philakapd

My family has a farm (approximately 1 square mile) in northern Michigan where I spend many days flying .40 size and smaller fixed wing aircraft. I downloaded the "B4UFly" FAA application to my smartphone and used the planning mode. "Warning - Action Required; you are within 5 miles of an airport. By Law, you must notify the airport operator and the air traffic control tower (if one is present) of your flight."

Google Maps indicates my runway line is 4.8 miles from the center runway of the full scale airport. The full scale airport is a seasonal, 3500' grass runway, no hangars and does not have a control tower. There are homes and condos located on either side of the runway.

It is uncommon to see full scale aircraft in the area of our farmland, just the occasional Pawnee crop duster a few times annually.

I contacted the airpark manager and described my location along with a description of the aircraft I fly. The airpark manager was very kind and actually laughed because I contacted him regarding the status of my location and his airport. I asked him if I needed to contact him every time I will be airborne. He chuckled again and said "no thank you, fly anytime without contacting me." Apparently he doesn't want me calling him every other day in the summer .

It wasn't difficult to contact the airpark manager and notify him of my intentions of flying. Now, I'm covered regarding the FAA rule to contact the airport operator, FOREVER! Now, I need to remember to place the FAA UAS Cert stickers on all of my models, some are tucked away and collecting dust. If I'm flying electric motor, can I place the UAS Cert stickers on all of my LiPo packs?

Here's a pic of the airstrip:


Clear Skies to All!

-PD

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Great job, but you don't need to have their permission to fly.

philakapd

Noted and changed the wording, thanks!
I called to contact the airpark manager and notify of my intensions and flying schedule.

Thanks

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Wonder if that place would ever entertain hosting a fly in? Wow what a nice piece of land!

philakapd

I never considered asking to fly anywhere else. Not too many modelers in the area.



Red line = runway (short grass).

Sport_Pilot

But that may change so he is covered.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Yes, and the world may end tomorrow too.

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

Nice...so much green grass, so few hills and trees!

philakapd

Mostly soy being planted on flat, graded soil. I have a grass runway. There are two trees on the back side. My Alpha sport found one of the trees a few years back, I was perplexed I put it in the tree during a landing. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!

p.s. Got it out of the tree using 1 front end loader and 1 brother-in-law. Only my ego was damaged.

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

The FAA registration number can be any place on the model as long as it can be viewed without using any tools. Dan

Rob2160

Nice work, arranging a permanent approval like that is the best way to go.

I was in the US recently and called a few airports (including a hospital heliport) and they all had no issue with me flying RC.

A very easy process really, I got the airport codes from the FAA's B4UFly App and then searched for contact numbers here: http://www.airport-data.com

philakapd

Thanks Dan, I know about accessing the information without tools. I didn't know if the information had to be permanently affixed to the aircraft or if it could be attached to accessories. This will make it pretty easy for my electric fixed wings. I already have the UAS stickers made up, I'll place them on all of my LiPos. I will place them in the fuselage too, I just need to remember!

-PD

philakapd

Good day Rob,

Your scenario is almost identical to mine regarding full scale airport locations. I was aware of a "landing strip" a few miles down the road from my farm, but I had no idea it was registered as an approved airport until I used the B4UFly App. I created this thread to encourage pilots to try the App and perhaps gain some additional information they may otherwise did not have knowledge of. I'm not happy about some of the regulations set forth on radio control, but I will abide by them and show the public not all "DRONES" are creating havoc to the public. I don't own a quad, but some people who are not familiar with radio control fixed wing aircraft think I'm flying drones. That's okay, I don't take it personally or respond negatively. If it fly's, I'm interested. I answer questions and explain the differences of models to them and they enjoy learning about this great hobby. It wasn't too long thereafter, my brother-in-law, a few cousins and one uncle decided to take up the hobby. My uncle is already into the jet scene. Too rich for my blood (cost and speed), but he really enjoys it.

Rob, I've been reading you posts for years. Thank you for all of the positive information you provide to the community.

Clear skies!

-PD

porcia83

My Feedback: (8)

+1, especially the part about Rob's comments.

The app is pretty cool, I know of several club in my area that used it immediately to double check information they previously thought was correct, only to find not so much. It also may help those folks that don't belong to a club and perhaps have the ability to fly in open places that they might not have realized where now subject to these rules.

Chris P. Bacon

My Feedback: (4)

Good job!

Hydro Junkie

You might want to check out the latest issue of "MAN". Franklin has a really nice article in it giving guidelines on the what, where and hows of how to talk to the airport in question so that there are no misunderstandings while talking to the powers that be of that airport

init4fun

Hi Hydro junkie , If my situation was like the OP's was , I would do everything he did and one more step . I'd make sure to get the name of the airport manager I spoke with so if there ever were any questions I could say "It was airport manager John Smith who said I don't need to call him again" .

Hydro Junkie

And I don't have an issue with that. Just saying Franklin has an article out that goes over all the information that you can be asked by the airport and how to communicate the answers to the airport personnel.

philakapd

I documented the phone call. I have the managers name, address, telephone number and the date of the conversation. I also have this dated thread.

I'm very familiar with Franklin, but I DO NOT KNOW what "MAN" is.

Thanks.

-PD

franklin_m

Essentially correct, but a more precise way to phrase it would be to say that "So long as they do not object, you can fly."

That was part of the research for the NOV MAN article, the FAA has told airports/towers not to use words like "approved" etc. They have however said that if the airport objects, and the operator flies anyway, they would interpret that as "endangering the NAS."

franklin_m

Here's the sample notification card I made ... and a sample if anyone want's to use it.

The cards themselves are sized for 5x7 index cards, although the PDF puts them in the center of an 8.5x11 paper.

- Frank

franklin_m

Model Airplane News....here's the cover of November issue where you can find the article "Keep it Legal"

philakapd

LOL, I've had the magazine for more than 20 years and never realized "MAN". Unfortunately for me, I'm not as smart as I used to be. Children can do that to a person.

Thanks for the .PDF!!!

-PD

Silent-AV8R

AOPA put out a nice summary as well a few months ago:

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/...tion-automated

https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/aircraft...ear-an-airport

FWIW, I fly regularly at a location within 3 miles of two very busy GA airports (KCNO & KAJO), one of them with a tower (CNO). THey know we are there, and in fact our field is depicted on the TAC for the region. Happy and safe coexistence!!

franklin_m

I'm on a business trip right now, but ironically my wife said my copy hasn't arrived yet!