Defintion of Aircraft

Hovercraft and surface-effect craft are not regulated by the FAA. How
high must one fly before one falls under the pervue of the FAA? Is
there an official definition of "aircraft" that excludes hovercraft and
surface effect vehilcles?

-Thanks
-Charles Talleyrand

14 CFR 1.1 General definitions: "Aircraft" means a device that is used
or intended to be used for flight in the air.

But a hovercraft is intended to be used for flight in the air, only
just VERY low flight. Some surface effect vehicles can get 10 feet up
in the air and move 60 mph.

Does anyone know the official definition of "flight"?
-Thanks
-Charles Talleyrand

On 12 Dec 2004 20:27:56 -0800, "Charles Talleyrand"
wrote:

But a hovercraft is intended to be used for flight in the air, only
just VERY low flight. Some surface effect vehicles can get 10 feet up
in the air and move 60 mph.

Does anyone know the official definition of "flight"?
-Thanks
-Charles Talleyrand

....But they do not operate out of Ground Effect which has already been
offered as a way to define it. Don't know that you'll get any better
than that, but I think its a pretty good one.

z

zatatime wrote in
:

On 12 Dec 2004 20:27:56 -0800, "Charles Talleyrand"
wrote:

But a hovercraft is intended to be used for flight in the air, only
just VERY low flight. Some surface effect vehicles can get 10 feet up
in the air and move 60 mph.

Does anyone know the official definition of "flight"?
-Thanks
-Charles Talleyrand

...But they do not operate out of Ground Effect which has already been
offered as a way to define it. Don't know that you'll get any better
than that, but I think its a pretty good one.

z


About 20 years ago I took the hovercraft from Dover to Calais. I remember
that the ticket had a time and flight number. The channel was very choppy
that day (from memory, the swells were over 6 meters high) and the "flight"
was almost cancelled. It is the only time I came close to having a flight
cancelled due to high seas!

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

Charles Talleyrand wrote:
Hovercraft and surface-effect craft are not regulated by the FAA. How
high must one fly before one falls under the pervue of the FAA? Is
there an official definition of "aircraft" that excludes hovercraft and
surface effect vehilcles?

I'm not sure there is a precise explanation but things that can't operate out of
ground effect to operate probably could escape FAA regulation.

Charles Talleyrand wrote:
Hovercraft and surface-effect craft are not regulated by the FAA.
How
high must one fly before one falls under the pervue of the FAA? Is
there an official definition of "aircraft" that excludes hovercraft
and
surface effect vehilcles?

The federal gov't (currently the FAA) controls the "navigatable
airspace", per a ruling by the Supreme Court in the early part of
1910's. If you alter air traffic, you'll get a visit.

-Robert, CFI

Charles Talleyrand wrote:

Hovercraft and surface-effect craft are not regulated by the FAA.

How

high must one fly before one falls under the pervue of the FAA? Is
there an official definition of "aircraft" that excludes hovercraft

and

surface effect vehilcles?

Yeah, aircraft that fly thru the air are aircraft and thus regulated by
the FAA. Hovercraft and surface effect craft don't fly, take the ground
away and they don't work.

Newps wrote :
Yeah, aircraft that fly thru the air are aircraft and thus regulated
by
the FAA.

It can't be that simple. Don't radio controlled aircraft fly through
the air (out of ground effect)?
Just wondering,

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

wrote in message
oups.com...
Newps wrote :
Yeah, aircraft that fly thru the air are aircraft and thus regulated
by
the FAA.

It can't be that simple. Don't radio controlled aircraft fly through
the air (out of ground effect)?
Just wondering,

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

John,

IIRC, immediately after 9/11 there was some talk amongst the R/C folks that
the FAA was looking at actually trying to regulate all R/C flying.

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ