We took our spark up for it’s very first flight today. We live in between Newark and Morris town airport in a town called South Orange. We are outside the 5 mile limit for either airport but got warnings for “class B airspace”. Looking at the inverted wedding cake diagrams that should start at 4000 feet. We took our spark up to 250 feet. As we are flying around a Gulfstream twin engine-flying preposterously low-came over our town. Low enough to scare birds that were flying above us! I don’t know what that pilot was doing he was miles from Teterboro-where private airplanes like that land. We were well below the 400 limit-have our drone FAA registered. Still it was a scary moment as we realized that pilots don’t always follow the rules either? Go easy on me-this was literally our first flight-what’s the rules here?
Class B Airspace
- Thread starter Matthew Peyton
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Note, that if you are flying for hobby/recreation, then the "inverted wedding cake" doesn't apply to you.
If you are within 5 miles of any airport (not just controlled ones), you must notify the airport or tower. If you are beyond 5 miles, then you would be fine.But as noted above, you must ALWAYS see and avoid all manned air traffic (even if they are not following the rules).
If you are in Class B airspace, then you must receive authorization from the tower.
Airspace Restrictions
Having said that, it does appear that South Orange is beyond the 5 mile radius for both Newark and Teterboro. At your location, the Class B shelf for Newark appears to start above 500 feet MSL at your location. So be aware of that. The shelf between that and Morristown's Class D airspace (which starts at the surface) starts at 1800 feet MSL. I don't see any shelves that start at 4000 feet.
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This is a terrific video. I’m going to use it to study for my 107. It’s very nice of Tony to offer all this for free… Awesome.
Hey there. Thank you so much for replying. I’m not yet an expert on reading these charts. It was my understanding that the inverted wedding cake apply to everyone? Correct me and tell me where to look as I am studying for the 107. So the reason I felt I was in class B was because DJ go 5 alerted me to that. We were never higher than 251 feet, and we are *for sure* outside the 5 mile limit for Newark International. I’m going to assume that plane that flew by was higher than 500 feet-That would’ve been his floor correct? So there are some things your post has sent me running to find out… As a recreational flyer I assume the wedding cake applies to me too?
This is what applies to hobby/recreation flights. I posted the link above, but I will post again for clarity.
Airspace Restrictions
Airports
Recreational operators are required to give notice for flights within five miles of an airport to both the airport operator and air traffic control tower, if the airport has a tower. However, recreational operations are not permitted in Class B airspace around most major airports without specific air traffic permission and coordination.
Also, see this link.
Fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft
Saw the link above. Saw it also here. Understand my confusion… I am outside 5 miles by several miles and yet the DJI app is sending me warnings that I’m “class B airspace” even though I am under 0500 feet. My guess is that it will send me that warning anytime I am within the inverted cake space even f I have not reached the altitude to be in class B airspace. Technically then I’d be in class G airspace. Also for my reading on the link and studying today, I would need to notify the tower-which is done now through the FAA and takes 90 days! Honestly the last thing I wanna do is fly my spark into a jet engine and appear on the nightly news.
So I’m not sure why the DJI app is so “cautious” The alerts starting at 5 feet up but it would be helpful if I could turn the alerts off. Anyhow we’re in a snowstorm here so no flying today!
Once again thanks for the links.
Yes, you are getting the Class B warnings because you are under the outer Class B shelf from Newark. It's just a caution, otherwise you wouldn't be able to take off at all. At the ground level there, you are in Class G airspace. It's only when you would actually enter Class B controlled airspace (500 MSL at that location) that you would need to have permission from the tower. Note that as a hobby/recreation flight, you would contact the tower directly in that instance. Note also, that they likely would not give you authorization.
As to the "90 days", note that those waivers and authorizations only pertain to Part 107. Part 101 cannot get those waivers or authorizations. But yes, THOSE all go through the FAA via the website currently. However, the FAA is rolling out the LAANC which will provide real-time authorizations via approved apps.
FAA UAS Data Exchange
It’s Official: Nationwide Expansion of LAANC to 500 More Airports Begins Next Month - AirMap
Note that yes, the DJI app is being overly cautious but my thought is that they are trying to be preemptive.
It’s all a fantastic learning experience! Many many thanks for your help. Looks like we have reached consensus. Our first flight was a success I think we did not crash into anything. We now to take a shot of my sons school from the air. Or only transgression was at 255 feet a3 of a mile out-there’s no way I can see this thing with the naked eye. We sure could hear it coming back though… Tomorrow I will bring binoculars.
FLYBOYJ
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I grew up on Staten Island and know this area well, my sister is up in Ringwood. With regards to the Gulfstream mentioned in the first post - be advised that the pilot was either flying and instrument procedure and descended to his Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA, totally legal) or he was receiving vectors from Teterbourogh and instructed to fly that low. In any event I doubt a corporate pilot flying a 30 million dollar "GV" over the NY/ NJ metro area would be purposely flying at an illegal altitude.
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