Question about flight outside of national forest

[Patrick Cooper]

I'm hoping to fly in Gatlinburg this weekend. I have my Part 107 and try to follow the rules but I'm a little confused. According to the VFR, where I am appears to be in Class G airspace and is just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Forest. However, the B4UFly app gives me a big DO NOT FLY YOUR AIRCRAFT message and the restricted area appears to go outside of the boonies of the national forest. Is this a glitch with the app or does the restricted area extend beyond the borders of the national forest? Does anyone know? I can't find any temporary flight restrictions or anything that suggests that I can't fly here. In fact, Google Gatlinburg drone video and you'll see a ton.

Any thoughts?

 

[macoman]

Found this in Google:
Knoxville McGee-Tyson Airport. The closest major airport to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is McGee-Tyson Airport in Alcoa, TN, just south of Knoxville and a 45-minute drive from Gatlinburg.

So you will need permission to fly from the airport tower.

 

[Patrick Cooper]

Since when do I have to consider an airport that is 45 minutes away though?

 

[Patrick Cooper]

Ah wait.... Looking at the VFR, I was looking at Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge GKT airport... Not where Gatlinburg is on the map. Looks like I'm just inside of an MOA area. I get it now

 

[barefootbeachcombing]

1. National Forests are not part of the National Park system. There are no restrictions on National Forest properties by themselves. So make sure that your terminology is correct.
2. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is part of the National Park system and it is prohibited to take off or land a drone within their boundaries. And the boundaries appear to be accurately shown on AirMap.
3. If you are flying Part 107, you do not need permission from the Knoxville McGee-Tyson Airport unless you are flying within their controlled airspace (which is Class C and which is shown on both AirMap and VFRMap and is not anywhere close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Sounds to me like a glitch. See the post above. The B4UFly app is not what you would call a respected app among most experienced drone enthusiasts. You might consider using some other app such as airmap. Good luck.

 

[Patrick Cooper]

1. National Forests are not part of the National Park system. There are no restrictions on National Forest properties by themselves. So make sure that your terminology is correct.
2. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is part of the National Park system and it is prohibited to take off or land a drone within their boundaries. And the boundaries appear to be accurately shown on AirMap.
3. If you are flying Part 107, you do not need permission from the Knoxville McGee-Tyson Airport unless you are flying within their controlled airspace (which is Class C and which is shown on both AirMap and VFRMap and is not anywhere close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Good info, I hadn't considered that there is a difference between national Forest and national Park. However, I do think I'm outside of both where I am. If you look at a map of national parks, Gatlinburg appears to be preside of both.

I agree the app sucks, but I try to use every resource available before flying in a questionable area. Having a part 107 certificate without any prior aeronautical knowledge tends to keep me a little gun shy

Thanks for the insight!