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Small municipal airport told me I can't fly at all

Agreed you are informing them, not asking permission.
And that is what the McCarran tower told me as a hobbyist in Las Vegas - Class B Airspace.
"We cannot stop you as a hobbyist"

Now, more information if you could...is it a hub for crop dusters because that could be a problem.
Where is this town? Airport code??
Lets take a look at the layout.

Also, did you look up the airport's county/ municipal website and find the name of the manager?
Speak to them directly.
Sounds like it could have been any old jerk to me.

I have the same situation out here and the are much less strict out here.
My first instructions were "do not call unless you are within a mile.
A year later I checked up on those instructions and he told me he recovered a crashed drone on the taxiway.
Now I had to let him know within 3 miles.
And now after 3 years of notifying and working with them, I get to fly in our municipal park to capture the 4th of July Fireworks...0.2nautical miles from the airport!

Just breathe, meet them in person and be the professional.
 
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Agreed you are informing them, not asking permission.
And that is what the McCarran tower told me as a hobbyist in Las Vegas - Class B Airspace.
"We cannot stop you as a hobbyist"

Now, more information if you could...is it a hub for crop dusters because that could be a problem.
Where is this town? Airport code??
Lets take a look at the layout.

Also, did you look up the airport's county/ municipal website and find the name of the manager?
Speak to them directly.
Sounds like it could have been any old jerk to me.

I have the same situation out here and the are much less strict out here.
My first instructions were "do not call unless you are within a mile.
A year later I checked up on those instructions and he told me he recovered a crashed drone on the taxiway.
Now I had to let him know within 3 miles.
And now after 3 years of notifying and working with them, I get to fly in our municipal park to capture the 4th of July Fireworks...0.2nautical miles from the airport!

Just breathe, meet them in person and be the professional.

I'm in Brewton, Alabama. The airport code is 12J I believe. I'm all new to this so some veteran sage advice would really be helpful. Here is the Airnav info. AirNav: 12J - Brewton Municipal Airport

I believe the person I spoke to was the name listed under airport manager.
 
I'm in Brewton, Alabama. The airport code is 12J I believe. I'm all new to this so some veteran sage advice would really be helpful. Here is the Airnav info. AirNav: 12J - Brewton Municipal Airport

I believe the person I spoke to was the name listed under airport manager.

Ok, looks like my area except the military operations zone.
But that shouldn't have to do anything with it at all.

I am not sure how to turn the tables in your favor without going offensive.
Try a face to face meeting explaining the 5 miles covers the entire town and you would like to get some video/ stills of your town.
After kicking that around, if there is no resolve, "As a hobbyist under section 336, I am not asking your permission, I am informing you of small Unmanned Arial Vehicle (sUAV) activity in the area.".
If still no resolve, contact an FAA rep for help because it is your right to fly in that airspace as a hobbyist.
 
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Thank you for all your help Pmshop. It definitely gives me more confidence before going to talk to the manager.
 
Update: Great news! I tried calling them one more time before going up there. Got the same guy and we had the same spill. Though this time, armed with the knowledge I gathered from you guys here, I've been cleared to fly! He gave me the same lines as last time but this time I politely told him "As a hobbiest under Section 336 I'm only calling you to notify " He paused for a second and told me "Keep it under 500', have a good day." And hung up. Works for me!
 
Update: Great news! I tried calling them one more time before going up there. Got the same guy and we had the same spill. Though this time, armed with the knowledge I gathered from you guys here, I've been cleared to fly! He gave me the same lines as last time but this time I politely told him "As a hobbiest under Section 336 I'm only calling you to notify " He paused for a second and told me "Keep it under 500', have a good day." And hung up. Works for me!

OUTSTANDING!
But keep it under 400 feet that is the actual reg.
Glad I could help!
 
PS. Not something that may work everywhere but I am allowed to email my airport manager for notifications.
That way there is a "paper trail" of when I notified the airport.
See if he is game for that?
At a later time of course :D
 
The fact he gave you the wrong information regarding flight ceiling tells you everything you need to know, well done for standing your ground.
 
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You have NO need to call outside a 5 mile radius.

----------------

I have a suggestion (I'm a private pilot, AOPA member, and retired Air Traffic Controller).

Call AOPA

Airport Issues
800.USA.AOPA (872.2672)

Tell them what's going on, and ask them, if you like, to clarify this paragraph...like, do you need APPROVAL from the airport operator, or do you just need to ADVISE them...there's a couple sentences in here that seem to contradict each other:

"Airport management may not say the drone operation is approved, but all that is required is notification for drone operations to take place. If the airport says the operation may be unsafe or that they disapprove it, you should fly in another location where you do not need the airport’s approval or where the airport operator states would be acceptable."

Also, if you wouldn't mind...what town/airport are you talking about?

--

Bill
Post #22
Small municipal airport told me I can't fly at all
 
I don't know where you are but here I just fly and use common sense and don't go much higher than the tree line with the spark, our local airfield is 4km away and were completely devoid of common sense - they wanted to be informed whenever we took a 75gram park flyer out and I was like are you serious, this thing can't even go up over a 50 foot tree it hasn't got the power and there's a fat crow sitting on my garden fence that will do more damage than this toy ever could and they were like yes it's the law, I was like no it's not suggest you re-read the ANA about it and I haven't bothered to call them again.

Ian, even 75 grams might cause a problem...I mean, who is to say for sure? Folks have to err on the side of safety. The comparison to a bird is not a good one because the bird can not be controlled, but the R/C aircraft CAN. I'm on your side in getting a common sense agreement though...for sure...and yes, I agree that below a certain weight, there ought to be more leeway.

One thing about distance from an airport...is the place you are flying on the approach or departure path from a runway...that would be more problematic as opposed to NOT being in those locations.
 
One thing about distance from an airport...is the place you are flying on the approach or departure path from a runway...that would be more problematic as opposed to NOT being in those locations.

That is not really a problem either because all four sides of the runway have paths for not only approach or departure but landing aborts as well.

Say two planes are landing at the same time due to miscommunication.
Upon visual contact, both pilots are required to turn right to avoid each other.

As in my area and the 4th of July flight, I will be right in the abort landing turnoff path for runway 32.
Just 0.2nm away from the airport.
Yet they have accepted my notification.

BTW, my airport T82
 
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That is not really a problem either because all four sides of the runway have paths for not only approach or departure but landing aborts as well.

Say two planes are landing at the same time due to miscommunication.
Upon visual contact, both pilots are required to turn right to avoid each other.

As in my area and the 4th of July flight, I will be right in the abort landing turnoff path for runway 32.
Just 0.2nm away from the airport.
Yet they have accepted my notification.

BTW, my airport T82
 
pmshop...

Yes, I agree...I was just saying that flying drones in various directions/distances from the airport/runways will result in varying levels of conflictions, most of the time.

One thing I would say about the .2 miles. That, of course, does not mean you can just sort of fly around there all you want, you still have 100% responsibility to see and AVOID other air traffic...I mean, it's not like you will "own" that airspace, as it were. So be very careful that close to the runways/airport. But I'm sure you already know that.

Also remember that they had NO CHOICE but to "accept" your notification...no where in that acceptance are the ideas that they are blocking airspace for you, or that they agree that what you are doing is safe.

--

Bill
 
Ian, even 75 grams might cause a problem...I mean, who is to say for sure? Folks have to err on the side of safety.

There is erring on the side of caution and then there's lapping up fear porn, the two are not the same.

Here's what happen when an adult seagull collided with a helicopter a few years back:


Adult seagulls usually weigh about 1.5kg (1500 grams) and were supposed to believe a 75 gram piece of styrofoam will bring a helicopter or jet airliner down?

Perhaps if they were more realistic with ther claims, they'd have more respect from the hobbiests whose probably been flying in the same field for 30 years without an incident (like I have) but now faces being banned from said field because some people believe everything they are told and can't work something out themselves.
 
pmshop...

Yes, I agree...I was just saying that flying drones in various directions/distances from the airport/runways will result in varying levels of conflictions, most of the time.

One thing I would say about the .2 miles. That, of course, does not mean you can just sort of fly around there all you want, you still have 100% responsibility to see and AVOID other air traffic...I mean, it's not like you will "own" that airspace, as it were. So be very careful that close to the runways/airport. But I'm sure you already know that.

Also remember that they had NO CHOICE but to "accept" your notification...no where in that acceptance are the ideas that they are blocking airspace for you, or that they agree that what you are doing is safe.

--

Bill

Very true.
That is why I filed this with Flight Service (1800wxbrief.com):
UAS Operating Area DEFINED AS 0.1NM RADIUS OF 301421.60N0985436.10W (0.2NM S T82) SFC-2160FT (SFC-400FT AGL) 1807050200-1807050230.

A little added protection.

Been an sUAV pilot for about three years now.
The town has seen my level of responsibility - ergo, finally getting permission from the parks and services to fly on city property.
The reason I am so close to the airport is the ground zero for the fireworks is 0.1NM away from the airport.
So a NOTAM advising of the fireworks will already be in place.
 
Very true.
That is why I filed this with Flight Service (1800wxbrief.com):
UAS Operating Area DEFINED AS 0.1NM RADIUS OF 301421.60N0985436.10W (0.2NM S T82) SFC-2160FT (SFC-400FT AGL) 1807050200-1807050230.

A little added protection.

Been an sUAV pilot for about three years now.
The town has seen my level of responsibility - ergo, finally getting permission from the parks and services to fly on city property.
The reason I am so close to the airport is the ground zero for the fireworks is 0.1NM away from the airport.
So a NOTAM advising of the fireworks will already be in place.

Sounds good PM...you are a great example of responsible use of the public airspace.

Sometimes I think we all respond (well, me) in certain ways in these forums with the background idea that someday someone might be reading thru this thread and assume something that isn't true...like for instance, that if a person notifies an airport, that that means they no longer have to see and avoid, etc.

Anyway, good on you for doing it right.
 
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