Recent content by SkySensei

You are 100% wrong. A drone is most definitely considered an "aircraft". This is right off the FAA's home page - Unmanned Aircraft Systems "An unmanned aircraft system (UAS), sometimes called a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot onboard – instead, the UAS is controlled from an...

Enough time for reasonable attempts to contact and intercept an intruding aircraft and if necessary, launch against it. That radius is not arbitrary. Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

It depends on the specific ones you get. I run a set of no-name eBay specials and they work well and do not affect the sensors (they also increase visibility) but there are some people that have had issues. If you're buying aftermarket it's a good question to ask ahead of time so you can...

Yea I miss those days. The Be99 (and the Chieftain) are absolute tanks. Rock solid airplanes and the flying I did was REAL flying - hands-on, no glass cockpit sissy stuff - steam gauges and all pilot skill (autopilot? What's that?). I'd love to get back into the game but doubt I could...

I'm being serious... reading the FAA's web site, its very clear that UNAIDED line of sight is a requirement whether you're operating under P.L. 112-95, Section 336 "hobby" rules or 14 CFR Part 107 regulations. You can also use an observer (which as a practical matter probably makes the most...

Back in the days before 9/11 you could (and I did) fly over Disneyland with no issue - simple Part 91 rules applied (minimum safe altitude and 1,000' above highest object in a congested area, which virtually all of SoCal is charted as). Post 9/11 it has been restricted via a permanent TFR...

Guess so... I shouldn't ask. Don't want to know! Keep in mind the requirement though. I'd think posting about super long-range (obviously BVR) flights is a potential invitation for enforcement action. Be careful guys! Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

I've wondered if it's possible to do an in-flight motor stop and then restart / recovery in mid fall. I'm far too chicken to try it for real though (you'd have to start pretty high so you have time during the recovery) and while I suspect it'd work, I'm not willing to lose my drone ($$$)...

Be99 Airliner. Most of my time Part 135 in Chieftains and Navajos. All single-pilot IFR. Fun days... Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

How can you possibly keep unaided line-of-sight at all times at these distances? I find it hard enough to re-acquire my drone at distances over 1500' or so if I look away or at the screen display and then shift back to looking at it. It's pretty hard to see big things a few miles out, much...

Some fog layers are very thin and you're up above them at 50' or 100'. I've seen mornings in FL when the airports were reporting near 0/0 conditions (0' ceiling, 0 visibility) due to fog but when flying over, you could see the tops of multi-story buildings and towers sticking up above it...

Can't you send it back to DJI for service? Ouch, expensive lesson. Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Haven't these local yokel bureaucrats ever heard of the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution? Get your popcorn out! Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Always go the headwind leg first! [emoji16] Also, you might've gained a bit more range by trying different altitudes as well. Wind is definitely NOT the same at different altitudes and you can also get some limited ground effect benefit if you're willing to get low (just not TOO low...) I've...

Any crack is obviously bad but is there a way to tell whether or not this is just a crack in the plastic shell or whether it extends into the frame / support beneath? It's quite possible this is just superficial but of course you want to check it before you fly. 99% of the problems I deal...