KPDX area and 4th of july fireworks & flying

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Marty" wrote in message
...

In most cases the Display Operator contacts the controlling facility and
works out any details during the permit application process.
In the case of a display being conducted within an airports' controlled
airspace, The operator contacts the control tower just prior to the
beginning of the show and after the conclusion. It is up to the
controlling
facility whether the airport is closed, traffic rerouted, or no change
of
operation. That decision is based on weather, the proximity of the
display
site and the location of the display site in regards to runway
approaches/departures in use.

Many displays are conducted on the city airport property and are closed
when
the fireworks arrive on field. NOTAMs would be put out in this case.

I have done several displays at Kemper arena in downtown Kansas City and
worked with the KC Downtown tower many times and we handled traffic
differently at different times but never closed the airport. Usually it
was
up to me to stop the display if a plane was on approach. The ultimate
authority/responsibility is on the shoulders of the Display Operator.

So, if your buddy gets to close to the display, the show will be halted
till
he leaves. It is that simple. I have had to stop a number of them for
this
reason.

I live in De Pere, Wisconsin, a nice little city that holds an annual
festival over Memorial Day weekend. Part of the celebration is a
fireworks
display at a large municipal park on the river that splits the city. I am
an air traffic controller, the park is in a Class C surface area, and I
was
working the night of the fireworks display. A small airplane departed the
airport on a sightseeing flight shortly before the fireworks began, he was
going to watch the display from a vantage point right over the park, which
is about 3.4 miles from the airport. A short time after the display began
I
received a phone call from the Brown County Sheriff. They had received a
call from the De Pere Police Department who wanted to know if I was
communicating with an airplane that was circling over the fireworks
display.
I told them I was, and then they told me that I was to ORDER the airplane
out of the area. I replied that the De Pere Police Department had no
jurisdiction over any airspace, and suggested that if they believed the
fireworks display posed a hazard to air navigation they should halt the
fireworks activity. I also told them I would relay the REQUEST of the De
Pere Police Department to the pilot. I did so, and the pilot elected to
return to the airport.

Now I knew about the upcoming fireworks display because I am a De Pere
resident, but nobody else in the facility did. Class C airspace extends
to
the surface within a five mile radius of the airport, the fireworks
display
was well within that area, and there was no notification given to the air
traffic control facility prior to the display. I would think that some
type
of notification/approval would be required when this type of activity is
conducted near an airport. Since the federal government regulates
airspace,
I'd expect it to be a federal requirement.


Steve,

Your actions were spot on!
It is the responsibility of the display operator to halt the display if an
aircraft gets too close., PERIOD. It is not your problem, it is the
operators. Generally the authority having jurisdiction is the Fire
Department, not the police. The Fire Depts.authority is limited to code
compliance. The responsibility of safely discharging the display rests upon
the Lead Operator of the display and only him/her.

One suggestion, contact the local Fire Dept.and inform them that the airport
is to be contacted when they permit a fireworks display and that the Display
Operator is to contact the tower prior to and at the conclusion of the
display. They may want this in writing.

On one of those displays at Kemper Arena, I contacted the tower as usual.
The tower Mgr.told me to hold off a min.there is a problem. Within 30 secs.a
police helicopter flew into the area. There had been a shooting at a
"Haunted House"and they were searching for the culprits. In another 5
mins.we had Cops all around us because the culprits had fled to our area.
The show didn't go that night obviously and I called the tower to inform
them when the decision was made.

Another situation came up when I was to do a fireworks demonstration in
Wichita, KS. The Kansas Division Mgr. for our company made all the
arrangements. I was to conduct the demo.on Cessna property, namely the
employees recreation area. This is located next to the airstrip. Well, after
completing the setup I thought I would call the airport and tell them the
show was a go and they asked what show? I explained to them what was
happening. After the initial shock they began to ask the usual, can my
family come watch? is it open to the public?
The show went fine but after this problem and other problems with the
Mgr.,he was fed a plate of unemployment the next morning for breakfast.

Prudence dictates communication and cooperation IMHO. I'd be really ****ed
if some jerk started a (commercial) fireworks display in MY airspace without
notification!

Marty