Today an r/c drone was reported to hit a commercial aircraft as it was landing at Heathrow Airport, London, England. I knew it was a matter of time before this would happen. Well, it has now. On another group, (R/CGroups) a (explicitve) thinks that birds are more of a bother than drones. I gave that person an earful. This person has only ten post and thinks it's an expert. I'm guessing this person owns a drone and does this sorta thing for laughs! Bulltiki!
Drones have their purpose in the military but should be fully regulated in civilian hands.

I'm a certified pilot and was made fully aware of jumpers and rocket launches in my flying area. I will not fly today because of the idiots flying drones targeting my aircraft to down it for their enjoyment!

Imbeciles!

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If it flies, I can crash it!

WHOA... way to kneejerk reaction there...

I agree that drones should be excluded from regulated airspace, like military installations and in the approach and landing patterns for major airports, just like for rocketry. I don't think any REASONABLE person has a problem with that. BUT, that doesn't mean that the private pilots and commercial aircraft own and can retain sole use of all airspace "everywhere" and can exclude or regulate anybody else out of existence.

Simple fact is, birds DO pose a significant threat, probably just as great if not greater than the average drone, because of the mass of the bird versus the mass of most civilian drones, and the speed that large birds can and usually do fly versus that of drones. I would also comment on the unpredictability of bird flight and rapid maneuvers birds are capable of, but that's probably a wash with the stupidity of a drone pilot flying in a commercial traffic pattern.

I wonder what you'll have to say when some idgit in DC decides to ban all rockets flying over 400 feet altitude, or some other arbitrary and stupid kneejerk regulation... when it's something YOU care about instead of something you obviously don't.

Prosecute the SOB to the fullest extent of existing laws... (there is obviously existing laws regulating flights of rockets and other aircraft within certain distances both vertical and horizontal from various airports and facilities). We don't need to ENCOURAGE the idgit regulators who only exist to keep from having to get a REAL job into taking MORE of our freedom away because of some morons.

Later! OL J R

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The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!

Hmm.... blimps often reported to have bullet holes in them.

Your solution for THAT would be the same as for "drones", right?

Also, people living in glass houses...... so-called "Drone" fliers are HOBBYISTS flying models for fun. And rocketeers are HOBBYISTS flying models for fun.

BTW - I fly "drones". Turns out I have been a "Drone Flyer" since 1975. Except they were called model planes. But NOW with the FAA over-reaction I had to register as a "drone flyer", for all my R/C models over .55 pounds. Although, Hobby Rocketry was also VERY CLOSE to being swept up into the anti-drone hysteria, the FAA registration could just as easily ended up applying to hobby rockets too.

And yeah, I do also fly "Multirotor" models too, which are publicly "branded"as DRONES. Here's a flying session (Youtube image stabilization caused some odd effects to the cloudy sky)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS2dcA2Wp84

A person PURPOSELY trying to fly a multirotor to hit a plane as you allege, has not happened AFAIK. But it could happen, just the same as a person could PURPOSELY launch a model rocket or HPR rocket to try to hit a plane or hit near to a highly sensitive symbolic target. But you smear ALL fliers with your rant.

Now, in doing a bit of googling on this, I was shocked to find out that around 1990, a Goodyear Blimp was hit by an R/C plane. The blimp was flying near an R/C field, the R/C plane buzzed it, then apparently the R/C pilot got even more PO'ed and purposely flew his plane into the blimp, ripping a 3 foot hole that caused an emergency landing. So, yeah, there's an example of one idiot doing something incredibly stupid with a Hobby Rocket. Oops, I mean Hobby Aircraft (yeah, nobody EVER does anything STUPID and illegal with a Hobby Rocket, do they? Horizontally fired Model Rocket powered Bazookas anyone?). Anyway, the idiot that hit the blimp on purpose does not mean that the other R/C fliers want to TRY to hit a blimp or other manned aircraft. And the FAA did not then over-react by requiring registration of all R/C fliers because of one idiot.

BTW - it seems it still is not known what the He...ck... happened at Heathrow. A pilot reported hearing a "bump". That's it. He "knows" from the bump that 100% it was a drone, because.......?

The plane was cleared to resume flying without any delay, and there are no photos of the plane to show where anything might have hit it. Far cry from most bird strike hits. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but I am saying nobody YET knows what really happened.

It is indeed LITERALLY a "UFO" story. Whatever the "bump" was..... is still Unidentified.

BTW - First NASA astronaut to die in an accident was Theodore Freeman. His T-38 hit a bird, not a drone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Freeman

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Contest flying, Sport flying, it's all good.....
NAR# 18723 NAR.org
GeorgesRockets.com
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I will state on record that I think ALL Model AIRPLANES/HELIs/DRONES flown VISUALLY (NOT FPV) should be 100% TOTALLY EXEMPT from ANY and ALL regulation from the FAA as provided by the federal exemption that has been on record for DECADES. I don't think there should be ANY licensing or any other mamby-pamby BS required either.
FPV/out of line-of-sight control is a totally different animal however.

The one area that I would be flexible on is flying in approach control/landing/takeoff pattern controlled airspace.
My Father is a retired ATC (2014 retirement) with over 30 years in the FAA as a Professional Air Traffic Controller and he firmly believes that ALL this drone nonsense is blown 1000% WAY out of proportion by the UBER-SENSATIONALISTIC media.

Punish those that act foolishly, not the entire group of operators.
This is the same attitude that should be treated to firearms as well...I don't think those should be registered or regulated AT ALL either.

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

Like! OL J R

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The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!

This may all be academic later this year. If the current senate version of the 2016 FAA Reauthorization Bill becomes law, RC aircraft of all types will be effectively outlawed.

Rob


http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/am...g-aeromodeling/

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Friends Don't let Friends Do TRF

More A$ININE regulation.
I for one am sick and tired of certain individuals CONSTANTLY pushing us into some sort of UBER-SAFETY fiefdom.
Punish those and ONLY those that cause incidents.
I however do NOT want any stinkin' regulation of my personal activities AT ALL that individually do not do any DIRECT harm to others. BUTT THE HELL OUT OF MY LIFE.
If I want to fly a 20lb model aircraft at 140+mph straight into the ground on my land or at a club, or if I want to touch off a J-class rocket motor anywhere I freakin' please without harming anyone ELSE, it should be out of the control of ANYONE/any stinkin' gubmint agency.
Punish jack-AZZES/Hoodlums/Hooligans individually.
And yes, I think this same attitude should apply to fully-automatic firearms, dynamite, suppressors, and even 'pharmaceuticals'. This is called FREEDOM.
No however, U.S. for-profit corporations should NOT be treated the same way which in most instances behave in an EVIL for-profit above ALL ELSE manner whenever given the chance. I favor regulating the snot out of them as 99% of the time they cannot be trusted to do what is best for society.

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

So, the UFO's identity MAY be due to the wind and litterbugs, more of the story at this link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lastic-bag.html

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Contest flying, Sport flying, it's all good.....
NAR# 18723 NAR.org
GeorgesRockets.com
Georges'CancerGoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-geo...ay-fight-cancer

I hates drones.

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macklinmissileworks@gmail.com

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Contest flying, Sport flying, it's all good.....
NAR# 18723 NAR.org
GeorgesRockets.com
Georges'CancerGoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-geo...ay-fight-cancer