Power Kite Forum

FAR Part 101

flyboy15 - 28-2-2010 at 05:50 PM

Alrighty guys, question of the day.

FAR part 101 has a few regulations regarding the flying of kites around airports among other things. Check out this link to the regulations (you can read through the different regs by clicking on the next or whatever) http://www.flightsimaviation.com/data/FARS/part_101-1.html

My question is, are our kites under 5 lbs? I know that a 5m is, but what about 12, 16, 18?

If its more than 5 lbs, from what i read, we can't fly closer than 5 mi to an airport.

What is your guys take?

(And for my fellow pilots out there, i do apologize for bringing up regs more than we already need)

rocfighter - 28-2-2010 at 05:59 PM

FAA says kite are not to be flown within a certain distance of any airfield no matter what the size of the kite. I know from years of single line display kites 200- 500 sqr feet anything flown ofer 20ft needs bow and stern lights just as a plane needs. The AKA website has all the FAA rules on there.

flyboy15 - 28-2-2010 at 06:01 PM

Ah thanks for the correction roc, i must have an old version of the 101 stuff. I couldnt find it on the FAA's site or anything.

rocfighter - 28-2-2010 at 06:10 PM

The FAA does not have them availible. But the AKA felt it was important so they set up a link.
Like I said I have flown large kites for years. But never have had anyone from the FAA ask me about anything! Some times a park ranger will ask if it's legal to fly in state parks and I just say "shouldn't you know that?"

flyboy15 - 28-2-2010 at 06:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rocfighter
... and I just say "shouldn't you know that?"


HAHA thats awesome. Yea I haven't been asked by anyone either, just if we had permission to ride on the land we were on. Just wondering really....grand forks intl is pretty close to town, so it could throw a damper on things someday

lunchbox - 1-3-2010 at 10:58 AM

I sometimes fly in Balboa Park north of the lake which is about 1 mile from Van Nuys Airport which is currently the busiest general aviation airport in the world. It is also a popular place to fly with lots of 'fighter kites'. I did get asked once how high my kite flies and when I told her she said, ok, no problem. That was at the same time, a helicopter came by and told the 'fighter' guys to bring down their kites but on that day, they must have been flying them about 300-400 ft in the air...

I used to fly at this park in Oxnard which was right across the street from the airport, but not the part where they land/take off. I didn't have any issues until one day, some guy came over and told me I had to stop flying...according to him, some guys in the control tower noticed me...

flyboy15 - 1-3-2010 at 12:07 PM

O nice, yea i guess the FAA has better things to worry about.

Van Nuys.....:bigok::bigok::bigok:

erratic winds - 1-3-2010 at 05:25 PM

I regularly fly right next to a small commercial airport....no problems so far, going on 3 years now..

kitesurfer - 18-3-2010 at 10:01 AM

I was involved with this back in 1980. Our spot back then was just across the river (1/4 mile) from naval station mayport air field. our chosen lagoon was right in the middle of final approach and patterns for the helo's. the local pole board UNION ratted us out to the park managers (because we were stealing their scene). The park halted us for a few days. I personally talked with the duty Officer, the Wing commander, and the base commanding officer. the bottom line was that our kites were on 100' lines and the min altitude for the birds on final was 250'--so all was good. since then we have learned that :
helos do fly lower than 250' and will blast you with prop wash if given the chance. jet's on afterburner will also do funny things to your kite for a brief second. we have learned to fly low :) but a kite on a 500' line would end all kite flying of any kind!

Bladerunner - 18-3-2010 at 04:23 PM

We will be flying within 2 miles of a Muni' airport this weekend. Folks have been flying there for years no prob'. However we can not fly Iona Beach because it is too close to the international airport. It's about the same distance away .

I would say if it is a Muni' airport give it a try? Beg forgiveness if there are problems!:evil: