Off The Wall Questions!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey, I was the kid that aksed questions in school that made the teacher
wonder if they were in the right class so here goes:

1. If I built a large domed building, could I fly my helicopter inside
without a helicopter license? I know there is some debate about needing a
pilot license if you do not carry passengers - but in our state, at least,
you do need a pilot license to fly.

2. Someone told me that if you dragged a rope behind an airplane and it
touched the ground at all times, you are not actually flying according to
the FAA. Unfortunately, I could not find this statement in the FAR. I
guess this might be answered by the question of needing a license to pilot a
tethered balloon (with passengers)?

3. If I am in a glider connected to an airplane by a rope, and the pilot ot
the airplane controls where I go, and I never detach, why would I need a
glider license?

4. How high does Class A airspace extend?

Hey, it is Friday. The first question popped up this afternoon during a
practice autorotation. All the way back from the airport, the questions
kept coming.

Colin

COLIN LAMB wrote:
Hey, I was the kid that aksed questions in school that made the teacher
wonder if they were in the right class so here goes:

1. If I built a large domed building, could I fly my helicopter inside
without a helicopter license? I know there is some debate about needing a
pilot license if you do not carry passengers - but in our state, at least,
you do need a pilot license to fly.

As a practical matter, yes.


2. Someone told me that if you dragged a rope behind an airplane and it
touched the ground at all times, you are not actually flying according to
the FAA. Unfortunately, I could not find this statement in the FAR. I
guess this might be answered by the question of needing a license to pilot a
tethered balloon (with passengers)?

Simply dragging the rope is not enough. You must have one end solidly
secured to ground.


3. If I am in a glider connected to an airplane by a rope, and the pilot ot
the airplane controls where I go, and I never detach, why would I need a
glider license?

Because you are pilot in command of an aircraft. HOWEVER, if you are
on a car or boat tow, it is not an aircraft. There were plans in
Popular Mechanix for floating primary gliders in the old days, the big
attraction was you could "fly" with no license. It was illegal to pull
the release except in an emergency, but since neither the nonaircraft
nor the nonpilot were licensed, no one including the FAA much cared.

"COLIN LAMB" wrote in message
nk.net...
4. How high does Class A airspace extend?

Hey, it is Friday. The first question popped up this afternoon during a
practice autorotation. All the way back from the airport, the questions
kept coming.

Colin

18,000 up to and including FL 600 is Class A. Above that, it's clase E .

Part 71.31 defines Class A
Part 71.71 defines Class E

Tim Ward

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 02:24:33 GMT, "COLIN LAMB"
wrote:

I found these questions quite funny because of the total divorcement
from reality that they represent.

Hey, I was the kid that aksed questions in school that made the teacher
wonder if they were in the right class so here goes:

1. If I built a large domed building, could I fly my helicopter inside
without a helicopter license? I know there is some debate about needing a
pilot license if you do not carry passengers - but in our state, at least,
you do need a pilot license to fly.

of course you could. but just touch one of the blade tips against the
surface of the building for just a moment and you'll know why people
call out "hey carumba". ...actually it will happen so fast that the
carumba part make never make it into the light of day.

2. Someone told me that if you dragged a rope behind an airplane and it
touched the ground at all times, you are not actually flying according to
the FAA. Unfortunately, I could not find this statement in the FAR. I
guess this might be answered by the question of needing a license to pilot a
tethered balloon (with passengers)?

ok an aircraft takes off at say 50 knots, climbs out at say 70 knots
and cruises at 100 to 120knots. and say you fly for one hour.
where are you going to find enough ground totally clear of powerlines,
fences and trees to be able to drag that rope without it snagging
something?
if you have such a space then it is probably so remote that you could
get away with it without anyone ever finding out. the first snag you
hit would sort you out well and truely though.


3. If I am in a glider connected to an airplane by a rope, and the pilot ot
the airplane controls where I go, and I never detach, why would I need a
glider license?

physics again comes to the rescue of the world in the face of this
lunacy. you obviously have not the faintest appreciation for the
turbulence of slipstreams, the dynamics of operating long winged
aircraft close to the earth's surface and a few other real world
considerations. ...lets just say that there is a lot for you to find
out :-)
go for it!

4. How high does Class A airspace extend?

to the top of the flyable atmosphere.

Hey, it is Friday. The first question popped up this afternoon during a
practice autorotation. All the way back from the airport, the questions
kept coming.

obviously you are taking some medication that you forgot that day :-)
try not to let it happen again.

Stealth Pilot
Australia

"COLIN LAMB" wrote in message
nk.net...

3. If I am in a glider connected to an airplane by a rope, and the pilot ot
the airplane controls where I go...

I would really like to put you in the front seat of a glider and let you
try it. You will instantly find that the "pilot ot
the airplane controls" does NOT control where the glider goes. The glider does
not willingly and automatically follow the tow plane like a trailer follows a
car. The experience is much the same as formation flying, if you wish to remain
connected to the airplane, you must very precisely coordinate stick and rudder
to follow. As a glider instructor, I have watched many an experienced airplane
pilot sweat as they try it for the first time. Like riding a bicycle, once the
skill is learned it becomes automatic.

Vaughn

1. If I built a large domed building, could I fly my helicopter inside
without a helicopter license? I know there is some debate about needing a
pilot license if you do not carry passengers - but in our state, at least,
you do need a pilot license to fly.

As a practical matter, yes.

But, what if the large domed building is privately owned "Superdome" with
40,000 spectators?

3. If I am in a glider connected to an airplane by a rope, and the pilot
ot
the airplane controls where I go, and I never detach, why would I need a
glider license?

"Because you are pilot in command of an aircraft. HOWEVER, if you are on a
car or boat tow, it is not an aircraft. There were plans in Popular Mechanix
for floating primary gliders in the old days, the big attraction was you
could "fly" with no license. It was illegal to pull the release except in an
emergency, but since neither the nonaircraft nor the nonpilot were licensed,
no one including the FAA much cared."

Response: So that means I could hook up a glider to a car and tow it around
the desert without a license? I am also a glider pilot, certified for all
three types of launch and I did fly at the Alvord Desert this summer, towed
behind a 1972 Buick Riviera known as the "Brown Turd". We used a 3,500 foot
cable and could climb at 1200 feet per minute up to 2,000 feet (the release
point). Although I did release and did fly the glider legally, the car
could have gone in circles around the edge of the desert while I was
descending and come back down without releasing. On numerous occasions, we
brought the glider back behind a low car tow and never released until the
last few feet of the ground.

Hey, it is not Friday anymore, guess I should go outside and get ready for
winter.

Colin

Well, I am a glider pilot, certified for all 3 launch types. I never
questioned whether it was easy, just what the limits of legality were. You
do not have to be safe or smart to be a pilot. In fact my wife thinks the
contrary is true.

And, yes, my glider instructor claimed I made him sick flying in the back
seat of the glider while I cross controlled "kicking" the yarn, while
transistioning to gliders.

Hey Tim, you get an A for knowing the regs.

"Vaughn" wrote in message
...

"COLIN LAMB" wrote in message
nk.net...

3. If I am in a glider connected to an airplane by a rope, and the
pilot ot
the airplane controls where I go...

I would really like to put you in the front seat of a glider and let
you
try it. You will instantly find that the "pilot ot
the airplane controls" does NOT control where the glider goes. The
glider does
not willingly and automatically follow the tow plane like a trailer
follows a
car. The experience is much the same as formation flying, if you wish to
remain
connected to the airplane, you must very precisely coordinate stick and
rudder
to follow. As a glider instructor, I have watched many an experienced
airplane
pilot sweat as they try it for the first time. Like riding a bicycle,
once the
skill is learned it becomes automatic.

Vaughn

If flying on tow isn't a big enough challenge, landing on tow should be a
lot of fun!! The procedure has been discussed on rec.aviation.soaring in
the unlikely event that both the tow plane and the glider have release
failures. Some believe that we should actually practice doing it.

Wayne
HP-14 N990 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/