Is this legal?

Pichettet1

Pichettet1

Well-Known Member
So I found this pretty cool video on Vimeo today. In it, a guy flies an experimental plane doing aeros at the tops of some clouds. Based on my knowledge of cloud clearance requirements, the only way I can think of this being legal is if his altitude was below 1,200 AGL and in class G.

Any thoughts? It looks like fun, but I just constantly imagine another airplane roaring through those clouds into a mid-air with this guy.
 
Pichettet1 said:
So I found this pretty cool video on Vimeo today. In it, a guy flies an experimental plane doing aeros at the tops of some clouds. Based on my knowledge of cloud clearance requirements, the only way I can think of this being legal is if his altitude was below 1,200 AGL and in class G.

Any thoughts? It looks like fun, but I just constantly imagine another airplane roaring through those clouds into a mid-air with this guy.
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or maybe he's not in the US?

EDIT: Nvmd. I'm watching it now can see his tail#
Video is very cool

Extremely foolish of him to post a video showing that PLUS his tail
 
Could have been wavered airspace. Visibility for acro is 3nm and it looks like he had that. I guess one could argue that while doing aerobatics you do not need to adhere to basic VFR weather minimums as aerobatic flight does not require a cloud clearance? Good luck with that thought lol.
 
Acrofox said:
All I know is that there should be a legal route to do in some way, in some airspace, at some time... because it's pure joie de vivre ... and it's exactly the sort of flying that inspires people to fly.

-Fox
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agreed!
 
Man that is just awesome. That's what flying is all about, and why I'd never want to own an airplane that can't spend all day upside down!
 
Yeah it looks awesome. I guess I was trying to figure out if there is a way to do this legally in the US? I couldn't find a loophole myself. Looks like it would be a ton of fun.
 
It's a beautiful video, but I don't think this acro plane would hold up very well to your typical transport smashing into it at 250 knots when he pops out from around the cloud. Nor do I want to find out what that sounds or feels like.

But who knows, maybe he's in the middle of East Jesus and there's not a soul or a Fed around for a hundred miles. Not that that's any reason to break the law...
 
Acrofox said:
All I know is that there should be a legal route to do in some way, in some airspace, at some time... because it's pure joie de vivre ... and it's exactly the sort of flying that inspires people to fly.

-Fox
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File an ifr flight plan, tell approach you want a block altitude and will stay between two radials off a vor at two set distances. If that coincides with an already established practice area the better it is.
 
eightballfreight said:
File an ifr flight plan, tell approach you want a block altitude and will stay between two radials off a vor at two set distances. If that coincides with an already established practice area the better it is.
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This guy....


get outta here with your logic!

EDIT: Though on second thought, you'd have to have an IFR certified plane. that narrows down the acro machines severely
 
Wow, that is INSANELY AWESOME. Every time I fly around low fog ceilings bubbling around the ocean, I think about it.
 
Damn. Not only is that one of my favorite all time songs by Bilnd Faith, it's some beautiful flying. One lone man, his small plane and the enormous, wondrous sky. Just glorious. Makes the soul soar. If that video doesn't call to your inner spirit, I don't know what will. No way to describe that kind of freedom. Millions of people will never have this pure joy. Just watching the clouds racing by, the sun glinting off the wings, him sitting there with that incredible view, experience and moment, the azure sky.................sigh.

Thank you for posting this.
 
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Inverted said:
Could have been wavered airspace. Visibility for acro is 3nm and it looks like he had that. I guess one could argue that while doing aerobatics you do not need to adhere to basic VFR weather minimums as aerobatic flight does not require a cloud clearance? Good luck with that thought lol.
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That was my guess:

"(3)Waivers of the basic visual flight rules (VFR) weather minimums specified in 14 CFR § 91.155 may be considered only in areas where the entire aerobatic maneuvering sequence can be provided separation from participating and nonparticipating aircraft by ATC."

http://fsims.faa.gov/WDocs/8700.1 GA Ops Insp Handbk/Volume 2/2_048_00.htm

That does leave a wide margin of speculation of what the pilot was doing.
 
Also, You can't do it within 4nm of a victor airway, if you are in a cloud there, you better be on radar, in which case I am pretty sure the Extra was too.
 
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