Aerobatics / Congested area

S

sbonek

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
232
Display Name
Display name:
Steve Bonek
I was working around the house yesterday, and heard a couple planes go over the house, which on a nice flying day isn't out the ordinary. I heard one that sounded different, the engine noises were changing as if somebody was doing quick climbs and descends or something, and it seemed farther away than the normal Cessna or Piper just passing over. So as is customary, I headed out to see what was up.

What I saw appeared to be a Pitts, and it was over the town at a relatively high altitude (probably 5,500 to 6,500 AGL) doing some loops, and I also saw either a flat-spin or a normal spin. I watched it for a few minutes, then figured I should grab my transceiver to see if he was talking over the CTAF, I might be able to get his tail number.

A few minutes later, I heared a Pitts enter the pattern at MQJ.

The FAR's say:

Sec. 91.303

Aerobatic flight.

No person may operate an aircraft in aerobatic flight--
(a) Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement;


I'm going to guess that a town of about 15,000 would be considered a congested city or town. However, is the fact that I saw what appeared to be a Pitts and a few minutes later a Pitts entered the pattern at MQJ enough to tell somebody about this? I'm pretty confident it was probably the same a/c, but who's to say there weren't 2 Pitts in the area?
 
Was it actually OVER the town? Or did it just look that way? With heights and angles, and the such, he might have been outside the congested area. Then again, he might not have been.
 
EdFred said:
Was it actually OVER the town? Or did it just look that way? With heights and angles, and the such, he might have been outside the congested area. Then again, he might not have been.
Click to expand...

good question, and I can't say 100% for sure. They flew directly over my house, but they weren't do anything but straight and level at the time. We are on the west side of the town, and when I saw the spin, he was a little west of us. Of course there is another, smaller town west of us, so they might have been over it during that time.

As I think about it more, I'm not sure there is enough evidence to do anything given that I can't say 100% that the same Pitts that entered the pattern is the one I saw airborne (although I've never seen a Pitts out here before, so the odds are pretty good it was the same a/c) and that he might not have been "over" the town when doing the loops, but he was definately close.
 
gibbons said:
No, not in my opinion.
Click to expand...

i agree. i find this situation would be a great opportunity for you to a)learn a lot about aerobatics and b) become rest assured that he wasnt over town. how to do this you ask? drive to the airport. strike up a conversation. this would be particularly easy to do if you are an aerobatics n00b, otherwise play dumb. say you saw him flying, ask what kind of tricks he does, etc. somewhere slip in there, "what area do you usually fly in?" he replies "west of town" you say "oh good ill keep an eye out for you out there" if you really sweet talk him maybe he'll give you a ride.
 
This could have been over the town providing a special waiver was received; usually specifying a specific location, time, duration of flight and minimum altitude.
 
McBuzz said:
This could have been over the town providing a special waiver was received; usually specifying a specific location, time, duration of flight and minimum altitude.
Click to expand...
Unlikely -- the FAA usually requires the surface below an aerobatic demo to be cleared.
 
tonycondon said:
i agree. i find this situation would be a great opportunity for you to a)learn a lot about aerobatics and b) become rest assured that he wasnt over town. how to do this you ask? drive to the airport. strike up a conversation. this would be particularly easy to do if you are an aerobatics n00b, otherwise play dumb. say you saw him flying, ask what kind of tricks he does, etc. somewhere slip in there, "what area do you usually fly in?" he replies "west of town" you say "oh good ill keep an eye out for you out there" if you really sweet talk him maybe he'll give you a ride.
Click to expand...

if I see it happen again, I will definately do that. This is the first time I've ever seen an aerobatic plane anywhere near our house, and we've lived here for 7 years. So it was very out of character for the normal traffic we see.


I wasn't worried, but my fear was if some of the neighboors start complaining.
 
You see a lot of odd things, once you are aware of the regulations. I saw someone doing hammerheads over south Federal Way, under the south approach to SEA (under the Seattle Class B. Not sure if the Class B above at that point was 1600 or 3000 MSL (close to the edge), but the top of the hammerhead had to be into the Class B and was certainly over a conjested area and started at under 1000 AGL. Several problems with all that. I was in a car at the time, and unable to monitor the radio and not close enough to get a tail number.
 
...or, you could go down to the local town square and get the tag numbers of people who don't put on their turn signal...or come to a complete stop at the stop sign...
 
nosehair said:
...or, you could go down to the local town square and get the tag numbers of people who don't put on their turn signal...or come to a complete stop at the stop sign...
Click to expand...

turn signals? those actually work? I find that hard to believe based on how many people I actually see use them.
 
sbonek said:
turn signals? those actually work? I find that hard to believe based on how many people I actually see use them.
Click to expand...

When you see a car in the south with a turn signal on, you can rest assured the lever was in that position when the car was purchased.
 
i always use my turn signals...except when Kent is riding with me :yes:
 
nosehair said:
...or, you could go down to the local town square and get the tag numbers of people who don't put on their turn signal...or come to a complete stop at the stop sign...
Click to expand...
I think I would ignore the turn signal thing. But if someone is all over the road driving drunk, or goes up the freeway offramp the wrong way, I think I will call 911. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top