GMC Commercial

[Wm226]

Has anyone seen the GMC Commercial in which a basketball is dropped from an airplane? I think the commercial is cool; but was the filming of this commercial not a violation of the FARs? Not so much the ball dropping; but rather, the altitude of the aircraft.

I saw the following commercial the other day, and for some reason 91.119 came to my mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLymisVND-4

91.119 states the following:

Minimum safe altitudes: Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

...

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be opreated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle. or structure.

The only exception to this rule was perhaps if the location of the basketball court was a few hundred feet from the threshold of a runway (and the aircraft was on approach to land).

Your opinions?

 

[OhioStatePilot]

Has anyone seen the GMC Commercial in which a basketball is dropped from an airplane? I think the commercial is cool; but was the filming of this commercial not a violation of the FARs? Not so much the ball dropping; but rather, the altitude of the aircraft.

I saw the following commercial the other day, and for some reason 91.119 came to my mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLymisVND-4

91.119 states the following:

Minimum safe altitudes: Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

...

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be opreated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle. or structure.

The only exception to this rule was perhaps if the location of the basketball court was a few hundred feet from the threshold of a runway (and the aircraft was on approach to land).

Your opinions?

I'd guess that you could make an argument for it being sparsely populated. Either that or they could have had a waiver for shooting the scene.

 

[jtrain609]

Has anyone seen the GMC Commercial in which a basketball is dropped from an airplane? I think the commercial is cool; but was the filming of this commercial not a violation of the FARs? Not so much the ball dropping; but rather, the altitude of the aircraft.

I saw the following commercial the other day, and for some reason 91.119 came to my mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLymisVND-4

91.119 states the following:

Minimum safe altitudes: Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

...

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be opreated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle. or structure.

The only exception to this rule was perhaps if the location of the basketball court was a few hundred feet from the threshold of a runway (and the aircraft was on approach to land).

Your opinions?

Airshows must be violations of FAR's also eh?

 

[Murdoughnut]

Probably got a waiver, but it's good that you're thinking along those lines.

I am curious, however, regarding the regs of flights entirely in Class G and entirely over your own property. If I have a Cub and take off on my own land, and only fly over my land, in uncontrolled airspace, shouldn't I be able to do whatever I want?

Discuss.

 

[jtrain609]

Probably got a waiver, but it's good that you're thinking along those lines.

I am curious, however, regarding the regs of flights entirely in Class G and entirely over your own property. If I have a Cub and take off on my own land, and only fly over my land, in uncontrolled airspace, shouldn't I be able to do whatever I want?

Discuss.

Negative, the air is owned by the people, not you.

(Though the common law would say that you own everything on your plot of long down to the center of the earth and straight up to the stars, I think it's pretty well accepted that there is a point where you stop owning the air above your property)

 

[stensonb]

He took off the from field right next to the hoop...so, I'd say he was performing a go-around and the passenger safely dropped an object from the aircraft.

...it hits just the right exceptions...

 

[elmetal]

I'd guess that you could make an argument for it being sparsely populated. Either that or they could have had a waiver for shooting the scene.

but there's the quoted part about even then, you cannot be withing 500 feet of people places or whatever it said

 

[USMCmech]

but there's the quoted part about even then, you cannot be withing 500 feet of people places or whatever it said

You can get a waiver to try ANYTHING.

This is commonly done for movies. Watch the movie "The Italian Job" and check out the scene of the MD520 flying under the highway overpass playing chicken with Mark Walberg in a Mini. That was not CGI, it was done in real life.


In this case the feds really don't care about what you do in a country field with a cub, as long as it appears that you took "reasonable precautions" when dropping the basketball from the aircraft.

 

[elmetal]

You can get a waiver to try ANYTHING.

This is commonly done for movies. Watch the movie "The Italian Job" and check out the scene of the MD520 flying under the highway overpass playing chicken with Mark Walberg in a Mini. That was not CGI, it was done in real life.


In this case the feds really don't care about what you do in a country field with a cub, as long as it appears that you took "reasonable precautions" when dropping the basketball from the aircraft.

that's true. I had a feeling the actual basketball in the shot was CGI. Anyone here have any more info on who flew the plane or anything like that?

I doubt that was successful on the first try

 

[lhornaday]

Ken Wittekiend

http://www.promarkaviation.net/

 

[Muff3n]

I don't think anything is wrong with this. As long as the correct preparation was made for the shoot. If it was gonna break any regs they could have just got a waiver for it.

 

[Minuteman]

(Though the common law would say that you own everything on your plot of long down to the center of the earth and straight up to the stars, I think it's pretty well accepted that there is a point where you stop owning the air above your property)

See, that's one thing I've never been clear on. Isn't it a common case where someone will own the land, but someone else will own the mineral rights?

My understanding is that, in that case, the mineral rights owner has the right to install equipment and access roads to get those items, all without ever having to deal with the landowner.

 

[Sol Rosenburg]

See, that's one thing I've never been clear on. Isn't it a common case where someone will own the land, but someone else will own the mineral rights?

My understanding is that, in that case, the mineral rights owner has the right to install equipment and access roads to get those items, all without ever having to deal with the landowner.

Here in Texas its common to also have grazing rights for livestock, land ownership can get weird.

 

[Murdoughnut]

that's true. I had a feeling the actual basketball in the shot was CGI. Anyone here have any more info on who flew the plane or anything like that?

I doubt that was successful on the first try

Ken Wittekiend owner of Promark Aviation recently flew for the guys at DudePerfect.com to complete their now famous airplane shot from his Piper Supercub. See the video below which has been featured on national television and all over the Internet. These guys truly are amazing, only two tries to make this shot!

 

[Murdoughnut]

Here in Texas its common to also have grazing rights for livestock, land ownership can get weird.

There's some crazy water laws too if I remember correctly. I had a geography professor in college who was also a water rights attorney. Something about being able to take water from under other people's land as long as you were tapping it from your land.

Much like Mr. Burns did with oil in the famous "Who shot Mr. Burns" series several years back. (Man I'm just full of WIN today) irate:

 

[elmetal]

Ken Wittekiend owner of Promark Aviation recently flew for the guys at DudePerfect.com to complete their now famous airplane shot from his Piper Supercub. See the video below which has been featured on national television and all over the Internet. These guys truly are amazing, only two tries to make this shot!

that's freaking impressive!