Hypothetical question of landing on Cape Cod Bay sand flats

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silvercreek

Filing Flight Plan
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Silvercreek
I was talking with someone who grew up spending a lot of time on the Cape with a pilot that owned a plane back in the 70’s. She fondly remembered a time when he landed on the exposed dry sand flats, at low tide, a half mile off the shore in Cape Cod Bay. She quickly followed this up by saying “of course, you could never get away with that these days.”

Which got me thinking... is this against any regs? I checked the sectional and don’t see anything that should prevent it. I have no intention of actually doing this, so this post is really just a thought exercise.

What are your collective thoughts?
 

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No reg I could think of, but if you can't take off, the feds would nail you for salvage and environmental remediation.
 
I think you mean Billingsgate Island? I don't see exposed shoals in the area indicated in the original post.
https://charts.noaa.gov/PDFs/13250.pdf

On nice days, you're likely to have everyone with a jet ski or small boat parked there and running around making it hard to avoid flying close to someone.
The NOAA Marine sanctuary close by may also be an issue.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
On nice days, you're likely to have everyone with a jet ski or small boat parked there and running around making it hard to avoid flying close to someone.
Click to expand...
Flying close to someone isn’t a legal issue for the purposes of takeoff and landing.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
I think you mean Billingsgate Island? I don't see exposed shoals in the area indicated in the original post.
https://charts.noaa.gov/PDFs/13250.pdf

On nice days, you're likely to have everyone with a jet ski or small boat parked there and running around making it hard to avoid flying close to someone.
The NOAA Marine sanctuary close by may also be an issue.
Click to expand...
Great chart. The area I'm referring to is the green section just off the coast, extending 1/4 - 1/2 mile from shore. This area is completely exposed at low tide, but underwater at high tide. Billingsgate, while a cool island to visit by boat, would be a bit too rocky I imagine.

Bystanders would definitely be a concern in any location. I imagine you'd have to to a flyby or two before to find a spot with nobody around...
 
MauleSkinner said:
Flying close to someone isn’t a legal issue for the purposes of takeoff and landing.
Click to expand...
It is if they won't move out of the way :)

I was attempting not to overly dramatic and say "run over someone". Most of the public won't understand that you are landing or taking off until you are too close to avoid them. They aren't familiar with operations off of an airport. Many people are also scared of things beyond their knowledge and will call the police or whoever on you, even when it is legal. That gives the FAA a chance to throw the catchall "reckless operation" at you.

Legal != smart, at least in today's world.
 
I've walked those flats as a kid. NB the tide comes in quickly* in Cape Cod Bay. Plan your departure accordingly!

* The slope of the sand bar surface is so close to being flat, that an inch of water rise moves the water's edge a long way. You don't want to be taking off through an inch of salt water!

-Skip
 
Cape Cod is in Massachusetts. You would be pilloried, conform.
 
Skip Miller said:
I've walked those flats as a kid. NB the tide comes in quickly* in Cape Cod Bay. Plan your departure accordingly!

* The slope of the sand bar surface is so close to being flat, that an inch of water rise moves the water's edge a long way. You don't want to be taking off through an inch of salt water!

-Skip
Click to expand...

Tide tables are very important to know when landing on beaches.
 
FAA won't care.

Local municipality may very much care.

FAA controls airspace, local governments control the land use. It is up to them.

...so in that case, unless there is something prohibiting you from...
 
Thanks all! Excellent responses (expected nothing less). :cool:
 
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