I have an "airport" nearby

[Ed Staffin]

Hi,
If you could call it that. It's Sugarloaf Key Airfield. It's a ramshackle private runway that is used soley for taking tourists up for a tandem skydive experience. The reason, I mention it is because whenever I turn GO or Litchi it complains that I within 5 miles of an airport and I should notify the control tower ... blah, blah blah.

There is no control tower. It's just some guys taking tourists up for a thrill in little cessnas. If there are more than 5 flights a day I'd be surprised.

Do I have anything I really need to do here? It's a half mile from my house. I'm more likely to give one of the tourist a haircut that I am hitting a plane. Even that is REALLY unlikely.

Guidance?
Thanks ... Ed

 

[captainmilehigh]

Not a towered field, so I'd just use good judgement like you have and keep flying. If you happen to see the plane/pilot on the field sometime you could always let the guy know what you are doing, and you pose no threat to his aircraft or flights. ( I'm speaking as a ATP/corporate pilot myself. A little common courtesy goes a long way)

Tandem skydive huh? There's no way I'm jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft. Haha. [emoji849]


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[Ed Staffin]

Thanks. As to the skydiving ... you and me both brother!

 

[Technodynamic]

I have a similar situation. I technically have 3 airfields "near" my house. The closest one is a heliport for a 24/7 hospital. To be a responsible drone pilot, I called the front desk and asked for "the person who manages incoming traffic for the heliport". It took me several calls, several people forwarded the call to someone else, blah blah blah. Eventually the VP of Operations calls me from the hospital and says they have no drone policy, and that the helipads are used for rare unplanned emergency services that bring people in. There was nobody for me to contact when I planned on flying. As long as I wasn't on the hospital grounds, he was okay with me taking flights.

He applauded me for reaching out and doing the right think, took my info down, said if they ever had a need for drone video/photos he'd call me as the first person to do business with.

And I have permission to fly now, without the need to contact them. So it may be worth the call to establish a relationship.

 

[captainmilehigh]

I have a similar situation. I technically have 3 airfields "near" my house. The closest one is a heliport for a 24/7 hospital. To be a responsible drone pilot, I called the front desk and asked for "the person who manages incoming traffic for the heliport". It took me several calls, several people forwarded the call to someone else, blah blah blah. Eventually the VP of Operations calls me from the hospital and says they have no drone policy, and that the helipads are used for rare unplanned emergency services that bring people in. There was nobody for me to contact when I planned on flying. As long as I wasn't on the hospital grounds, he was okay with me taking flights.

He applauded me for reaching out and doing the right think, took my info down, said if they ever had a need for drone video/photos he'd call me as the first person to do business with.

And I have permission to fly now, without the need to contact them. So it may be worth the call to establish a relationship.

Absolutely. A little common courtesy goes a long way in maintaining a positive relationship with nearby airfields. Then, everybody's happy. [emoji3]


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[BigAl07]

As suggested I think making contact and getting a feel what what the operator (even if it's just the pilot) would like from you. He most likely will chuckle and say "Go have fun and don't worry about calling me" or he could say, "Here's my cell # just give me a courtesy call before you launch so we are on the same page".

Who knows you might get an offer to go for a ride with him and create a new friendship (which is always good when the guy has his own PLANE).

 

[USsUASDriver]

As the others have said, proactive contact is good and most operators will appreciate you reaching out. If you're not 1/2 mile just off the ends of the runway, it seems unlikely that you will pose a conflict for landing/departing aircraft. From a regulatory standpoint (USA), all you are required to do is advise the airport manager or ATC facility; you don't need to get explicit permission (unless they tell you that they believe the operation poses a hazard).

Some airspace trivia FYI: you're also under the CONDOR-1 MOA which shouldn't be a factor in your case with the floor of the MOA @ 7000'. Way way west of you (near Watertown) are some MOAs that go down to 100' AGL. I suspect that the DJI Go app mentions such MOAs, but not sure how aware non-pilots are of what that might mean to them. Should anyone ever need additional information on MOA's, they can be found on FAA sectional charts - sample MOA Table from the current Montreal Sectional attached.

Looks like a pretty part of the country! Have fun and fly safe.

 

[Big Al KY]

Not a towered field, so I'd just use good judgement like you have and keep flying. If you happen to see the plane/pilot on the field sometime you could always let the guy know what you are doing, and you pose no threat to his aircraft or flights. ( I'm speaking as a ATP/corporate pilot myself. A little common courtesy goes a long way)

Tandem skydive huh? There's no way I'm jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft. Haha. [emoji849]


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Tandem skydiving is a blast for sure. Done it many times in my "hey days"

 

[ftttu]

I'm getting some message about a Class D airport when I start up, but the only airport remotely close is a now defunct airport about 2.5 miles from my house. The buildings have been leveled and the runway ripped up so I'm guessing the software guys need to update that info. In the meantime, I just turn the "Geo System" switch off in General Settings of DJI Go so I don't keep getting that message.

Also, it effects me when I try to use tap fly. I want to do distance runs toward the direction of that now defunct airport butt it won't allow me to use that feature. Eventually, I will get off my but to see who I can contact to update that info.

 

[Ed Staffin]

Thanks all. I called the "airport" and they said, "no worries."