Careless Or Reckless Operation

• However, use caution with suction cups: as the aircraft climbs and ambient pressure decreases, the pressure differential holding the cup may diminish and the cup may release.

• No person may operate an aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard.
• Formation flight requires prior arrangement with the pilot in command of each aircraft.
• An aircraft carrying passengers for hire may not be operated in formation flight.
• In limited circumstances, another aircraft may provide intercept or escort assistance to an aircraft in difficulty.
  • Such assistance is normally coordinated when requested by the pilot in difficulty or when a distress condition is declared.

• Emergency landing considerations
• Vertical distance
• Horizontal distance

• flying at the MEF guarantees you a minimum of 100' of clearance from all-terrain and obstacles in the quadrant.

• Anywhere:

  • An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.

• Over Congested Areas:

  • Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft (except for takeoff and landing). The 2,000-foot value defines the radius used to identify the controlling obstacle; it is not a required lateral standoff from each obstacle.
    • A congested area is a place where gatherings of people are likely; it is not defined solely by the yellow areas depicted on a sectional chart.
    • See the legal definitions of “densely populated” and “congested area.”
    • See: Anderson legal interpretation.
  • Note that congested areas may be determined on a case-by-case basis.

• UAS Flight Over or Near People and Vehicles:

  • Remote pilots and recreational flyers should carefully consider the hazards of flight operations over or near people. 14 CFR Part 107, subpart D, Operations Over Human Beings, allows certain Operations Over People (OOP) and vehicles, based upon four different operational categories of UA weight and construction, and the likely severity of injury to people on the ground, in the case of contact. Part 107 operators may request a waiver to these restrictions.
  • Part 91 remote pilots may refer to restrictions and permissions, regarding flight over people, in their respective COAs.
  • Recreational flyers should consider the safety of other persons when flying. 49 USC 44809(a)(2), Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft, requires recreational flyers to operate in accordance with the safety guidelines of an accepted CBO; these guidelines will usually include safety precautions for flight near people.
  • For further information on the rules for flying over people or vehicles, see paragraph 11-4-6, Airspace Restrictions to Flight.
  • Reference: 14 CFR Part 107, Subpart D, Operations Over Human Beings, 49 USC 44809(a)(2), Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft.

• Over Other Than Congested Areas:

  • An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas.
    • In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle (car or airplane), or structure.
    • Legal interpretations suggest that pilots must remain 500 feet from human-made objects such as runway lights and windsocks.

• Helicopters, Powered Parachutes, and Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft:

  • If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface:
    • A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed above, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA; and.
    • A powered parachute or weight-shift-control aircraft may be operated at less than 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

• Minimum IFR Altitudes:

  • Mountains 2000, 4 NM
  • No mountains 1000, 4 NM.

• Minimum Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Altitudes:

  • No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft over a human being unless that human being is:
    • Directly participating in the operation of the small unmanned aircraft; or.
    • Located under a covered structure or inside a stationary vehicle that can provide reasonable protection from a falling small unmanned aircraft.
• While specified distances and altitudes may be used to establish minimum safe altitudes, with the exception of what is necessary for takeoff and landing, also consider the suitability of the landing site, as many have been found in violation of FAR 91.119 because they should not have been landing where they chose (field, taxiway, etc.)

• ATC: "ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT, fuel dumping in progress over [location] at [altitude] by [type aircraft], [flight direction]"

• ATC: "ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT, fuel dumping by [type aircraft] terminated"

Case Studies:

• USA Today: Here's why that Delta jet dumped fuel over schools near Los Angeles.