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Thread: Dumb question of the day

  1. #1

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    Dumb question of the day

    Okay this it kind of hypothetical, if a person had a few thousand acres of land, and yeah the $$ too, at what height above that land could you
    fly a plane and not be under FAA authority? 100 feet ?

  2. #2
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by enginesrus View Post
    Okay this it kind of hypothetical, if a person had a few thousand acres of land, and yeah the $$ too, at what height above that land could you
    fly a plane and not be under FAA authority? 100 feet ?
    There's no such altitude. If you have an aircraft capable of operating out of ground effect, as soon as you leave the ground you're under FAA control. It doesn't matter if you own the entire state of Texas.

  3. #3
    Mayhemxpc's Avatar
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    Ron is technically correct. All aviation operates under the authority of the FAA (hence its name.) However, I am not sure that what you wrote is what you want to know. Can you be a bit more specific?
    Chris Mayer
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    Airmutt's Avatar
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    Per the FAA........
    Myth #1: The FAA doesn't control airspace below 400 feet
    Fact—The FAA is responsible for the safety of U.S. airspace from the ground up. This misperception may originate with the idea that manned aircraft generally must stay at least 500 feet above the ground
    Dave Shaw
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    Learn to Build, Build to Fly, Fly for Fun

  5. #5

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    What is the real question? If you own an area the size of Texas and there is no one around but you, you are welcome to fly around at the speed of heat 10' AGL (14 CFR 91.119). The FAA is concerned with the safety of the public, not your safety, although other folks think that your safety falls into their baliwick. An example of FAA policy is airshow performers flying down to the surface.

    The flip side is that if you have a friend filming your flying in your Texas-sized real estate so you can post your skills for all of your friends on YouTube, you must fly at least 500' from that friend to avoid pointed questions.

    Best of luck,

    Wes

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    Ever consider the ultralight airplane? After proper training of course but the FAA rules ARE pretty minimal? And they don't really require 'thousands' of a acres from which to safely operate.

    Why do you ask?
    Last edited by CHICAGORANDY; 11-24-2019 at 08:03 AM.
    "Don't believe everything you see or read on the internet" - Abraham Lincoln

  7. #7
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WLIU View Post
    What is the real question? If you own an area the size of Texas and there is no one around but you, you are welcome to fly around at the speed of heat 10' AGL (14 CFR 91.119).
    Actually, you are not. The FAA very much will enforce several regulations stopping that as well (notably 91.117 and likely 91.813).

    Do not confuse when the FAA has relaxed rules (operation outside of controlled airspace) with the lack of authority.

  8. #8

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    Well you are conflating the original vagueness of the question with my response. If I win megabucks and am able to purchase the unpopulated area of say west Texas, I could apply for, and receive, an FAA Certificate of Authorization to operate in deviance of those FARs. I am very familiar with the airspace waiver process.

    All of that said, we still don't know whether the original question is really about the span of the FAA charter and authority, or whether the original poster had some more specific case in mind.

    Which is day that we would like to hear from the author of post #1.

    Best of luck,

    Wes

  9. #9
    Mayhemxpc's Avatar
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    Has anyone noticed that the original poster has not come back to clarify the question. Hey we been trolled?
    Chris Mayer
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  10. #10

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    I came back lots of times after the post. No one answered as of yet. I was just day dreaming about winning a power ball or what ever and how it would be nice to have some land and be able to sort of fly like the good old days even if its only 100 feet off the ground. It would be cool to have an old propliner to solo when ever you liked, just around the property. I guess a millionaire could go through legal channels to get what he or she wished to do on their own land.

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