Stupid Pilot Tricks

Larry Dighera wrote:
On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:03:10 -0400, "Blueskies"
wrote in
:

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above
the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In
those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet
to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

Note "Structure" here. The bridge is a structure, and unless it was
over 500' above the water, the pilot was in violation.

That's a reasonable interpretation. So it may be within FAA
regulations to fly under high bridges.

We had a local pilot land at a sandbar down at a the river. While he was
there the wind shifted 180 deg. So he had to take off in the other
direction. This required him to fly under a bridge. (Pretty high bridge). A
Sherriff's Deputy saw this and he was met at the airport by another deputy.
He as he was pushing the plane into the hanger the deputy was talking about
giving him a ticket. Our hero just asked, "For what?" The deputy mumbled and
left.

A week or so later our hero gets a call from the FSDO and was asked about
the flight. The first words out of his mouth were, "I was taking off..." The
FAA guy said thank you for your time and try next time to not upset the
local peace officers.

The moral to the story is that at least around here that little part about
"except during take-off and landing" seems to pull some weight with the FAA.

On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:03:48 -0500, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in
:

Larry Dighera wrote:
On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:03:10 -0400, "Blueskies"
wrote in
:

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above
the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In
those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet
to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

Note "Structure" here. The bridge is a structure, and unless it was
over 500' above the water, the pilot was in violation.

That's a reasonable interpretation. So it may be within FAA
regulations to fly under high bridges.

We had a local pilot land at a sandbar down at a the river. While he was
there the wind shifted 180 deg. So he had to take off in the other
direction. This required him to fly under a bridge. (Pretty high bridge). A
Sherriff's Deputy saw this and he was met at the airport by another deputy.
He as he was pushing the plane into the hanger the deputy was talking about
giving him a ticket. Our hero just asked, "For what?" The deputy mumbled and
left.

A week or so later our hero gets a call from the FSDO and was asked about
the flight. The first words out of his mouth were, "I was taking off..." The
FAA guy said thank you for your time and try next time to not upset the
local peace officers.

The moral to the story is that at least around here that little part about
"except during take-off and landing" seems to pull some weight with the FAA.


Thanks for the information.

That would be this part:

§ 91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General.
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may
operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

It also may explain why there used to be (late '90s?) a note on the
Los Angeles TCA chart warning pilots of ropes hanging below the
Vincent Thomas Bridge in LA harbor not too far from where HR Hughes
flew the Spruce Goose on its only flight.

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
news
Note "Structure" here. The bridge is a structure, and unless it was over
500' above the water, the pilot was in
violation.

That's a reasonable interpretation. So it may be within FAA
regulations to fly under high bridges.


Somebody could make a list of bridges in America under which it's legal to
fly. Boy, that would ruffle some feathers! Reminds me of that great
Spitfire/bridge scene from the "Piece of Cake" miniseries.

-c

In article ,
"Gatt" wrote:

Note "Structure" here. The bridge is a structure, and unless it was over
500' above the water, the pilot was in
violation.

That's a reasonable interpretation. So it may be within FAA
regulations to fly under high bridges.


Somebody could make a list of bridges in America under which it's legal to
fly. Boy, that would ruffle some feathers! Reminds me of that great
Spitfire/bridge scene from the "Piece of Cake" miniseries.

Here is one for you...
The Millau viaduct is part of the new E11 expressway connecting Paris
and Barcelona and features the highest bridge piers ever constructed.
The tallest is 240 meters (787 feet) high and the overall height will be
an impressive 336 meters (1102 feet), making this the highest bridge in
the world.

GOOGLE "Millau viaduct" for lots of pictures and more information.

"john smith" wrote in message
...

Somebody could make a list of bridges in America under which it's legal
to
fly. Boy, that would ruffle some feathers! Reminds me of that great
Spitfire/bridge scene from the "Piece of Cake" miniseries.

Here is one for you...
The Millau viaduct is part of the new E11 expressway connecting Paris
and Barcelona and features the highest bridge piers ever constructed.
The tallest is 240 meters (787 feet) high and the overall height will be
an impressive 336 meters (1102 feet), making this the highest bridge in
the world.

No kidding...that bridge is a masterpiece. I'd fly under it!

-c

"john smith" wrote in message ...
In article ,
"Gatt" wrote:

Note "Structure" here. The bridge is a structure, and unless it was over
500' above the water, the pilot was in
violation.

That's a reasonable interpretation. So it may be within FAA
regulations to fly under high bridges.


Somebody could make a list of bridges in America under which it's legal to
fly. Boy, that would ruffle some feathers! Reminds me of that great
Spitfire/bridge scene from the "Piece of Cake" miniseries.

Here is one for you...
The Millau viaduct is part of the new E11 expressway connecting Paris
and Barcelona and features the highest bridge piers ever constructed.
The tallest is 240 meters (787 feet) high and the overall height will be
an impressive 336 meters (1102 feet), making this the highest bridge in
the world.

GOOGLE "Millau viaduct" for lots of pictures and more information.


How far between the piers? Less that 1000' ?

On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 15:14:34 -0700, "Gatt"
wrote in :

Somebody could make a list of bridges in America under which it's legal to
fly.

Glen Canyon Dam bridge is 1,271 feet long, and about 700 feet over the
Colorado River.