Flying near heliports

[Pilot143]

I went to my local flying spot the other day, opened up B4UFly and it had been updated apparently. It now shows 5 mile rings around heliports with associated warnings.

Note: not all heliports have circles

Do I need a new flying location?

 

[BigAl07]

Are you flying as Part 107 or as a hobbyist?

 

[Pilot143]

Depends on the day... in this case hobby. But am Part 107

 

[BigAl07]

B4UFLY is "currently" for hobby BUT it's not yet updated to reflect the new (as of 5/17/2019) hobby rules.

Regardless, neither hobby nor Part 107 use any "distance from the airport" for determining the legality of a flight. It all boils down to the AIRSPACE the aircraft will be operating in. You need to know what airspace and then you determine if it's legal or not.

 

[Planter]

B4UFLY is "currently" for hobby BUT it's not yet updated to reflect the new (as of 5/17/2019) hobby rules.

Regardless, neither hobby nor Part 107 use any "distance from the airport" for determining the legality of a flight. It all boils down to the AIRSPACE the aircraft will be operating in. You need to know what airspace and then you determine if it's legal or not.

 

[Planter]

Get the latest FAA Sectional Chart
and use it. Much better than anything else to know where you can fly.

 

[Phaedrus]

Follow latest FAA guidance. No longer required to contact airports/heliports when in Class G airspace. Actual permission required when near controlled airport, and I don't know of any such heliports, although they may be in controlled airspace.

Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations

www.faa.gov

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

B4UFLY is "currently" for hobby BUT it's not yet updated to reflect the new (as of 5/17/2019) hobby rules.

Regardless, neither hobby nor Part 107 use any "distance from the airport" for determining the legality of a flight. It all boils down to the AIRSPACE the aircraft will be operating in. You need to know what airspace and then you determine if it's legal or not.

I have come to the conclusion the 107 exam needs more questions on sectionals, to "encourage" pilots to become more familiar with aeronautical charts. Dropping the silly METAR and TAF questions would make plenty of additional room.

 

[Phaedrus]

Personally I think it is critical for a RPIC to be able to immediately and correctly identify runway hold short and taxiway markings. You know, in case you are ever piloting the Global Hawk out of JFK.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

Personally I think it is critical for a RPIC to be able to immediately and correctly identify runway hold short and taxiway markings. You know, in case you are ever piloting the Global Hawk out of JFK.

Man, when I taught the 107 course to the PD i took a merciless beating over that part.

 

[Phaedrus]

They must have loved learning about upslope advection radiation precipitation induced ice fog then

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

They must have loved learning about upslope advection radiation precipitation induced ice fog then

 

[BigAl07]

Personally I think it is critical for a RPIC to be able to immediately and correctly identify runway hold short and taxiway markings. You know, in case you are ever piloting the Global Hawk out of JFK.

You do know some of us fly around/from Airports and do need to know those things and we are not flying the Global Hawk out of JFK. . . .

 

[Phaedrus]

You do know some of us fly around/from Airports and do need to know those things and we are not flying the Global Hawk out of JFK. . . .

Interesting. So you are using taxiways, runways, etc.? Wow, love to hear more about that.

 

[PatR]

They must have loved learning about upslope advection radiation precipitation induced ice fog then

In 2005 I was asked by the Navy to review a new UAV pilot training course. I attended part of it and reviewed the syllabus for content and timeline. The contractor that developed the course was not pleased after being informed spending 2 weeks learning aviation weather was non productive for people flying short range (
For them airport ops and actually flying the plane needed more focus.

 

[BigAl07]

Interesting. So you are using taxiways, runways, etc.? Wow, love to hear more about that.

I was not actually "using them" to take off/land but our instructions for operations were remain to the northwest and clear of runway xyL and to not fly beyond the edge of river XYZ.

If we didn't know how to read the airport map or runway marking how would we be able to follow our instructions and do so safely.

 

[Phaedrus]

I was not actually "using them" to take off/land but our instructions for operations were remain to the northwest and clear of runway xyL and to not fly beyond the edge of river XYZ.

Ah, that I understand and knowing at least the directions from an airport and runway designations are definitely worth knowing. I was speaking more about runway hold short lines, taxiway end markings, etc. Some of those details I think are less than useful, or needed for 99.99% of Part 107 ops.