Uncolntrolled local airport manager and how to get her to understand and work with Part 107 operators.

[Pep9454]

I am one of very few legal part 107 operators in my small SE Iowa town. Our uncontrolled airport and the 5 mile radius almost takes in 3/4's of the town. I am trying to educate our airport manager and work with her, but I am but one and she is pretty set in her ways... I've attached a letter to the FAA, but I need to get some feedback from this forum of professionals and how I should handle this. Thanks for you help ahead of time.

Phil Pool

 

[dangerd]

Use the LAANC system for approval,
Skyward, A Verizon company
Or
Airmap app

You would need a waiver to fly at the airfield but would be able to fly in some places around the airport using LAANC if it is online at your airport.

 

[BigAl07]

Hello and welcome to the Commercial Drone Pilots forum. We are glad to have you on board. I'm confident you'll find lots of helpful and enlightening information throughout this forum.

If you haven't already done so, consider adding your LOCATION to your forum profile to help us know where you are when you post suggestions or ask for assistance. It helps a lot more than you might think especially because this is an international forum with members from all parts of the world. Here's a direct link to yours:

https://commercialdronepilots.com/account/personal-details

Let me start by saying the "5 mile from airport" doesn't have any weight on this situation. When you go from flying as a hobbyist the 5 mile rule no longer applies and you operate under Part 107 rules which means you go by the AIRSPACE you are going to fly in.

Also she is 100% correct in her reply that she is has been directed to forward Commercial (Part 107) operators to go through the process to get an Airspace Authorization/Waiver. The Airport Manager doesn't have the authority to give anything like that but if it was in controlled airspace ATC "could" (probably wouldn't) give authorization.

However she isn't fully aware of the "whole" set of rules. If a hobbyist calls to notify her then yes all she needs to do is take down that contact information etc. But a Commercial Operation must have the above mentioned authorization to fly.

As a side note, if the airport authority deems your flight to compromise safety of the airspace it is their ultimate responsibility to prevent that flight. If you go against their wishes you have "put yourself out there" and could be subject to further actions included reckless behavior and other things that can be addressed/cited by local authorities.

I think I'd probably let this one go as it doesn't sound like you have many options unless LAANC gives approval and even then I can't say it sounds like a good idea IMHO.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

I am one of very few legal part 107 operators in my small SE Iowa town. Our uncontrolled airport and the 5 mile radius almost takes in 3/4's of the town. I am trying to educate our airport manager and work with her, but I am but one and she is pretty set in her ways... I've attached a letter to the FAA, but I need to get some feedback from this forum of professionals and how I should handle this. Thanks for you help ahead of time.

Phil Pool

Is this your airport? Looks like it is Class E surface controlled airspace. As BigA107 said, as a part 107 operator, technically you need ATC authorization. I doubt you'll get it if the airport manager is against you flying there. I would run this by the local FSDO. Perhaps they can "smooth" the matter over with this lady (or not)

 

[RNCotton]

There are a *LOT* of folks here who know a lot more than I do .... and they'll be fast to blast me if I'm wrong.

First, welcome to the joys of commercial vs recreation. Commercial has to have authorization, where recreation only has to notify. It doesn't seem fair, does it?

Looking at the airspace, LAANC is not active for Burlington, so that's not an option. There are a lot of Zero grids directly around the airport, as expected, and then expanding out to 100, 200, and 400 feet available to be authorized.

So it seems at this point, you can not get the authorization you need from the airport. That leaves you with going through the FAA and requesting it. You can request a waiver, using the facility map grids as references for your maximum altitude. The process takes time, but once completed, it would give you the ability to fly, at least outside of the zero grids.

For actual flight over the tarmac for next year's fly-in ... that's a little tougher. That will require extra authorization and release of the NFZ by DJI, or use of a drone that doesn't have the NFZ restrictions.