Airport Proximity ?

We had planned on launching a rocket with colored powder for my daughters baby gender reveal but I just googled her new address and it looks like she is less than a mile from a small East Texas regional airport. It is very small and I doubt it gets used much (no major airlines, mostly just commuter planes I'm sure). Where do I go to find out how far away from the airport we need to be to launch? Not sure who to ask or where to turn for this info?

A number of years ago I attended a demo launch that was literally at a small regional airport. I think all they did was contact the tower and get permission, but I wasn't involved in any of the planning so don't take that as all you need to do.

Deke said:

Where do I go to find out how far away from the airport we need to be to launch?

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There are no restrictions in FAA FAR 101 on airport proximity for Class 1 rockets (<125g of propellant, <1500g liftoff weight). Any larger rocket has to be at least 5 nautical miles away from an airport unless explicitly approved by the FAA. (Of course you need a waiver for those anyway.)

There is a catch-all for "additional operating limitations" and in my experience, if you ask people who run airports you may get direction outside the scope of FAR 101.

Depending on what state you're in, there may be limitations on where you can fly beyond those of the FAA.

Go to airport FBO and ask for a aviation sectional and additional help with a 7711-2 form at worst. They'll get you controller info. You are talking about class C airspace controlled if its regional. I don't care how squat little airport you think it is. Clear sky above you may be part of national airspace system. To a pilot there's a can of malaria germs of complex pattern approach paths, waypoints, localizers in places all around and away and FAR under any marked skyvector online airspace familiar to pilots. The airspace rings decrease altitude of controlled airspace as closure to distance to airports with radius. There are floors and ceilings of controlled airspace like an inverted wedding cake. You can't enter that with a toy rocket until a 7711-2 is filed. It's best to let people know before even if you don't need a 7711-2. They will be more than happy to keep you safe.Then nearest airport there's all kinds of operating limits not really marked outside of ILS approach paths. Pattern altitudes can be lower than 900ft Agl. They may extend a mile or two out. The pattern direction depends if rotor or fixed wing. You do not want to be on the news. Please call a local FBO or visit. I know it is a kid toy. It could end you legally with radar data at worst if you simply aren't aware of these local operational limits. Student pilot here, there's A, B, C, D, E, and G airspace. G is uncontrolled and friendlier to rockets. D is controlled 5nm. C is controlled. B is controlled up to 30nm, A is above 18,000ft AGL, and E is a controlled approach area lateral and vertical. E could really be a day ruiner. Skyvector.com and ask people at airport. The B,C,D can depend on particular airports which is why you need info for towered airport airspace and controlled FAA type limits. The details inside those controlled airspaces vary per airport.

mikec said:

There is a catch-all for "additional operating limitations" and in my experience, if you ask people who run airports you may get direction outside the scope of FAR 101.

Depending on what state you're in, there may be limitations on where you can fly beyond those of the FAA.

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All this BS relates to FAR91 or 121 aircraft ops. 135 is like Air Taxi less regulated than 121 airliners. And each airport locally has different pattern Alts. The aircraft type determine the localized Alts and vincities local to that airport. Jets usually get higher Alts for patterns compared to props. The rockets are only under FAR101 but if objects start interfering with aircraft ops then there will be trouble. Directions of approaches, waypoints, ILS localizers or GPS approaches. Or a VOR radio beacon away from airports where planes literally converge on from all directions. Or use for approaches old fashion way. Every airport has intricate details under the controlled airspace if towered. If not towered then it's a flight service comm station with a darn box on the ground and a hairy grumpy person. You don't even need to be near an airport to find trouble. Draw lines from a VOR station to every nearest airport, and that explains if a radio wave flight path is near your location not near an airport. And that's just a possible route not all possible routes. Which is why go ask airport FBO is best advice I got. There's reasons why certain places of US don't have many HPR launch sites or high Alts.
Flight service station numbers are on sectional maps if you need it but generally those are class G uncontrolled. The issue is if it's a light GA uncontrolled untowered airport under a huge controlled airspace veil from another bigger airport then it gets to be a mess for pilots, or worse is when many airports overlapping! Ughhhhhhh....

Well, whaddaya know. NAR used to have a "I will not fly model rockets within 5 miles of an airport" as one of their rules.

I just checked the NAR site, and that rule seems to be gone now..

dr wogz said:

Well, whaddaya know. NAR used to have a "I will not fly model rockets within 5 miles of an airport" as one of their rules.

I just checked the NAR site, and that rule seems to be gone now..

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Lots more small regional airports, now.

Thanks all!

FAA FAR Part 101