakers]

I have a scanner but have never used it to listen to aircraft until last night when the temporary Class D went into effect and I decided to just listen in to see what was flying during the training.

 

[ascension]

I don't.
Not a chance a NOTAM would be relevant to me.
Same as weather. With a short battery life, I don't need to check weather to operate the thing.

 

[wayy510]

I do! I also consult with NORAD and the President of the United States.

Jeez man, get a grip. I don't know if you know yet but you're flying a commercial toy drone; not a Predator or Reaper.

 

[2nckayakers]

I do! I also consult with NORAD and the President of the United States.

Jeez man, get a grip. I don't know if you know yet but you're flying a commercial toy drone; not a Predator or Reaper.

And this is the reason we are going to get regulated right out of our hobby because you don't take what you are doing seriously. Look I have no illusions of grandeur about what I am flying. BUT, even though I have 23 acres of land to fly over, that is very small patch of nothing compared with the very complicated airspace around my house. I have 2 Class D airports within 15 miles. I have a Regional Jetport within 4 miles and my house is directly in line with the approach to one of the runways. I have two small private airports, a ultra light field, and two hospital helipads all within 10 miles of the house. On a daily basis I have UH- 60s and AH-64s flying into that Regional airport on training missions and they regularly fly below 400 feet.

Pardon me if I check everything, notify everyone I am supposed to notify, and do everything else that I can to be as safe as possible when I fly! That "commercial toy drone" that you and I both fly around comes with a little responsibility as it can do a lot of damage really quickly if you aren't paying attention, if you get complacent or you just don't give a $H1T about the rules you are supposed to follow. I am NOT going to be the one that shows up on the evening news giving our hobby a bad name because I had the mentality that I was just playing with a TOY.

Now does that mean I don't skirt the rules sometimes, or go a little outside the envelope, or right out push back against the rules sometimes? Absolutely I do! I would be lying if I said I always followed every single rule to the letter. BUT I do have situational awareness when doing it. I do prepare ahead of time and use every tool available to help me decide how far outside the limits I am comfortable with going and if I can do it safely. I don't just flip a few switches, throw on some FPV goggles and fly off into the wild blue yonder without looking at what is going on around me.

SO jeez man, when the local Sheriff, FAA, or someone from NORAD comes pounding on your door, or the President of the United States signs some bill into law that takes away your ability to have fun flying your "TOY" don't come out here onto this forum whining, crying and being sarcastic.

Here endith the rant!

 

[wayy510]

And this is the reason we are going to get regulated right out of our hobby because you don't take what you are doing seriously. Look I have no illusions of grandeur about what I am flying. BUT, even though I have 23 acres of land to fly over, that is very small patch of nothing compared with the very complicated airspace around my house. I have 2 Class D airports within 15 miles. I have a Regional Jetport within 4 miles and my house is directly in line with the approach to one of the runways. I have two small private airports, a ultra light field, and two hospital helipads all within 10 miles of the house. On a daily basis I have UH- 60s and AH-64s flying into that Regional airport on training missions and they regularly fly below 400 feet.

Pardon me if I check everything, notify everyone I am supposed to notify, and do everything else that I can to be as safe as possible when I fly! That "commercial toy drone" that you and I both fly around comes with a little responsibility as it can do a lot of damage really quickly if you aren't paying attention, if you get complacent or you just don't give a $H1T about the rules you are supposed to follow. I am NOT going to be the one that shows up on the evening news giving our hobby a bad name because I had the mentality that I was just playing with a TOY.

Now does that mean I don't skirt the rules sometimes, or go a little outside the envelope, or right out push back against the rules sometimes? Absolutely I do! I would be lying if I said I always followed every single rule to the letter. BUT I do have situational awareness when doing it. I do prepare ahead of time and use every tool available to help me decide how far outside the limits I am comfortable with going and if I can do it safely. I don't just flip a few switches, throw on some FPV goggles and fly off into the wild blue yonder without looking at what is going on around me.

SO jeez man, when the local Sheriff, FAA, or someone from NORAD comes pounding on your door, or the President of the United States signs some bill into law that takes away your ability to have fun flying your "TOY" don't come out here onto this forum whining, crying and being sarcastic.

Here endith the rant!

If you follow all the rules your you claim you do in your pious and delusional response to a joke then you shouldn't have to check something as overboard as NOTAMS.

But you're probably just like everyone other curious Human and want to try the full capabilities or your hardware.

Also if my local Sheriff or NORAD come pounding on my door about my 2lbs drone, I would seriously consider their ability to perform their jobs as they should be focused on much more important things.

It's your ridiculous approach and overboard paranoia about your toy drone that places far too much emphasis and knee jerk attention to drones. Oh my God a drone!!!! It is soooo dangerous.

Believe me, the people that want to ban your toy are just as over reactive as you. The majority could care less about where you're flying, they fear drones do to irrational concerns or privacy and people fear mongering.

I think you're really blowing it out of proportion.

 

[ascension]

And this is the reason we are going to get regulated right out of our hobby because you don't take what you are doing seriously.

No it isn't .
Your sanctimonious monologue notwithstanding, checking NOTAMS isn't going to have an effect, nor is checking weather.
If you don't know enough about short term, make that extremely short term weather, no METAR of TAF is going to save you.
Manipulating these things too close to airplanes, or interfering with ongoing situations like fires or police actions, or irritating people by flying too close to them or their property is what is going to do that.

I'm happy you do what you do, but an understanding of airspace and what manned airplanes are doing is far more important.
Each situation is different, but in mine, after reading NOTAMS for over 40 years, I don't check them for my situation.

 

[2nckayakers]

If you follow all the rules your you claim you do in your pious and delusional response to a joke then you shouldn't have to check something as overboard as NOTAMS.

But you're probably just like everyone other curious Human and want to try the full capabilities or your hardware.

Also if my local Sheriff or NORAD come pounding on my door about my 2lbs drone, I would seriously consider their ability to perform their jobs as they should be focused on much more important things.

It's your ridiculous approach and overboard paranoia about your toy drone that places far too much emphasis and knee jerk attention to drones. Oh my God a drone!!!! It is soooo dangerous.

Believe me, the people that want to ban your toy are just as over reactive as you. The majority could care less about where you're flying, they fear drones do to irrational concerns or privacy and people fear mongering.

I think you're really blowing it out of proportion.

There is a difference between sarcasm and a joke.

No it isn't .
Your sanctimonious monologue notwithstanding, checking NOTAMS isn't going to have an effect, nor is checking weather.
If you don't know enough about short term, make that extremely short term weather, no METAR of TAF is going to save you.
Manipulating these things too close to airplanes, or interfering with ongoing situations like fires or police actions, or irritating people by flying too close to them or their property is what is going to do that.

I'm happy you do what you do, but an understanding of airspace and what manned airplanes are doing is far more important.
Each situation is different, but in mine, after reading NOTAMS for over 40 years, I don't check them for my situation.

And there is where I think you made an assumption that I didn't have an understanding of airspace or what manned airplanes are doing, how short term weather works. I don't know what NOTAMS are just because I read it in a book or saw it mentioned somewhere I too have been reading NOTAMS for a very long time. I started flying at a really young age, sat for my first FAA exam when I was 15 and even though I never went on to obtain my airman's certificate (mainly because of costs), I still love flying and know more about it than the average dronie. For the average person flying a drone I do agree, checking NOTAMS would serve no purpose at all. My situation it makes a huge difference in who and how I have to make required notification of a flight which must be made regardless of whether I fly under part 101 or part 107. Going from an un controlled non towered airport, to a towered airport with Class D airspace down to the surface which includes where I fly, is a huge deal for me. I was just relaying my situation and asking if anyone else ever checked the dang things. I NEVER anywhere said or implied that everyone should be checking them, I just asked if anyone else did and was curious about their situations as to whey they did.

Maybe it is just time I move on from this forum like others have suggested they were doing since all it seems lately is everyone wants to argue about something or criticize. I was just bringing up something different to talk about and asking a question other than the ever present "I am a newbie and why did my drone fly away?"

 

[ascension]

There is a difference between sarcasm and a joke.


And there is where I think you made an assumption that I didn't have an understanding of airspace or what manned airplanes are doing, how short term weather works. I don't know what NOTAMS are just because I read it in a book or saw it mentioned somewhere I too have been reading NOTAMS for a very long time. I started flying at a really young age, sat for my first FAA exam when I was 15 and even though I never went on to obtain my airman's certificate (mainly because of costs), I still love flying and know more about it than the average dronie. For the average person flying a drone I do agree, checking NOTAMS would serve no purpose at all. My situation it makes a huge difference in who and how I have to make required notification of a flight which must be made regardless of whether I fly under part 101 or part 107. Going from an un controlled non towered airport, to a towered airport with Class D airspace down to the surface which includes where I fly, is a huge deal for me. I was just relaying my situation and asking if anyone else ever checked the dang things. I NEVER anywhere said or implied that everyone should be checking them, I just asked if anyone else did and was curious about their situations as to whey they did.

Maybe it is just time I move on from this forum like others have suggested they were doing since all it seems lately is everyone wants to argue about something or criticize. I was just bringing up something different to talk about and asking a question other than the ever present "I am a newbie and why did my drone fly away?"

I make no assumptions.
Providing required notifications or understanding what class of airspace one is operating is has nothing to do with this subject.
Red herrings.
By the way, what FAA test did you take at 15?

 

[danman999]

I do! I also consult with NORAD and the President of the United States.

Jeez man, get a grip. I don't know if you know yet but you're flying a commercial toy drone; not a Predator or Reaper.

People like you are condescending, snobby jerks.
Hate to break it to you, but you are just another hobbyist who thinks a $1,000 toy makes them an expert aviator.
You would not last past the first stage check of a real flight school. Thank God for that.

 

[2nckayakers]

I make no assumptions.
Providing required notifications or understanding what class of airspace one is operating is has nothing to do with this subject.
Red herrings.
By the way, what FAA test did you take at 15?

35 years ago it was regarded as the FAA Ground School test now I think the just refer to it as the FFA PPL.

 

[shane05]

It depends on what I'm doing but I do regularly check them. If I'm flying under part 107 I always check. Awareness is never a bad thing even if the chances of a NOTAM affecting my plans are slim.

That said, most people in this group probably had to Google NOTAM. I do believe that hobby flying of UASs is going to look much different in the coming years. The fact that these aircraft are capable of autonomous flight, ranges well beyond VLOS coupled with such simplicity to fly thanks to GPS, optical and ultrasonic sensors, etc. and low prices means any idiot can walk into Best Buy with a credit card and walk out with a new toy that could very realistically bring a manned aircraft down. Many conversations in this group and other similar groups clearly show that until it actually happens, most users are going to assume that it can't. This is a community that, by the nature of its makeup, is simply incapable of self-policing. That is why we will eventually see much stricter regulations to try to bring it under control. Right now we're living in the wild west... but I digress... In answer to your question, I do

 

[2nckayakers]

I do believe that hobby flying of UASs is going to look much different in the coming years. The fact that these aircraft are capable of autonomous flight, ranges well beyond VLOS coupled with such simplicity to fly thanks to GPS, optical and ultrasonic sensors, etc. and low prices means any idiot can walk into Best Buy with a credit card and walk out with a new toy that could very realistically bring a manned aircraft down.

I think even the commercial / government world is going to look very different too in the coming years. Just 3 years ago I bought a UX5 for one of my agencies to do some aerial surveying. At $50,000 plus and the fact that you had to apply for a COA just to get it off the ground, it was not very appealing to all of the agencies I deal with that do that kind of work. NOW, with 107 and the things you can do in software, I bought 6 Inspires for 5 different agencies last year and now I even have some agencies talking about using Mavics to carry out missions. Which is one of the things, among many others, that led me to buy my own Mavic. I needed to do "product research".

 

[wayy510]

People like you are condescending, snobby jerks.
Hate to break it to you, but you are just another hobbyist who thinks a $1,000 toy makes them an expert aviator.
You would not last past the first stage check of a real flight school. Thank God for that.

Huh? I don't recall inferring I was an "expert aviator" nor did I mention anything snobby.

Ironically, I was making fun of a guy who flies a $1000 drone who thinks he's an aviator or pilot.

My point and opinion was that people place far too much emphasis on flying a commercial toy drone. They are not pilots, don't need to consult NOTAMS, and certainly don't need a 75 point checklist prior to flight.

Don't take yourself so seriously; it's a toy drone and it's not that important no matter how much you think it is. People like that is what jeopardizes the "hobby" because they make it so serious and it starts to become so serious. Trust me, it's not.

People should have a much more relaxed attitude towards commercial drones. They are fun little toys for the most part. Not serious flying machines controlled by serious pilots.

Contrary to people on this board, little 2lb. Mavic drones aren't dangerous to crowds, downing airliners, terrorizing the unsuspecting public, eating babies, causing Governments to fall, or any real danger to anyone or anything.

Do you "pilots" conduct a 75 point checklist before you drive your vehicle for the day? Do you consult DOT every time you drive to work? Do you call yourself a NASCAR driver because you have an expensive and fast car?

 

[2nckayakers]

I was making fun of a guy who flies a $1000 drone who thinks he's an aviator or pilot.

No you decided to be sarcastic because you "thought" I was referring to myself myself as a pilot or aviator. I never in any way tried to imply that I was an Aviator. Yes I most likely know more about airspace than you. Yes I had formal aviation training. Yes I have flown a plane before. Yes I went to an accredited FAA ground school and took and passed the written Private Pilot test. Many people have done that just like I have and never went all the way through and got our PPL. Sometimes our paths in life change and what is important to us changes and we don't finish everything we start.

If you are or you ever intend to use your $1000 "toy* to do any thing other than just buzz around your neighborhood and try to look cool to the have nots, then yes you are flying a toy and no you don't have to take things too seriously and NO you are not a pilot you are just a guy playing with an expensive toy.

But, for those of us who already are doing commercial work, or flying for the government, or have the intentions and are on the path to doing one or both then this is not a toy, it is serious, and whether you think we are or not, we are Remote Pilots. That fact doesn't change regardless of whether I am flying a $50,000 UX5, a $6,000 Inspire or a $1,000 Mavic or a $400 Phantom 3. Airspace, NOTAMS, Weather, Safety, Check Lists, Rules Regulations, and Laws very much make a difference and are something that can and does affect what we do.

So go back to playing with your toy.

 

[CornerGuy]

I always check NOTAMS if I plan to fly higher then 200' AGL, below that not so much.

 

[wayy510]

No you decided to be sarcastic because you "thought" I was referring to myself myself as a pilot or aviator. I never in any way tried to imply that I was an Aviator. Yes I most likely know more about airspace than you. Yes I had formal aviation training. Yes I have flown a plane before. Yes I went to an accredited FAA ground school and took and passed the written Private Pilot test. Many people have done that just like I have and never went all the way through and got our PPL. Sometimes our paths in life change and what is important to us changes and we don't finish everything we start.

If you are or you ever intend to use your $1000 "toy* to do any thing other than just buzz around your neighborhood and try to look cool to the have nots, then yes you are flying a toy and no you don't have to take things too seriously and NO you are not a pilot you are just a guy playing with an expensive toy.

But, for those of us who already are doing commercial work, or flying for the government, or have the intentions and are on the path to doing one or both then this is not a toy, it is serious, and whether you think we are or not, we are Remote Pilots. That fact doesn't change regardless of whether I am flying a $50,000 UX5, a $6,000 Inspire or a $1,000 Mavic or a $400 Phantom 3. Airspace, NOTAMS, Weather, Safety, Check Lists, Rules Regulations, and Laws very much make a difference and are something that can and does affect what we do.

So go back to playing with your toy.

Great delusional logic. Since I don't refer to myself as a "pilot" I'm just a guy flying my toy around to show off to the have nots. Yes, everyone is super impressed I have own a Mavic.

Keep flying Chuck Yeager! I'm sure you're just as accomplished as Colonel John Glenn and you'll be the first one NASA calls for a manned mission to Mars...don't forget to check NOTAMS first. Have a great flight Pilot.

 

[The Raven]

There's a guy in my flying group (also forum member) who regularly checks NOTAMS and actually carries a scanner with him.

I bet that guy is a volunteer fireman and has blue lights on his 10-year-old Crown Vic, doesn’t he?

 

[Obi~wan]

If you keep the thing below 200 ft and you keep it in LOS You should never have a problem besides a rouge bird. Any higher or out of your sight is reckless. These things are really just expensive flying cameras, Not aircraft that need all the rights of a manned flight. Jeez. Go take some flying lessons and I'm sure you will look at the whole thing differently. Fly out of your local airport in a small plane s few times and I bet you never want to fly a drone near an airport again.