FAA Closed Airspace at train derailment.

[Railfan-Eric]

Seeing this news report: Rescue efforts underway for 3 railroad employees after trains collide near Panhandle, TX
Looks like FAA closed the airspace. Is this a new thing now to keep drone flyers from getting up close footage of the derailments? it's already bad enough trying to get up close ground shots when fire and police and railroad police block everything off a long ways away and nobody can get decent photos or videos. but blocking off the air too? As a railfan I would like to be able to capture all aspects of railroading especially derailments. Sure enough on know before you fly website the airspace is blocked for a 5 mile radius at Panhandle TX. how can one get aerial shots from that distance. stupid government and law enforcement being bullies. Funny though i saw a low res video from a helicopter on that news site.

 

[Gulfstream]

It's a Major Disaster area that will have Air Resources of all types inbound to the location. Medical / Rescue, Law Enforcement, Transportation (NTSB) Officials etc. Considering the magnitude of the situation, it's NOT uncommon for the FAA to establish a TFR over the incident.

Not only does it happen for Wildfires, we had one established here in the L.A. area for a large methane gas leak from an underground well, for almost 90 days.

I don't think they are trying to restrict news gathering, they are just trying to keep the airspace safe for the amount of traffic that will be in the area. ATC wants to be "talking" to every airplane in the airspace, and provide "positive" control for traffic avoidance.

 

[FASTFJR]

Are you for real?.............A head-on collision involving two freight trains caused several box cars to derail and erupt in flames in the Texas Panhandle on Tuesday, injuring an unknown amount of people and leading authorities to evacuate people who live nearby. And your worried about not being able to fly your drone to get video of the carnage? Yea, stupid government and law enforcement being bullies.

 

[sar104]

Yes - this is commonplace for any location in which emergency aircraft activities are taking place. I implement similar TFRs just for search and rescue operations if more than a couple of aircraft are involved, both to keep news media aircraft out (to avoid congestion and conflict with search aircraft) and to divert regular low-level VFR traffic away from the area.

 

[Prairie Pyro]

There was a video of the wreck and am not at all surprised at the size of the evacuation or the distance of setback. Read a hazmat response guide book. When I was on a fire dept it was a near county shutdown when one goes off the track let alone the one of this size.

 

[Gary M]

I, unfortunately, am one of those who believes that the government is usually somehow trampling our freedoms, destroying our fun or restricting our money making abilities.But I have to agree with the TFR for this. What others have commented is 100% true, in situations like these there are already tons of emergency aircraft in the area and countless EMS/First Responder activity there. No matter how controlled they can make it, it will still be a scene of absolute chaos. I really doubt that we need to throw "Joe Blow Drone Boy" (who????) from down the street to put his little quad in the mix. You have the right "Pay attention, the government is trying to screw us" attitude. Just on the wrong issue, lol!

 

[dirkclod]

Name calling stops here now .Discuss all you want but lets be nice about it .
OK .

 

[JWarren]

This was a huge fire. An hours drive from me and I still saw the smoke.

 

[Railfan-Eric]

This was a huge fire. An hours drive from me and I still saw the smoke.

that's nuts!!! It's terrible. not as bad as a passenger train crash or derailment in the sense of human life, though there was injuries or deaths, but also bad for BNSF because that's a major rail line from Chicago to LA and it causes a major traffic backup. I'm not sure which routes they're taking for detouring trains.

 

[JWarren]

The engineers from each train had time to jump before impact. All survived amazingly enough.

 

[Railfan-Eric]

The engineers from each train had time to jump before impact. All survived amazingly enough.

wow. I wonder what kind of injuries they got from jumping? that couldn't have been fun. fast speed plus hard ballast (rocks on the tracks). what about the conductors?

 

[JWarren]

It was my understanding only one had to be hospitalized.

 

[Mark The Droner]

I... Considering the magnitude of the situation, it's NOT uncommon for the FAA to establish a TFR over the incident.

...

This is another reason why I check www.uavforecast.com before every flight. Not only do I get the wind forecast, but I get a NOTAM alert if there is anything going on near my flight (e.g. go to the site and type in panhandle, texas).

 

[BigAl07]

With all due respect flying over a disaster area to gather pictures is not a freedom/right. The moral dilemma alone should direct the human thought process here. For the most part we aren't news reporters (although some of us are hired by reporting agencies and in those instances you'll have press credentials and clearances for such events) so we don't "need" to be in these areas at all. In reality our being there could cause problems. Hence the TFR which is common practice.

Look at it like this... let's exclude the fact that MediVac, Search & Rescue, and Law Enforcement are potentially flying the scene... what if you were in that accident and someone captured some pics/video from the air showing you in a less than desirable situation (bodily harm, dismemberment, dead etc) and your loved ones have not been notified and see the images on the interweeb? The rights and dignity of those who might be hurt or worse should always overrule your desire to capture that photo/video.

If you add back into the situation the items we excluded you can see how flying even remotely close to that site could delay help to someone, cause an additional incident and at the very least take resources away from the important situation at hand. The rights and safety of the EMS/LE should overrule your desire to be there to capture photo/video.

THIS is exactly why LE block off the scene for a large area. Not being government bullies but creating the most efficient and safest environment so those who are working can do their jobs. Otherwise you'd have cameras, reporters, rubber neckers standing there looking over the bodies and causing problems.

By all means go fly your UAS but please do so in a safe, respectful, and morally upstanding manner far away from accidents and the like.

 

[FASTFJR]

With all due respect flying over a disaster area to gather pictures is not a freedom/right. The moral dilemma alone should direct the human thought process here.

Its pretty clear with comments like "It's already bad enough trying to get up close ground shots when fire and police and railroad police block everything off a long ways away and nobody can get decent photos or videos" and "As a railfan I would like to be able to capture all aspects of railroading especially derailments" The OP is not interested nor worried about any moral dilemmas or the human tragedy that comes along with such accidents

 

[jonebk12]

Gotta agree with the majority here. The no fly zone is not the gubment's attempt to trample your perceived "rights" (and I can assure you that flying a toy drone whenever and wherever you want is not a human right). This is all about safety. We live in a society with rules for a reason.

 

[ianwood]

If you don't realize on your own why its a bad idea to be flying over an emergency area, your not likely to be checking TFRs.

Here in SoCal, we've had drones interrupting aerial fire suppression operations multiple times in the past two weeks. I would love to find these people and give them some "friendly" advice.

 

[Sagebrush]

stupid government and law enforcement being bullies

That's the quote of the year.

SB

 

[FASTFJR]

Just got this email from the FAA. Kind of sad we need to remind people to use common sense.

KEEP YOUR DRONE AWAY FROM WILDFIRES

There are lots of great places to fly your drones, but over or near a wildfire isn’t one of them. In fact, drone operators who interfere with wildfire suppression efforts are subject to civil penalties of up to $27,500 and possible criminal prosecution.

Here’s why it’s important: Aerial firefighting aircraft, such as airtankers and helicopters, fly at very low altitudes, just a couple hundred feet above the ground and in the same airspace as hobby and recreational drones. This creates the potential for a mid-air collision that could seriously injure or kill wildland firefighters in the air or on the ground.

As a result of unlawful drone operations near fires this year, fire managers have temporarily grounded all aerial firefighting aircraft on several occasions for safety reasons. Shutting down firefighting operations could cause wildfires to become larger and can threaten lives, property, and valuable natural and cultural resources.

The bottom line is “If You Fly, We Can’t."

Please fly responsibly – keep your drone away from wildfires.

 

[N017RW]

Yea, me too.

Anyone who is registered will get these as well.