B4Ufly question

steve stein · Dec 3, 2016

No drone yet but I'm learning quite a bit from everyone here. I live in Westchester County, NY and when I ran the app there is the local airport showing up but also a ton of heliport locations for Hospitals, Corporations, etc. Do I need to notify any of them or just if I'm flying within range of the airport (and Sing Sing prison and Indian Point nuclear). Much appreciated.

Best.... Steve

Mark The Droner · Dec 3, 2016

That's kind of a grey area, even if some say it's not. I suggest you read Part 101 and related documents and make a judgement on what you think is best. You can also search this site for discussions, some heated, that have already taken place.

powellkwa · Dec 4, 2016

I would agree with Mark. Quite a few people take launching too lightly. I too live in a class C airspace and am often at odds with the restrictions placed because of that. I fly below the tree line. Jets never come over me so I figured it did not matter how high I flew. Then as you mentioned I looked on B4UFLY and noticed/remembered that there is a heliport for LifeFlight the WOULD go over me.

I am not willing to take that chance that I could impede or delay them so I will fly elsewhere. I live in the Columbia Gorge and there are many beautiful places to fly that are not regulated.

Just my thoughts.

smiller · Dec 5, 2016

As with life in general you pretty much have to apply common sense to many of the rules. If you are 4.5 miles away from a lightly-used uncontrolled private airport or seldom used 'heliports' (might be some paintings in a corporation parking lot) and you are flying below a few hundred feet and out of the way of any common approach/departure routes, well, you just have the weight the practicality of notifying all of those before flight (if it is even possible, and it probably won't be) or not flying at all.

Kman · Dec 5, 2016

Use Home - AirMap - they have an app too. Much better than the (Removed By Mod ) B4UFLY app. That app is garbage.

HarleyKen · Mar 26, 2017

powellkwa said:
I would agree with Mark. Quite a few people take launching too lightly. I too live in a class C airspace and am often at odds with the restrictions placed because of that. I fly below the tree line. Jets never come over me so I figured it did not matter how high I flew. Then as you mentioned I looked on B4UFLY and noticed/remembered that there is a heliport for LifeFlight the WOULD go over me.

I am not willing to take that chance that I could impede or delay them so I will fly elsewhere. I live in the Columbia Gorge and there are many beautiful places to fly that are not regulated.

Just my thoughts.

And then you get people like this butthead. Look at the reviews.