by Jeff Goin | Nov 2, 2022 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace, Recent, Safety
See also: ADS-B Test | ADS-B Out Overview | ADS-B Portable Transponder We tested the UAvionix prototype and it worked. Unfortunately, the market size and regulatory environment is too uncertain, so they won’t be marketing to us. You must have an N-Number. We...
by Jeff Goin | Nov 2, 2022 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
Visual Graphic to Understand Class E Surface Area We normally launch in Class G airspace and climb into Ek which starts at 1200 (or 700′) AGL and goes up to 18,000′. We canNOT fly in or over the “lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E...
by Jeff Goin | Nov 2, 2022 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace, Recent
A question was brought to my attention: Can we fly OVER Class E Surface area designated for an airport? These show some examples of where we can and cannot fly regarding Class E surface areas which are depicted with dashed magenta lines. There’s more here....
by Jeff Goin | Feb 25, 2022 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace, 19: Risk & Safety, 28: Accessories, Safety
Good news. The test was a resounding success! See also: ADS-B Equipment Sales | ADS-B Out Overview | ADS-B Portable We did two flights. On the first, I went up in the paramotor while Tim watched on an aircraft’s traffic display in the hangar. During the entire flight...
by Jeff Goin | Jul 22, 2021 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
So what is “congested?” Ultralight pilots cannot fly over congested areas at ANY altitude. Both “over” and “congested” warrant interpretation but here we’ll focus more on congested. The short answer on congested is: it...
by Jeff Goin | Nov 2, 2020 | 08: the Law
FAR 103 | AC 103 | Preamble to 103 | FAR 91 for Ultralights Adopted: July 30,1982 Effective: October 4,1982 (Published in 47 FR 38770, September 2,1982) SUMMARY: This amendment establishes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles in the United States. The...
by Jeff Goin | Oct 23, 2020 | 08: the Law, Recent
Related: Who Owns the Air | Pilot Gets Criminal Violation for Flying OVER Park | Arrested Pilot: Law Enforcement Run Amok A Maricopa county judge completely missed the mark and convicted paramotor pilot Taylor Siljander of violating a county park rule. Taylor, a PHX...
by Jeff Goin | Oct 22, 2020 | 08: the Law, 10: Flying Anywhere, Recent
I get emails. This one concerned flying under power lines or bridges, so I’ll offer up my pair of pennies. There are two common questions: Is it legal? And is it safe? As usual, it depends. One thing: if it looks dangerous to you, it is! Does that opening, in...
by Jeff Goin | Oct 21, 2020 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace, Recent
See related article Who Owns the Air | Law Enforcement Run Amok | When Judges Get it Wrong In October, 2020, A Phoenix area pilot, Joshua Stanaland, was cited for flying his paramotor OVER a park in Arizona. I was tagged on a social media post, and after looking at...
by Jeff Goin | May 29, 2020 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace, 28: Accessories, Instruments
See also: ADS-B Test | ADS-B Out Overview | ADS-B Equipment Status Collision avoidance would sure be nice to have, especially for those of us who fly in airplane-infested skies like near airports. It’s our obligation as FAR 103 pilots to avoid other traffic but...
by Jeff Goin | May 25, 2020 | 08: the Law, 32: Photography
Drones rock for capturing stills and video of paramotors, but laws have been enacted to limit their use and require certification. Interestingly, it takes more FAA involvement to fly a drone (unmanned aerial system or USA) than an ultralight. In the U.S., if your...
by Jeff Goin | May 21, 2020 | 07: Weather Basics, 08: the Law
Flying ultralights is quite permissive in the U.S. There is no list of approved medications for ultralights (us paramotorists) and no medical certification is required, even for tandem training. FAR 103 doesn’t mention fitness for flight at all, expecting that...
by Jeff Goin | May 14, 2020 | 08: the Law
You’re a professional pilot considering flying paramotors, or other ultralights. What’s the risk to your license? FAR 103 regulates ultralight flying and requires no pilot license or aircraft certification, but it’s still an FAA regulation. Violating...
by Jeff Goin | May 5, 2020 | 01 Training, 08: the Law
Currently, foot-launch tandems ARE allowed in the U.S. with a certification by USPPA.org and two other orgs. There is no cost from the organization beyond annual membership dues of around $40 / month. In fact, anyone who gets their instructor rating is entitled to...
by Jeff Goin | Mar 2, 2020 | 08: the Law
In early May 2012, a wing suited “BASE” jumper died after leaping from a tandem paramotor. His parachute never opened (we think our sport is unforgiving). It’s a calamity for the jumper, his family, and the paramotor pilot who was, no doubt, a...
by Jeff Goin | May 15, 2019 | 08: the Law
FAR 103 | AC 103 | Preamble to 103 | FAR 91 for Ultralights U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Circular Administration Subject: THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE Date: 1/30/84 AC No: AC 103-7 Initiated by: AF0-820 |Titles have been altered slightly for clarity...
by Jeff Goin | May 15, 2019 | 08: the Law
Be Careful Who You Buzz or Chase. Thanks to Ken Morrison Who hasn’t followed an animal for at least a brief time. For one thing, it’s almost surreal to fly with other birds but we have to admit that it’s not likely they reciprocate those feelings....
by Jeff Goin | May 14, 2019 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace, Recent
Related: Criminal Violation for Flying Over Park? | Law Enforcement Run Amok: Glider Pilot Detained for “Loitering” | When Courts & Judges Get it Wrong Air may be everywhere, but like most aspects of life, it gets regulated. Sometimes municipalities or...
by Jeff Goin | May 14, 2019 | 08: the Law, 10: Flying Anywhere
Unfortunately, no, it’s Probably Not Legal To Fly From There Even if you have permission from the landowner, it may well not be legal for you to fly. Nobody will likely care, but if they do, there is probably a law. Many counties prohibit flying from anything...
by Jeff Goin | May 14, 2019 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
Hang Gliding or Paragliding Near Airliners at Burbank Airport Questions were raised by a long time hang glider pilot about increased sightings of jets crossing their popular soaring site, Sylmar. It’s about 12 miles northwest of Burbank Airport in CA and has...
by Jeff Goin | May 12, 2019 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace, 10: Flying Anywhere, 11: Controlled Airports
Jan 2020 was the deadline for aircraft (not ultralights) to get equipped with ADS-B. It transmits location, altitude, ID, what you had for lunch, and other bits to every other aircraft and internet eyeball on the planet. If you can deal with the privacy issue,...
by Jeff Goin | May 12, 2019 | 01 Training, 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem
As of July, 2019 tandem footlaunch and wheel launch *IS* allowed in the U.S.A. That’s huge. If you are looking to get training, don’t consider any school that will not insure you get at least 3 tandem flights before you go solo. You should understand and...
by Jeff Goin | May 7, 2019 | 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem
As of November 2018, instructors can now get certified to fly tandem students with wheels, an IMMENSELY valuable training tool for our community. We MUST act responsibly to keep this ability which makes teaching paramotor’s weird pendular behavior much easier,...
by Jeff Goin | May 3, 2019 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
Is It Legal to fly in Charted Wilderness Areas? Related: Who Owns the Air? | Criminal Violation Flying Over Park I was working on the airspace video section that deals with wilderness areas — those lines with blue dots as shown at right — and thought it...
by Jeff Goin | May 3, 2019 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
When Airport Managers Don’t Want Us by Scott Adair | Banning at Marion, OH? Yes and no. No if they are private and the owner says so, Yes if they have accepted federal grant money but with caveats. The basic tenet is, “you’re accepting federal money...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 28, 2019 | 08: the Law
Sometimes our government lets us down | About Congested Areas see 2009 July 25 Confidence Restored in FAA see 2010 July 13: Problem moved Flight Service District Offices are where the day-to-day FAA operations are conducted. If you run afoul of aviation law,...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 27, 2019 | 01 Training, 08: the Law
I sometimes get this question about paramotor ratings and thought it would be good to answer it here. Voluntary efforts at recognizing accomplishments have been around for many, many years, the best example being Red Cross’s, and other certification programs for...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 21, 2019 | 08: the Law
Most of us who fly these things are free spirits, we want to be able to go where we want, when we want. But what if you spook your neighbor’s million-dollar stallion into an injurious Rampage? Laws are civilization’s way of defining the boundaries between...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 20, 2019 | 06: Adding Wheels, 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem
Can we legally do wheel launched tandems using the USPPA Exemption? | Exemptions & Sport Pilot Yes! As of November 2018, the limitation for footlaunch was removed. The text below is retained to remember the history of it. Here is the 2018 USPPA 9751 exemption...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 20, 2019 | 08: the Law, 30: Other Uses
Can law enforcement use a paramotor in spite of FAR 103’s limitation to sport or recreational use? There is a blanket exemption that makes this legal under certain conditions. Mark Renkens of the Palm Bay Police department has experience with it and these are...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 19, 2019 | 08: the Law
FAR 103 | AC 103 | Preamble to 103 | FAR 91 for Ultralights FAR 103.20 requires ultralight pilots to comply with these FAR 91 rules, mostly to address security concerns in the aftermath of Sept 11, 2001. Note that the NOTAMs referred to in this regulation can be found...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 19, 2019 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
FAR 103 | AC 103 | Preamble to 103 | FAR 91 for Ultralights Secs. 307, 313(a), 601(a), 602, and 603, Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1348, 1354(a), 1421(a), 1422, and 1423); sec. 6(c), Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c). Source: Docket No....
by Jeff Goin | Apr 19, 2019 | 08: the Law, 34: Cool Places to Fly
We enjoy immense freedom in the U.S. No certification is required and we can fly just about anywhere. Most other countries either don’t have laws about paramotor or are far more restrictive. Traveling imposes the need to know their rules. No Law for Paramotor?...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 19, 2019 | 08: the Law, Political
Do we have too many regulations in aviation? It depends on your perspective. If you’re trying to pilot aircraft or profit from them, than you will think we do. If you’re a passenger or ground pounder wanting not to get killed by airplanes, you probably...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace, 10: Flying Anywhere
Section III Mastering The Sport | Chapter 17 | See also Airspace for Paramotor Pilots These instructions show how to overlay a sectional chart onto a Google Earth map. This allows you to pinpoint your launch site with Google Earth then overlay the sectional chart to...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem, Ultralights
Powered Parachutes (PPC) are normally thought of as large, powerful craft that carries two people and is steered inflight by foot. While Powered Paragliders are lightweight, can be carried on the pilot’s back, requires an efficient elliptical wing and are...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem, Ultralights
For single-place powered paragliders, the answer is simple, they do not fall under Sport Pilot. If it weighs less than 254 pounds, it’s an ultralight and falls under part FAR 103. Even with wheels, it just has to meet the requirements of weight, speed and fuel...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 17, 2019 | 06: Adding Wheels, 08: the Law, 36: Instructors & Tandem
Chapter 6 on flying with wheels, Tandem Setup | More on: Exemption For Wheels, Too? As of Sept. 2008, the USPPA has a new tandem exemption for training with Foot Launch tandems. As of Nov 2018 they also have one allowing for wheeled tandems. I applied for this in...
by Jeff Goin | Aug 11, 2017 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
If you have a U.S. event, or do training, or towing where there will be a lot of paramotor or paraglider flights, it’s helpful to give general aviation pilots the opportunity to know about it. That’s done by filing a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). It starts by...
by Jeff Goin | Jun 26, 2017 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
Pictures don’t do it justice: airflow on exposed skin, the immediate smells, feeling temperature changes, and yes, playing near the clouds like this make open-air flying irresistible for some of us. But is it legal? Can we fly this close to clouds? For sure we...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 13, 2014 | 08: the Law
Story of possible Ultralight discrimination and resolution | See also Ultralights at Airports In 1975 I flew my first aircraft, a glider, at Marion, Ohio. Malcom Green took me up in a Schweizzer 2-33 sailplane and soon after releasing from tow, said the magic words...
by Jeff Goin | Jan 28, 2013 | 08: the Law, Recent
Related: Who Owns the Air | Pilot Gets Criminal Violation for Flying OVER Park | When Courts & Judges Get it Wrong The vast majority of police officers are conscientious people doing a good job. But occasionally they get carried away which can make a pilot’s...
by Jeff Goin | Apr 1, 2009 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
Can’t we all just get along? Of course not, but we oughtta try. There is no law that says you can’t fly over tribal lands. We can’t trespass but court cases have well-established federal control over all airspace which, naturally, includes us...
by Jeff Goin | Jan 29, 2009 | 08: the Law, 09: Airspace
A Paramotor Pilot Is Arrested for Merely Overflying Hualapai Nation Tribal Lands | Airspace | Lionel’s Resolution Lionel De Antoni contacted us a week ago after being arrested and having his gear confiscated by Indians. His crime? Merely flying over their land,...
