Stop Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operations Within The National Airspace System

Petitioning US Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
Stop Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operations Within The National Airspace System

Dear fellow airmen and airline passengers,

Please take a moment to make our skies safer, and sign the petition:

http://www.change.org/petitions/us-department-of-transportation-federal-aviation-administration-stop-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-operations-within-the-national-airspace-system


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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are currently unable to comply with the
fundamental basis for collision avoidance within the National Airspace System:
See and Avoid.

Here's the federal regulation:

CFR Title 14 Aeronautics and Space SUBCHAPTER F--AIR TRAFFIC AND
GENERAL OPERATING RULES PART 91--GENERAL OPERATING AND FLIGHT
RULES
§ 91.113 Right-of-way rules
(b) General. When weather conditions permit, regardless of whether
an operation is conducted under instrument flight rules or visual
flight rules, vigilance shall be maintained by each person
operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft.

Currently the FAA permits UAV operations within the same airspace as airline
operations. That creates a public hazard to US air commerce.

While the FAA does require a ground observer or chase-plane for such UAV
operations, the fact is that the private UAV operators often fail to comply
with that requirement, thus posing a mid-air collision hazard.

Because UAVs were designed for military use, these blind UAVs, incapable of
complying with the regulations all other users of the National Airspace system
must observe, should only be permitted to operate within Restricted military
airspace, and not jeopardize public safety.

Current UAV operations pose a public hazard to airline travelers and other
flyers. It is irresponsible for the Federal Aviation Administration to permit
blind UAV operations within the same airspace used by manned aircraft that are
required to see-and-avoid. Stop this dangerous practice NOW!
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Please E-mail your family and associates, and Tweet to get the word out. Send
this link: http://chn.ge/1enQSPd.

I was personally involved in an incident with a UAV that was reported by Joshua
Approach as being at my altitude and five miles ahead. The UAV pilot failed to
respond to repeated ATC calls, and I was forced to change altitude to avoid the
pilotless aircraft. A subsequent FOIA request failed to indicate any observer
chase aircraft in the vicinity, and there's no way a UAV spotter on the ground
could have seen us from over a mile below.

It's my understanding, that there is a bill before Congress to deploy more of
these blind hazards along our southern boarder, and there are six "UAS test
areas" being developed within the NAS. We've got to do something to stop this
potentially deadly encroachment by deep-pocketed military contractors with
powerful lobbying power.

Make your voice heard. Sign now: http://chn.ge/1enQSPd.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Larry Dighera