Plane Pilots

The person that owns the farm across the road from me put in a grass landing strip about three years ago. My house is two tenths of a mile from the end of his strip and slightly out of alignment of the landing strip.

For some reason he now sometimes passes directly over my house at no more than fifty feet above the house. Trees in the yard keep him from being lower as he makes his final approach. Yesterday he did a high speed flyby at that altitude, again directly over the house.

The question is, what are my rights according to FAA flight regulations? Its not that I have not been around aircraft as I served four years around B52s and KC135s , its I just feel that we are being harassed by an A hole with a private pilots license. His son also uses the strip and he had his license revolked for a time a few years ago for about the same thing.

Thanks, Joe

contact the FAA on line

My frist thought is does he have a permit, assuming one is required, to build a landing strip in that area? A person has to get a building permit for building a garage....

Was told by a pilot friend a couple of years that under 500 feet over my property is illegal. Someone was flying treetop level quite a bit over my place.
Private strips have to be approved before being built also.
Richard

I googled it. Hope this helps>


n the US, there's no federal law prohibiting you from carving out your own little stretch of heaven on earth, just a requirement to notify the FAA.
As a practical matter, the sooner you notify the feds, the better, your local FAA Airports District Office can be a wonderful source of help in planning. If you'd like to take a look at the regulatory side, check out FAR157.
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisi…
It's short, just a little over a page, and deals mostly with recommended standards for traffic patterns, obstruction clearance, and the like. I recommend you join AOPA. they are a very valuable resource in this (and other) matter(s). As a member, you can obtain the "airport development packet," which contains forms, instructions, and advice for creating your own private airport. It's available to members only, by calling the toll-free member assistance line at 800/USA-AOPA .

A realistic minimum is about 10 acres, although some pilots have carved out airstrips on less. Don't forget that obstructions on either end can effectively shorten the usable length of your runway.

Zoning and neighborhood support are critical. Zoning laws vary, but most require a public notice of intent and a local zoning hearing. In many cases, that's not enough, and some of the most pitiful cries for help after the airstrip is built come from pilots who complied with the legal requirements but didn't really win support from now-disgruntled neighbors. AOPA has a well-written blueprint for avoiding such trouble, called "How To Gain Community Support For Your Airport." If you're seriously considering building your own airport, This is a must have.

A 400 foot windmill on your property would solve the problem.

Rick

I would think he'd take off going away from your property and land going towards your property. That way he's not flying over your property at all. I believe the only time a plane is allowed to fly low is in an emergency situation or with a special permit such as for crop dusting. There has to be a bunch of regulations for private landing strips and private aircraft owners.

Cant do anything to answer your question. But starting to hear this complaint a lot because of private strips, ultralight aircraft, and pontoon planes on lakes. good luck

Before I can give you any advice I would need to know if you have talked to him.

IMHO, Nicely ask him if there is a reason behind this and mention that it makes you nervous or bothers you. Maybe he doesn"t know it bothers you. Some people do things out of cussedness and some out of thoughtlesness. If he keeps it up then mention the FAA and their rules and the complaint process. It may be his kid flying it when daddy isnt watching, or even with his blessing.

"frist" thought?...seems I cant spell this am...and the bad part is I re-read it before posting...lol

If all else fails, balloons. Remember the cable-tethered barrage balloons they used over London in WWII? Some of these big balloons like they use at the auto malls or grand openings would work.

He is my wifes first cousin but does not speak to us and will turn away if either of us wave to him across the county road separating the two farms. They are a very peculiar bunch of people.

Possibly the best thing to do is ignore them unless they do some harm. I think the object of their actions are to iritate us. When the strip was first used there was no problem, they seem to be getting more brave as time goes on. Joe

I wouldn't ignore it. It's a serious, serious safety issue flying low over your home. My dad was very good friends with the CEO of Mott corporation who was killed landing his plane on his private airstrip and he was a very experienced pilot. Shut happens!

A pilots view of this, the minimum is 500 feet over non-congested areas. Except operations necessary for take off and landings. If the guy did a high speed flyover at 50 ft not related to a take off or landing he is way in the wrong. I would complain to the FAA and the Sheriff every time it happens and keep records of it. And, believe it or not, in these matters involving federal juristriction a letter to a congressman sometimes works wonders. As you indicated the guys son had his license revoked once for this nonsence, if they keep it up both guys tickets may get cancelled. Good Luck!

My neighbours were having exactly the same problem, they also did not speak to each other! The plane always took off towards the other persons house, done a loop and flew back over the same house, The home owner planted fast growing larch trees to try to deter them but one Sunday last year one of the planes clipped an old oak tree on the other side of her yard and ended up nose down in the yard.....She has not had the same fly overs since!!!
Sam

If the strip was already FAA approved, there is not much you can do as he has a right to fly low for landing or take off. Putting obstructions, like large balloons will more than likely get YOU in trouble.
Now, if they are being a nuisance and doing buzz jobs, you have a leg to stand on.

I am a pilot, and I will look up the FAR and post again. He has to stay 500' away from your house. be back soon.

I live about 6 miles straight east of an airstrip where crop dusters fly in and out. They often fly over me en route to the fields they spray. They were getting pretty reckless about buzzing my place. Have a 140 foot radio tower adjacent to my barn. No reason they needed to fly directly over my buildings, sometimes at heights lower than the top of the tower. They were in-transit, and not servicing the fields when this was happening. I finally had enough, wrote a letter to all the local dusters I could find as well copied the FAA. Told them they didn't need to buzz my place, and that if they hit that tower, they were coming down along with the tower. Apparently the FAA had words with the culprits, as the flight path deviates away from the buildings now, and they have a little more altitude.

One weekend, a while back, had a WWI vingage biplane come right over my barn at less then 100 feet, and missed the tower by less than 50 feet. Called the state police, with a description of the plane, etc. Officer clearly didn't think it was a big deal. Nothing ever came of it.

FAR (Federal Aviation Regulations) # 91.119 C "over other than congested area" 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".

"Except when necessary for takeoff or landing."

I like the helium baloon tethered with cable idea.


Gene

(quoted from post at 21:45:08 06/09/13) A pilots view of this, the minimum is 500 feet over non-congested areas. Except operations necessary for take off and landings. If the guy did a high speed flyover at 50 ft not related to a take off or landing he is way in the wrong. I would complain to the FAA and the Sheriff every time it happens and keep records of it. And, believe it or not, in these matters involving federal juristriction a letter to a congressman sometimes works wonders. As you indicated the guys son had his license revoked once for this nonsence, if they keep it up both guys tickets may get cancelled. Good Luck!

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Scott in SF has the best answer.
The folks telling you to put up obstacles are just going to cause you trouble.

Wonder if a low vis fence appeared about half way down the strip some night?

...or if you and your buddies suddenly developed an interest in shooting clay birds...load of number 7 never gonna come near the plane prolly, but looking down on some guys shootin' up might change the root!

Been flying since 1977, one of the first things I was told was there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots. Nowdays I go thru the checklist 3 times and call the weather service twice looking for second opinions.

The FAA takes a very dim view of buzzing. If you complain, they will investigate. And if they have reason to be he's been deliberately buzzing your house, they'll jerk his license so fast it'll leave blisters on his fingertips.

The challenge for you is to get hard evidence he's been coming within 500 feet of your house. If he is actually coming within 100 feet, a photograph (preferably with visible N-number) should suffice. But if he's actually quite a bit higher, the investigator may not take your estimate of the distance at face value. After all, the pilot has an altimeter in front of him, you just have your non-aviator's estimate of his altitude. It's pretty difficult to tell the difference between 400 feet AGL and 600 feet AGL.

If you happen to be within 10 miles of an airport with a control tower, his movements will be captured on radar. Of course, he probably won't be visible at 50 ft AGL, but they can see when he dropped below radar, which should support your case that he's flying too low. And if he happens to have a sophisticated airplane with a transponder and altitude encoder, and he left his transponder on as he buzzed your house, then he's already provided the evidence you need; just call the tower the next time he buzzes you.

The idea, suggested in another post, that by scratching out a grass strip he has somehow carved out a right to buzz your house is preposterous. The exception to the "500 foot" rule really pertains to buildings on an airport premises and roads that cross the end of a runway. It's pretty much accepted practice that you should approach steep enough that you can still make the runway if you have an engine failure on final. If his engine quits while buzzing your house, he's coming through the roof. Normal pattern altitude is 1000 feet AGL, and you're not supposed to descend before turning final. (There are some very slick experimental aircraft that have to fly a lower approach, say 500 feet, but that is the exception.)

Ignore the idiots who suggested you put up obstacles. The FAA doesn't like buzzers, but they take an equally dim view of individuals who deliberately construct hazards to airplanes.

Had this same problem for several years around here when cotton was planted everywhere. Had a strip 3/4 mile northwest of me and another was about 1 mile southeast of me. They flew out dozens of times, seven days a week. Seemed to use my house as a reference point for landing as they would come over at about 150-200 feet with those old ag-cat motors roaring. The demise of cotton has since put both airports out of business. The new ag airport is about three miles northeast of me and his ag-cat has the new turbo engine which is a lot quieter. He rarely come close to my place. Much better these days.

This is amusing to me. I retired from crop dusting 4 years ago after 42 years and over 22,000 hours. I have been shot at, cussed out, lied to and yes even had a obstacle put up in a field. Lucky I saw and missed it but the guy that put it up still got in trouble. I have had people damage their own garden with 24D or other herbicide and to try to collect insurance money. I even had a lady claim that I always changed gears when I came over her house and broke windows. However she wouldn't let feds see damage. All this happened while am out making a honest lawful living. Someone mentioned in the regs about flying over a congested area. I had a person sue me for flying too low over congested area. Never went to court because there is no definition for congested area, Is it 1 house or 10 houses a square mile or somewhere in between or more or less. Don't know why feds have that in there without defining it. I always did what I could to keep people from complaining even not doing what I had a right to lawfully do. I even turn down jobs when I knew someone was close by that would complain. I just didn't want to have to deal with it even though I had every legal right to do so.

I don't think anyone here discussed congested areas. And while true the FAA dosen't define congested V non-congested areas, I always thought that was my job as a pilot to figure out.If I was to crash a 747 (for example, never flew a jet)I would need a lot more uncongested area than I would if I crashed a Piper Pawnee, something I have thousands of hours in. Not even close to your number though.

(quoted from post at 16:41:42 06/11/13) [color=red:620767b0bc]I don't think anyone here discussed congested areas[/color:620767b0bc]. And while true the FAA dosen't define congested V non-congested areas, I always thought that was my job as a pilot to figure out.If I was to crash a 747 (for example, never flew a jet)I would need a lot more uncongested area than I would if I crashed a Piper Pawnee, something I have thousands of hours in. Not even close to your number though.

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Scott in SF
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[color=blue:620767b0bc]PostPosted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 12:45 pm Post subject: Re: Plane Pilots Reply to specific post Reply with quote
A pilots view of this, the minimum is 500 feet over non-congested areas. Except operations necessary for tak[/color:620767b0bc]e off and

Scott,
It was you that mentioned the non-congusted area. You mentioned and I followed up about it. Wouldn't than make it discussed?

In my incident about congested area, I was turning over 3 houses and there was open spaces all around them. A part of my defense was that if engine had quit I had plenty of space to land without damaging anyone or thing. Lawyer told me reason they dropped it was because congested area was not defined and their lawyers said they couldn't show I was violating anything.

I never flew around them again, just not worth it even though I was right. It cost me a lot for that lawyer and I didn't want to spend money and time defending myself from them again.

Are you, by any chance, the grumpy B 24 pilot that thought me to fly in a Cherokee 140 back in 1977? Me, and others in the ag aircraft have had all sorts of terrible things said about us, just like you. None of it true.
Not only did Major Grumpy teach me how to fly he also tought good manners.
I brought up non-congested areas, and you brought up congested areas, and as there is no differences lets forget about.
This isn't even about ag aircraft.
The guy has a neighbor flying over his house at 50ft while still 1/5 of a mile away from a landing strip. You know that is not right.