the "Last Person to blah blah blah" thread is now old enough to vote (in the US)

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Let's hope this didn't involve TL04 : )

Driver ‘convinced he could time travel’ smashes car into three offices!

http://investmentwatchblog.com/driver-convinced-he-could-time-travel-smashes-car-into-three-offices/

Nope, my TARDIS does NOT plow through buildings in normal space. Putting the TARDIS out of phase from normal space, I could do with no harm to buildings or occupants. ;-)

Goodnight everyone. :-)

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I need to spend some time studying the rules and the app, to see how useful it really is for planning flights. What's especially frustrating is all the overlapping 5-mile radii. If I want to fly over the museum, I potentially need to contact six different airports. That's somewhat ridiculous. I predict the drone users organizations are going to start lobbying for a few common sense modifications to the rules.

The problem with common sense is that it isn't common. Unfortunately a few nuts have already done a few too many stupid things and the database if full of NMAC's. I'm sure the drone users will attempt to get some changes, but the Airline Pilots Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association will lobby to get more restrictions.

As to those six airports, a pilot also has to worry about the same five mile radius issue as he has to be on the radio to six different airports at once. In practice that doesn't happen as the FAA just slices and dices the circles so that any spot is only in one airport's area, but that might change on time of day e.g. control tower operating or not.

Taking a look at where IRM is located, it looks to my eye that all those 6 airports are "Private" airports. This is good for you as pilots need prior permission to use them. No control towers and not very many flights except for the glider port. Other than the glider port the phone number might not even have more than an answering machine on it.

As a once in a while thing just make a phone call a day or two in advance, say you will be flying at the IRM (give Lat/Lon and radius as well) below X feet between hours such and such, who you are, your drone registration number, and a call back number. You have made your notification. Just write down the time and number you called. The airport is not required to say okay if I'm reading the regs correctly. [That is an oversight BTW]

If you want to do it on a frequent basis, the water is going to get muddy. If IRM wants to use your footage, it will be considered commercial use. Then a different set of rules applies and I believe you need airport and FAA permission in advance.

Finally to add to the MUD you might want to have a chat with the IRM as they may have to add operation of a drone to their liability insurance. After all if something bad happens and a guest is injured, you aren't a paying tourist flying a personal drone, you are a volunteer/employee so they get sued in addition to you.

Now you are beginning to see all the stuff a pilot is responsible for.

And an FYI
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/public-warned-not-to-fly-kites-near-airports.html

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Under little-known federal regulations passed in 1963, moored balloons and kites cannot be flown within five miles of an airport or more than 500 feet off the ground. The rules do not apply to balloons or kites that are flown below the top of a building.