G'day...I live in Sutherland Shire, Sydney. Yesterday I flew for about the fourth or fifth time at Cronulla north from the helipad at Wanda beach car park (Bate Bay Road). After putting my P3A into my car I was sitting in no hurry to go home and a female came over to my window. After a polite hello etc she said did I know there are height restrictions when flying in this area? Yes I know what the restrictions are I was under 400 feet. It's 120 feet she said. Since when? About six months ago. Also you are less than 30 metres from vehicles. My vehicle was about 12 metres from the centre of the helipad, separated by a fence, and only one other vehicle was closer than 30 metres and empty. She then handed me a flyer put out by CASA the Australian equal of the FAA in the USA. The first thing I noticed was it stated height limit 400 feet or 120 metres...in other words she didn't know that feet and metres are not the same! As there were two police vehicles parked about 80 metres away in the same car park as I was, I asked if she was with those officers (she had walked from their direction). No I'm not with the police she said. Nor did she identify who or what she represented. Any one else had this happen any where else, either here or overseas? The flyer was titled Flying with Control? Get to know the rules, and under the heading Important Safety Information said congratulations on your purchase, so presumably this is supposed to be included with merchandise relating to our hobby? Additionally the MAAA logo and website were shown.
Aussies, what about this?
- Thread starter BarryM
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Yes this is the exact same flyer she gave me, yellow with black printing. You'd think if you hand out some printed information that you'd al least know something about it, especially if you're quoting the height restriction? And somehow at this location a couple of dozen vehicles would have to be moved so as to be 30 metres from the helipad when a search and rescue helicopter landed (or a police chopper) their owners would likely be on the beach maybe 3 klms away? CASA GET REAL!!
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Maybe they should start with presenting themselves first and show their authorised ID card like the fisheries do LOL.
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Actually the ones that get you are that flying over beaches with people is specifically called out AND a helipad is technically something you can't fly within 5km of under CASA rules.
Well your opinion I guess. This helipad is not under air traffic control of any sort. I never fly above the beach here, only over vegetated sand which runs parallel to the beach, and from 400 ft. the view is good enough to avoid overflying people below. If a helicopter ever malfunctioned on approach to or from this helipad there would be a fair amount of destruction, if not death. Hopefully it will never happen.
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