Attorney Jonathan Rupprecht Finds Several Issues With The FAA's New AC

On August 10, 2014 FAA accidentally canceled AC 91-57, which had been around for a little more than 34 years. On Wednesday, they issued its replacement ... AC 91-57A. The AC sets forth rules governing how model aircraft operators, including small UAVs, may fly their aircraft as hobbyists.

There are several differences in the two ACs, which you can find at the FMI link below. And Jonathan Rupprecht, the attorney who compared the two documents, found some notable distinctions.

Among them are the imposition of a five-mile radius around airports within which a model aircraft pilot must contact air traffic control prior to the flight. But, Rupprecht points out, it is not specified whether that is five statute miles or five nautical miles, and it does not clearly define "airport". "How do model aircraft flyers get in touch with these airports?," Rupprecht writes. "Do I have to pull the property records and mail the owner a letter so I can plan a flight in a couple weeks? The airport facility directory does not list all the airports with a phone number for me to call. Furthermore, the AFD’s have the airport manager phone numbers in them so I can call them and ask to get the tower’s number. What happens if I’m wanting to fly after getting off of work and all I have is the airport manager’s phone number who left at 5PM? I can’t fly because I can’t notify the tower via phone. My only other choice is to get an aviation handheld transceiver which only has limited range and could sound horrible at 5 miles."

The AC also does not specifically say with what rules hobbyist pilots are required to comply, but it does say they must comply. The voluntary compliance in the previous AC has been replaced with stricter language.

So if you regularly operate any kind of model aircraft, including your new quadcopter, as a hobbyist near an airport, this new AC is required reading.

FMI: Rupprecht's Analysis