zaviation

My Feedback: (1)

There is no shortage of folks saying the FAA has sold out and is out out get us. From my perspective, having worked WITH the FAA for the past three years to help them resolve this difficult issue, They are not against anyone or any group. I have provided substantial data to the FAA over and above the Concept of Operations that a lot of others have provided. I am now working to provide more useful information in support of the upcoming ARC.

The FAA needs data, real, actual, live data to show that our type of operations are not dangerous. Many of us have collected very useful data in the form of photograph files from out sorties. I have 11,000 photographs in my archive and at an average 25 photos per sortie that equates to 480 incident free sorties. All my photographs are the result of "recreational" flying because I am not allowed to do this commercially. I would expect all your files to be "recreational" too.

What I need is information on the:

Time period:

Number of sorties:

Incident data: (This is incidents which could have resulted in a dangerous situation involving people or property. Just crashing your airplane is not an incident. Loosing it and not knowing where it came down is an incident.)

Aircraft type:

Name of aircraft:

Aircraft specifications: (Include modificatins to stock aircraft.)

Aircraft Weight: (Ready to fly.)

Operational environment: (Urban or Rural.

________________________________________

In my case this is the data:

Time period: May 2003 to present.

Number of sorties: 480 (11.000 photographs at 25 photos per sortie.)

Incident data: None.

Aircraft type: Slow Stick.

Aircraft specifications: Brushless motor.

Aircraft Weight: 21 ounces.

Operatinal environment: 90% Urban, 10% Rural.

_______________________________________


No identification data will be provided to the FAA. I will use Operator A, B, etc. This data will be provided to the FAA SUAS Program Office and will be used in support of the ARC and in briefings to their management to support our cause.

Some solks will try to make this out to be something bad but it is an honest effort and an opportunity for everyone to do something positive for a change instead of just bellyache and jawbone about what the FAA is doing to us.

Regards, John Zaner
Zaner Aviation, LLC
www.zaneraviation.com

Quacker

Hi John,

Have you also posted on Ezone? The forums over there are very active and you might get information from pilots that do not yet frequent this forum. You might also wish to try http://diydrones.com/

Regards,
Q

zaviation

My Feedback: (1)

Done.

Thanks Q.

Quacker

I also have a few flights that I will pass along to you.

You are welcome...

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

You will no doubt have difficulty convincing the FAA of the quality of your data, but here is my input

Time period: January 2005-March 2007

Number of sorties: 40, aerial video

Incident data: (This is incidents which could have resulted in a dangerous situation involving people or property. Just crashing your airplane is not an incident. Loosing it and not knowing where it came down is an incident.): NONE

Aircraft type: SPAD (Simple Plastic Airplane Design) Debonair

Name of aircraft: Debbie

Aircraft specifications: (Include modificatins to stock aircraft.) Thunder Tiger Pro .46 engine, HITECH Supreme 8 Reciever, 12 oz fuel capacity

Operational environment: (Urban or Rural): Rural recreational

zaviation

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for the input and the comment bkdavy.

I will have absolutely no difficulty convincing the FAA of the quality of the data. It was they who suggested that I not report names because folks would be reluctant to provide the information. I have worked with the FAA long enough to establish a good relationship and, above all, trust.

I made the comment about recreational data in my first post kind of tongue in cheek as I do expect commercial data to be reported. Mine is probably 90% commercial, just report it as recreational. It would also be great to get some helicopter data. The FAA is taking a tougher stand on helicopters but some good safety data may help that situation a bit.

THanks in advance,
John

zaviation

My Feedback: (1)

Come on guys, let someone post with a complaint about the overbearing FAA and everyone has input. This is a chance to do something positive about it and everyone runs scared. The FAA needs this information to help US.

There is more to this than just data. How many people would jump at the chance for $100.00 and hour nationwide with plenty of opportinities for everyone? This is a possibility! If we don't get with it the big guys will get the meat and you all will be stuck with stale crusts complaining about how the FAA put the screws to you.

I would love to go into more detail about what is happening but someone would blab to the high heavens and spoil the deal. It has happened before by those who would have you believe they are the only champion you have. Look around. What have they really done except bellyache like everyone else!

I am going to do this and it is already underway locally but I don't intend to cover the entire country. I am pushing 70 and ready to retire again. I can't guarantee that it will happen but I know it won't if you don't give it a shot. Let's go with it! What have you got to loose that you haven't already lost!

Please post this information on other forums where you are members. At least post a link to this thread.

Regards, John Zaner

wjglynn

John,

I would like to email you privately but your email box shows that it is full and not accepting emails?

Bill

zaviation

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Bill,

I have just received a PM from Quacker so I know it is working and my mailbox is far from full. Try it again please. I am setting up an email account on my webpage and the address will be (jzaner at zaneraviation.com). It should be up shortly so you can try it if you want to.

Regards, John

zaviation

My Feedback: (1)

Come on guys it's time to pony up. I have read thousands of posts complaining about what the FAA and the "Big Guys" are doing to us. Now is the chance to get in on the action. This is not a scam and not BS. The COA for my operation is in the works with FAA assistance and encouragement. This is not strictly AP but kind of like FPV, One pilot,one spotter. Equipment is primarily SlowStick and Easystar right now.

You need to know how to build this type of aircraft including installation of all electronics, you need to know how to fly. Not just get up and down without crashing but how to handle the plane. You also need to be presentable and know how to handle yourself in front of people. This is one of the results of three years of steady positive attitude work with the FAA and I am pretty sure it is going to fly. One thing you will need to do first is sign a non-disclosure with me. I will not have some joker spoil the whole thing without the possibility of getting sued for it.

So far I have had one response to this thread and am kind of shocked after all the rhetoric over the past several months. I am begining to think you guys are all show and no go. This thing has the potential to be big business and I am going with it if I have to train people from scratch to do it.

Last call!
John

wjglynn

John,

I ask you to lighten up a little bit. Many of the posters here cannot respond immediately to a new message. Don't think that you have struck out because they have not replied yet. I tried two different times to email your address on your website. For me to provide you with my material I will have to send you a DVD. I have been busy with the job that funds my fun and will get back to you just as soon as I can. Look for an email from me in the near future.

While it is not an issue for me have you considered that others might suspect that all you are trying to do is to find out their techniques? You are commercial enough to have a website which means your are taking the business side of this very seriously. Why would someone here just automatically tell you their secrets derived from hard work and investment? As you are across state lines nothing would stop you from gaining from someone else's work without recourse. I am not trying to accuse or incite you but I am trying to offer a possible explanation why you have not been flooded with replies.

Thanks,

Bill Glynn

zaviation

My Feedback: (1)

Don't worry Bill, I have you covered. It's just that you and Quacker are the only two who have said anything at all. If I had posted some desparaging remarks about the FAA I would have a five page thread already.

With all the people who are concerned about being crowded out by the big companies I thought the response would be immediate. I know I would have jumped on this right away. I know a lot of people don't think one person can make a difference and it has to be a large group to be heard. I say tell that to Burt Rutan among many other individuals who have made a difference. Most major advances throughout history have been accomplished through individual effort. I have not seen too many achievements, or even ideas, come out of the committee actions going on around these forums.

I am having some problems getting my webpage host to start up an email function. The email on my webpage is outdated. If you replace earthlink.net with embarqmail.com it will work.

Regards, John

headhunter23

To be honest this part of rcuniverse isn't very busy at all, normally it would take 3 days up to a week sometimes to get a reply to my threads. You seem to need this info more for personal reasons than for the FAA, what's your vested interest in this? What business were you looking to get into?

Ivan.

zaviation

My Feedback: (1)

Hello Ivan,

I can't think of a single personal reason why I would want this information. I do have a vested interest and it is the same as it was three years ago when I started working with the FAA as an "unpaid" consultant. I want to make this work and become a viable, accepted, legal, occupation so I could teach my grandchildren (13) or great grandchildren (3 so far) how to do it and they could expect to make a good living at it.

If, along the way, I see an opportunity to help others make some money doing AP I will gladly do that. The reason for the data is to support the FAA in their effort to make this legal. The reason for the other request is to provide a potential opportunity to others, maybe you.

As I said before, I will be 70 years old my next birthday and have been fully retired for 18 years. I do NOT need another job, nor do I need an additional income. I provided for myself and my family and do not use social security. I do this for fun and because aviation is my passion. Flying has been good to me for over 60 years and I would like to give something back. Check out some of my videos on Youtube under the name kinzuaman or peruse my website at zaneraviation.com and you will see some examples of my passion for aviation.

I hope this clears the air concerning my motives.

Regards, John

lvspark

John,
If you do 90% commercial RC flying and you tell the FAA it is all recreational, thats a lie. And if you are flying commercially today and tell them you are not, thats also a lie. Why would they trust a dishonest guy that lies to them? If your flying commercially today, and have in the past, why lie about it? Honesty and integrity go a long ways..

BillHarris

Bingo.

Bill

Boilermaker1

My Feedback: (1)

John,
Kudo's to your efforts. You do sound sincere other than telling the feds that you fly recreational when most may be commercial. I dealt with the FAA a little when I was working in maintenance control in the airline industry. They do like to have facts, the more the better, but sometimes less is better. Anyway, I'd give you my data, but I don't have any yet. I'm just now modifying a Slow Stick to be my first AP model-intented to do AP for hire eventualy.
You might try posting on Wattflyer to see if you get any more response. Their AP forum is pretty active.

To the rest of the readers, I don't see where John can benefit from our data any more than if he read all of threads in the forums and extraced all the airplane and camera specs that are already posted. Heck, that's where I've gotten all my tips to mod my Slow Stick. It's now like were selling secrets to the Russians.


Phil

skyskysky

maybe can get some other good ideas