Is AirMap safe to use?

skymonkey · Sep 27, 2019

The other day I was in the Florida keys in Marathon key approximately 1.9 miles from center of KMTH ( Marathon International Airport) class E airspace View attachment 114769. I herd a low flying helicopter and decided to see if it was safe to fly using AirMap

. AirMap showed no advisories and a green for all go. I was well within class E surface airspace which requires authorization from ATC

here is a couple of vids from my position
Would I have been safe to fly using AirMap?

DoomMeister · Sep 28, 2019

I checked the UAS Facility map here ArcGIS Web Application that shows the airspace as Class E at 700 ft surrounded by Class G airspace.

You are safe to fly there, but as always it is your responsibility to avoid and give right of way to manned aircraft. Helicopters do not have a minimum altitude they must maintain. As low as that chopper appeared to be my craft would have stayed grounded or no higher than the trees.

skymonkey · Sep 28, 2019

I was inside class E surface airspace which needs authorization from ATC to fly in such airspace. AirMap had zero advisories meaning I am good to fly there. If I did fly I would be in violation of 107.41 regulation.

WV. Rootman · Sep 28, 2019

Bad day for a kid to fly a kite who knows nothing about safe flying.

Adamborz · Sep 28, 2019

Is the class E airspace because of a towered or non-towered airport? If there is no tower (uncontrolled) you obviously can’t get ATC/FAA approval but that doesn’t mean you can’t fly there. Like posted above, if it class E from 700’ you’re good to go but you have to watch for manned aircraft/ gliders etc. Non-towered airports are magenta, blue are towered.

Look at this excerpt from sectional chart where I fly... Morgantown airport is in class G airspace. It’s outside the class E designation... Reading to the NW is class D controlled with class E approach to surface, with gliders to boot. I fly low and cautiously...

If in doubt, look at sectional chart..,

Capt KO · Sep 28, 2019

Scary stuff. Used to land at KMTH, a few times a year. Refuel after deliveries to Sugarloaf Lodge (worst short soft airstrip ever). Probably restricted airspace there too.

Marathon requires airport notification before drone flight.

Drone Information | Marathon, Florida

skymonkey · Sep 28, 2019

Here’s the sectional and where I was.

107.41 only references airspace where ATC authorization is required before flight, nothing about towered or non-towered airport. Where is it that tells me that I can legally fly within the airspace referenced above without ATC authorization as AirMap suggest?

Adamborz · Sep 28, 2019

There is a magenta ring around that airport so uncontrolled. You can’t get ATC/FAA approval since there isn’t a tower. Everything is visual only. I would call the airport and open dialogue about what you should do when you fly close by, and pay very close attention and maybe use a VO. I’d stay low for sure even though it’s class e from 700’ upward (not from surface).

Like you already saw, helicopters do what they want and you gotta keep clear...

And that dotted circle to the left of the arrow point means that is a non directional beacon

DoomMeister · Sep 29, 2019

Class E surface is a dashed magenta line on the sectional charts. Marathon does not have that. A good example is Leesburg Airport in the Jacksonville sectional. It has a Class E surface with ceiling at 0 AGL SE over Lake Dora.

The important part in all this is that as UAS pilots/operators it our responsibility to avoid manned aircraft, even if they are not flying in a safe/legal manner.

skymonkey · Sep 29, 2019

Got it! Don’t know how I missed it, thanks everyone.

Adamborz · Sep 29, 2019

The sectional I posted above has dashed magenta line for the approach to reading airport. Reading is class D with class E to surface on approach...

This is all a little confusing since us remote pilots don’t go to airports every time we fly (or ever in my case).

DoomMeister said:
Class E surface is a dashed magenta line on the sectional charts. Marathon does not have that. A good example is Leesburg Airport in the Jacksonville sectional. It has a Class E surface with ceiling at 0 AGL SE over Lake Dora.

The important part in all this is that as UAS pilots/operators it our responsibility to avoid manned aircraft, even if they are not flying in a safe/legal manner.

DoomMeister · Sep 29, 2019

skymonkey said:
Got it! Don’t know how I missed it, thanks everyone.

With the newer rules in effect things are constantly changing and not easy to keep up with especially for someone who is a GA pilot as well as UAS. The FAA website has all the information for free. It just takes time to go through everything. The ArcGIS Web Application I quoted earlier will have up to date info for LAANC and if you are 107 certified the airports in red can be accessed via DroneZone for authorization (not real time like those that are LAANC enabled).

DoomMeister · Sep 29, 2019

Adamborz said:
The sectional I posted above has dashed magenta line for the approach to reading airport. Reading is class D with class E to surface on approach...

This is all a little confusing since us remote pilots don’t go to airports every time we fly (or ever in my case).

The reading of sectional charts allows us to determine the airspace we are flying in and some of the apps like AirMap and Kittyhawk are quick checks for that. 107 certified pilots already are tested for their ability to read sectional charts and the time is quickly approaching when recreational pilots will have to do the same.

Adamborz · Sep 29, 2019

I have my 107 and it still confuses me a little haha! I find myself having to refresh my memory ever so often... and I do multiple jobs per week.

DoomMeister said:
The reading of sectional charts allows us to determine the airspace we are flying in and some of the apps like AirMap and Kittyhawk are quick checks for that. 107 certified pilots already are tested for their ability to read sectional charts and the time is quickly approaching when recreational pilots will have to do the same.