Is there a reg that prevents you from landing in an open field, let's say a friends property or farm (with their consent of course)? A quick run through the regs and I couldn't find anything aside from the catch all 91.13. My logic/thinking says its fine.. but then again thats when things start to go wrong.
We had an all-out discussion about this amongst pilots last season on the road. To solve the problem, I called the Kansas FSDO...
The guy's response?
"We can always get you for careless or reckless operation." It was like he was looking for that! But so as to not be had by a Fed, I prodded further. What about the pilots in Alaska taking off on roads?! What about crop-dusters landing for refueling on country roads?! By asking further, he said that it may NOT be illegal by the books. "BUT," he went on, "if ANYTHING happens (broken wheel, ANY type of property damage), we will surely go after you for careless or reckless operation. No doubt about it."
He said you can always request to have an airport approved on your property. But again, that was NOT what I was asking (I was relentless). So after more questioning, he went further about the crop-dusters. They have to (are supposed to) get the highway patrol involved in EVERY take-off and landing. The police have to block off both sides of the roads for every take-off and landing. Of course, someone will know someone where this is not the case. Exactly.
But he was pretty adamant about not doing the field landing (my grandpa has a farm, and that's what I wanted to do!). Even if it wasn't illegal by the books, if ANYTHING happened, then I could get a lil' record on my flying!
Part 2
At a pilot's request, I called up the New York FSDO.
The answer? "Absolutely, positively NO WAY that you can land in a field, outside of an EMERGENCY." They wouldn't budge one bit. It's always dangerous up there for some reason???
I kid you not.
