Airport Tower Contact: Asking for permission or merely informing

Easystreak · Feb 23, 2016

Hey All,
I have permission to shoot at Urban Outfitters in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The spot where I can shoot is just inside the five mile circle drawn around Philadelphia International Airport. I would like to know, when I contact the tower am I looking for permission to fly there or am I just informing them that I'm flying on a certain date and time? I'm not planning on going higher than 200 feet up. Thanks for any information or advice.

-E

unyks · Feb 23, 2016

No matter which country or Airport, talk to them as early as possible and inform them about your plans. Before take-off, call them again, give another heads up and ask for permission if needed.

Better safe than sorry

Chris

licensed pilot · Feb 23, 2016

Easystreak said:
Hey All,
I have permission to shoot at Urban Outfitters in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The spot where I can shoot is just inside the five mile circle drawn around Philadelphia International Airport. I would like to know, when I contact the tower am I looking for permission to fly there or am I just informing them that I'm flying on a certain date and time? I'm not planning on going higher than 200 feet up. Thanks for any information or advice.

-E

Is it a commercial 333 shoot? If so, you must get a letter of agreement from airport management.That is spelled out in the 333 document.
If it's a hobby operation then all the airport needs is notification.

slim.slamma · Feb 23, 2016

This might help
Contact Information for FAA Headquarters and Regional Airports Offices

turbodronepilot · Feb 23, 2016

I thought it was currently illegal to fly within 5 miles of an airport with or without permission. .
In the past i thought it was 3 miles from an airport and you needed to inform the tower...
When I registered with the faa the guidelines they made me adhere to (by checking the box) says no flying within five miles of an airport and says nothing about notifying the tower..

ISP5557 · Feb 23, 2016

I fly with a COA and must call the nearest airport manager or Tower no matter where I fly. I notify if I am outside the 5 NM radius, I ask for permission if within the 5 NM radius. Then can deny permission or delay depending on incoming outgoing flights and where you are flying in the pattern.

ISP5557 · Feb 23, 2016

turbodronepilot said:
I thought it was currently illegal to fly within 5 miles of an airport with or without permission. .
In the past i thought it was 3 miles from an airport and you needed to inform the tower...
When I registered with the faa the guidelines they made me adhere to (by checking the box) says no flying within five miles of an airport and says nothing about notifying the tower..

If you are not a certificated pilot then you can not fly within the 5NM radius. Commercially or publicly, but you can as a hobbiest with approval.

licensed pilot · Feb 23, 2016

ISP5557 said:
If you are not a certificated pilot then you can not fly within the 5NM radius.

??? Where do u get this info from?

ISP5557 · Feb 23, 2016

turbodronepilot said:
I thought it was currently illegal to fly within 5 miles of an airport with or without permission. .
In the past i thought it was 3 miles from an airport and you needed to inform the tower...
When I registered with the faa the guidelines they made me adhere to (by checking the box) says no flying within five miles of an airport and says nothing about notifying the tower..

As a certificated pilot flying under a 333 or a COA you may fly within the 5NM radius. As a hobbyist you can fly within the 5NM radius without a pilots license as long as it is not being done for commercial or public reasons. Doesn't make sense does it. They make you be a pilot for commercial, but you can be Joe citizen and as long as your not charging for it, you can fly with a telephone call and no other training.

slim.slamma · Feb 23, 2016

ISP5557 said:
As a certificated pilot flying under a 333 or a COA you may fly within the 5NM radius. As a hobbyist you can fly within the 5NM radius without a pilots license as long as it is not being done for commercial or public reasons. Doesn't make sense does it. They make you be a pilot for commercial, but you can be Joe citizen and as long as your not charging for it, you can fly with a telephone call and no other training.

If you live within the 5nm by law you probably have a constitutional right to fly as a hobbyist but I wonder with what restrictions. Got to be some type of rules.

licensed pilot · Feb 23, 2016

slim.slamma said:
If you live within the 5nm by law you probably have a constitutional right to fly as a hobbyist but I wonder with what restrictions. Got to be some type of rules.

These are the FAA's guidelines: Model Aircraft Operations

ISP5557 said:
As a certificated pilot flying under a 333 or a COA you may fly within the 5NM radius. As a hobbyist you can fly within the 5NM radius without a pilots license as long as it is not being done for commercial or public reasons. Doesn't make sense does it. They make you be a pilot for commercial, but you can be Joe citizen and as long as your not charging for it, you can fly with a telephone call and no other training.

"Doesn't make sense does it."
Now you are asking a different question. Not much of what the feds are doing with the UAS issue makes much sense...

Fly below 400 feet and remain clear of surrounding obstacles
Keep the aircraft within visual line of sight at all times
Remain well clear of and do not interfere with manned aircraft operations
Don't fly within 5 miles of an airport unless you contact the airport and control tower before flying
Don't fly near people or stadiums
Don't fly an aircraft that weighs more than 55 lbs
Don't be careless or reckless with your unmanned aircraft – you could be fined for endangering people or other aircraft

SultanGris · Feb 24, 2016

Just inform, they will almost never give you permission if you try to ask.

licensed pilot · Feb 24, 2016

SultanGris said:
Just inform, they will almost never give you permission if you try to ask.

"Just inform, they will almost never give you permission if you try to ask."
Well, only if it's a hobby operation. If he has a 333 he must get a letter of agreement.

InspiredOne · Feb 25, 2016

licensed pilot said:
These are the FAA's guidelines: Model Aircraft Operations
"Doesn't make sense does it."
... Not much of what the feds are doing with the UAS issue makes much sense...

Amen to that! Have you ever seen a working model of the Federal Government? It's a sight to behold!

licensed pilot · Feb 25, 2016

roflmao!

unyks · Feb 25, 2016

InspiredOne said:
Amen to that! Have you ever seen a working model of the Federal Government? It's a sight to behold!

Actually it is a fake! I miss the frickin big tank filled with money to convert it into hot air...

Dxtrty · Feb 27, 2016

Well, they blew so much... the momentum... makes it a 'perpetuum mobile'...
or...is this the first 'Fusion fable' proof...

Shwell11 · Feb 27, 2016

We merely need to know especially if there is frequent helicopter activity in that area. We have fielded a few calls in our tower and only once did we say no. That was due to law enforcement was in the air in that area.

There are rules. Then there are the rules individuals make up because they are jerks.

onthewave · Feb 27, 2016

unyks said:
No matter which country or Airport, talk to them as early as possible and inform them about your plans. Before take-off, call them again, give another heads up and ask for permission if needed.

Better safe than sorry

Chris

If you are a pilot I believe you can use your portable aircraft radio, call the tower and inform them of your intentions to fly within the 5nm area. Spelling out your location of flight, proposed time period (state local time or Zulu) and altitude(s)/cieling. At that point they will give you permission, deny a or request hold for clearance. I am looking for the language as mentioned in this forum stating if you have a 333 you are required in writing to inform...

Joe R · Feb 27, 2016

I've found that it seems to depend on which airport tower and which person you deal with at the tower. Some towers have said no problem and they issued a NOTOM while others seemed to be offended that they weren't directly asked for permission. I did just inform them but asked if my planned flight would interfere with any other operations at the time I was planning to fly. I have been asked to contact them just before actually taking off which is a good idea in my opinion. One requested that I make an announcement on my handheld aviation transceiver prior to takeoff.
When I dealt with INT, they said that I would have to coordinate with FSDO at GSO (a neighboring international airport) first, even though it wasn't for the filming industry. That didn't make sense and FSDO asked me why I was contacting them for a flight at INT. GSO FSDO did call INT for me and got it straightened out.
BTW, I'm flying under an associate's 333 exemption with him there (me being PIC during those flights). This arrangement is just till my 333 exemption comes through. We will still work together on various project though.

Bottom line in my opinion is to just call the tower and ask if a certain place and certain time will work for them and be as respectful and kind as you can.Try to sound as professional as you can and throw a little pilot terminology in there but don't go overboard with it. It's one of those "Kill em' with kindness things". That approach has seemed to work best for us so far.
By all means, get in touch with them no matter what. I don't want to know what would happen if you fly there without contacting them first.

I hope this helps!

Joe