bookmaker

My Feedback: (24)

Yesterday it was reported that an airliner barely missed a "drone" while coming in to Tallahassee Florida. The craft was reported at 2,300 ft. altitude. It's going to happen that a drone is going to take out a full scale plane. Unfortunately, many people just can't follow the guidelines.

As a pilot, you guys flying the drones scare the hell out of me.

Dale

bradpaul

Not in any way condoning the near miss but what rule/reg was broken by the pilot.??

Remember that this "drone" was a RC model plane so whatever rule/reg would apply to what we fly at our AMA Clubs.

1. AMA Safety Code? which provision?
2. AC 91-57 (which version the FAA version or the AMA version?)
3. AMA Document 540-D See and Avoid Guidance?
4. The catch all of "reckless operation"?

How does a pilot at 2300' with a closing rate in excess of 350 mph know what to do, climb, descend, turn? Can a human being distinguish accurate altitude at that height? Was a spotter used? And should not the spotter be guiding the pilot to increase "blue sky"?

And per AMA 540-D the pilot/spotter had the absolute requirement to notify the AMA concerning the near miss. Was this done?

Brad

GerKonig

Here is the info: http://www.aol.com/article/2014/05/0...6pLid%3D474731

Scary!

Gerry

Jim Branaum

My Feedback: (3)

The mere hint of direct FAA regulation in this hobby is scary, the above sentence is simply terrifying. How do you want to define those capabilities? Take a very close look at Maynard Hill's work to really scare yourself about the future of this hobby if your idea is embraced. Go talk to the soaring guys to get another idea of how high they get to really have your mind set stretched out of shape.

However, I am pretty sure that the fixed transponder (altitude based on standard sea level pressures and model codes hard set) may be in our future. I am fairly sure they can be designed to be about the size and weight of your smart phone and have a test function so you can be sure they are operating properly. That coupled with some of the work being done on collision avoidance equipment MAY be our final 'bolt hole' in this battle of the idiots against the public, aka those guys who insist it is their right and no foamie ever hurt an airliner.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Yep, on future transponder requirements and collision avoidance equipment... for commercial drones especially in the near future... but why do you think they'll be as clunky as a cell phone???LOL

Jim Branaum

My Feedback: (3)

Ever see a horse designed by a bureaucratic committee? And you thought elephants were odd...

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

I am not yet satisified that this was indeed an R/C model of any kind, much less a F-4, and not some sort of misidentified uUAS.

The contact was reported about 5 miles NE of the Tallahassee airport. This would place the "drone" just a bit NE of downtown Tallahassee. The local R/C club field is at least about 8-10 miles further NE. (easy to look it up on the AMA club search site) Unlikely to be a large jet model from the local R/C field.

How likely would it be for a large F-4 model, or an F-4 of any size, to be at that height, near the Tallahassee city center?

It is at least as likely, at that high closing velocity, that it could have been some sort of uUAS with a swept wing and camo paint job that the pilot (who is not likely to be a modeler) simply misidentified in the brief second that there was to get a good look at it.

I would enjoy hearing from some modelers local to Tallahassee and see what the real scoop is, if they happen to know.

cj_rumley

Speculation in another forum is that it could have been a USAF QF-4 from Tyndall AFB, located about 60 m. from where the sighting was made. That would jibe in several ways; it fits as a 'drone' operated by R/C and certainly has the profile of an F4, though it begs the Q of how a 1:1 scale AC could be misidentified as on the scale of a model airplane.

I have this odd premonition that reports of UFO sightings from the past are transmogrifying to drone sightings of decade 201X and beyond ...............

cj

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

The odds of Eglin AFB operating a QF-4 over the Talahassee city center at 2300 feet are extremely remote. Range safety for target drone ops out over the gulf is pretty stringent, as well.

Going by least hypothesis, the odds are that it is a misidentified sUAS.

cj_rumley

I would say "The odds of Eglin AFB intentionally operating a QF-4 over the Tallahassee city center at 2300 feet are extremely remote."

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

And the odds of a big noisy smokey QF-4 accidently overflying downtown Tallahassee at 2300 feet and no one but the pilot of the airliner seeing it are even more remote. Not to mention that the large high viz orange painted panels would have been easily visible to the airliner pilot.

Will need noticably more concrete evidence supporting that outlandish theory before giving it the slightest credence.

bradpaul

It is interesting that the local RC club per Google maps is 10.39 miles from the end of the runway at Tallahassee Regional Airport. And from the satellite view is a grass runway which is not what RC turbine jet pilots would prefer to fly from.

Now we have a lot of RC turbine jets in the Orlando area, and they are all well known to each other and what jets they fly. How many RC F-4 Phantom jets can there be in Tallahassee, FL? And what field do the jet guys use?

804

My Feedback: (1)

Hmm, the phantom Phantom.

I think your right about your premonition.
"uh, Tallahassee, ah think ah just saw somethin'.
Itsa bird...no, itsa plane... no... itsa drone....






oops, sorry Tallahassee,
jist a floater..."

Sport_Pilot

I tell you you have to be sharp when crossing military air routes. I remember when flying a small plane I was on the look out and had my head looking for aircraft to the left when a military jet crossed from right to left at near supersonic speed just a few hundred feet or less in front of me. It happened in a split second and made me bank the wings away for a second, until I understood it was past as fast as it came.

Sport_Pilot

Or any QF-4! I don't think they fly them anymore. They are all in a airplane graveyard in Arizona or somewhere out west.

JW0311

F-4 Phantom. Proof that with a big enough power plat you can make anything fly.

Still my favorite fighter.

James

NorfolkSouthern

Here is a link to a news article describing a lawsuit against the FAA by a search and rescue operation: http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovati...-impact-n87776

I think our lawmakers need to give the FAA a swift KICK in the hind end!

ira d

Yup the FAA needs to stand down according to the article they can't even give a reason why they don't want the search and rescue drones to fly.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

One thing is for certain... That article points out how naive people are that contend "just vote". It often comes down to overbearing government agencies, wrangling lawyers and peoples acceptance...as the article points out... there are those operating commercially in defiance of FAA's assbackwards policy.

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

They crashed a QF-4 at Holloman AFB in Feb. They are only operated there and at Tyndall AFB in FL. The QF-4s are scheduled to stop flying sometime during 2014, with a transition to QF-16s thereafter.

Having said that, I am still far from convinced there is even the faintest chance that that airliner encountered a QF-4 over Tallahassee.

Sport_Pilot

I am not sure what you mean about that statement.

Sport_Pilot

I thought they flew them over the ocean for target practice. Not over populated cities.

warningshot

What populated city is close to Holloman AFB? Do you even know where Holloman AFB is?

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

The White Sands Test Range next to Holloman is huge and unpopulated.

Sport_Pilot

Why would I be refering to Holoman AFB when this was sighted in Florida? They also fly them from Tyndal AFB. They fly them over the ocean there. Got that!