You have a UAV at 9 'clock, three miles...

....8,500 feet, westbound."

An East-West corridor exists between the southern boundaries of R-2508
and the northern foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern
California. At its western choke point near Palmdale, the corridor is about
15 NM wide. Fifty miles to the east, where it bends NE towards Las Vegas,
it opens up to about 30 NM. About half-way between those two points lies a
dry lake by the name of El Mirage - smack in the middle of the corridor. The
ILS approach slope to PMD [Palmdale] is slightly south of the center line of
the corridor on the west end.
El Mirage Flight test Facility is one of the busiest UAV test areas
in the US. It is a short hop from the field there to playing games with the
Air Force at Edwards AFB and just a slightly longer trek to boogie on up to
the Naval Air Warfare Center at China Lake.
I flew east and west through that corridor today on a junket with my
son for a $150 Patty Melt at Leonard's Cafe on KAPV, Apple Valley. During my
standard briefing from San Diego FSS, the briefer said NOTAMs were up for
UAV activity in the vicinity of El Mirage.
Being based at Inyokern [IYK] has subjected me to coping with Special
Use Airspace and the hazards of flying in the vicinity of kerosene burners
for almost my [admittedly short] entire flying history. My first call for
flight-following is typically within five miles of the airport, as soon as I
have established my first course line. The only exception to asking for
flight-following is if I am remaining in the pattern for any reason.
On this particular day, two UAVs were hauling around the area before
lunch and three while I was on the way back afterwards.
The UAV at my 9 o'clock, identified by Joshua Approach was at my
altitude and going in the same general direction. The ATC added that he had
direct contact with a chase plane that was with the UAV and the traffic was
no factor. I didn't feel any anxiety but I mentally armed my diving
right-turn spiral and continued on my way. I would liked to have gotten a
glimpse of the UAV and/or its chase, but the lighting and background masked
it.
UAVs are routinely tested in that small arena. Unless you pass through
on a weekend, holiday, or flex-Friday, your briefing will more than likely
include one or more NOTAMs regarding the tests. Altitudes vary from
ground-skimming to cranking on the turbos.
And with all the testing, and all the VFR traffic, and the countless
ILS practice runs, I can't find any hint of conflicts between UAVs and MAVs
[that's us in the Spam cans]. I feel that our ATC system and the UAV
controllers have their act together. I won't have any problem with UAVs
patrolling our borders as long as ATC is involved and unnecessary TFRs
aren't slung about like confetti.
On the other hand, I don't feel comfortable about them tooling over
populated areas. At least not until the reliability factor goes way up.

On Sat, 19 Aug 2006 18:09:18 GMT, "Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com
wrote in itIFg.143$hP6.26@trnddc04:

I can't find any hint of conflicts between UAVs and MAVs
[that's us in the Spam cans].

Could that be a result of the escort aircraft with the UAVs?
Presumably the pilot of that aircraft is capable of complying with the
see-and-avoid regulation.

I feel that our ATC system and the UAV controllers have their act together.
I won't have any problem with UAVs patrolling our borders as long as ATC is
involved and unnecessary TFRs aren't slung about like confetti.

I doubt the UAVs deployed to boarder patrol duty are escorted nor
equipped to comply with see-and-avoid regulations, so there are TFRs
around them.

On the other hand, I don't feel comfortable about them tooling over
populated areas. At least not until the reliability factor goes way up.


Of course, that's an issue. But who (what individual) will your
estate sue when a blind unmanned aerial vehicle downs your flight?

"Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com wrote in message
news:itIFg.143$hP6.26@trnddc04...
...8,500 feet, westbound."


On the other hand, I don't feel comfortable about them tooling over
populated areas. At least not until the reliability factor goes way up.



Then stay on the ground.

They normally maintain heading and altitude much better than many of the
pilots I know.

[UAVs] normally maintain heading and altitude much better than many of the
pilots I know.

So do cruise missles. I don't want to share the sky with them either.

Jose
--
The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"John Doe" wrote in message
. ..

"Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com wrote in message
news:itIFg.143$hP6.26@trnddc04...
...8,500 feet, westbound."


On the other hand, I don't feel comfortable about them tooling over
populated areas. At least not until the reliability factor goes way up.



Then stay on the ground.

They normally maintain heading and altitude much better than many of the
pilots I know.

It isn't sharing the airspace that I'm concerned about.

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 08:42:47 -0400, "John Doe"
wrote in :

They normally maintain heading and altitude much better than many of the
pilots I know.

And what about the times they or their operators do something
abnormal, and violate regulations? UAVs have no place in the NAS
without the ability to comply with the regulations that govern its
use.

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 08:42:47 -0400, "John Doe"
wrote in :

They normally maintain heading and altitude much better than many of the
pilots I know.

And what about the times they or their operators do something
abnormal, and violate regulations? UAVs have no place in the NAS
without the ability to comply with the regulations that govern its
use.

Would you please cite a reference to these incidents?

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 16:38:01 GMT, "Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com
wrote in Jd0Gg.9778$u1.1872@trnddc05:


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 08:42:47 -0400, "John Doe"
wrote in :

They normally maintain heading and altitude much better than many of the
pilots I know.

And what about the times they or their operators do something
abnormal, and violate regulations?

UAVs have no place in the NAS without the ability to comply with the
regulations that govern its use.

Would you please cite a reference to these incidents?


Sure. Below are some examples of the many UAV loss of control
mishaps.

Don't forget, the UAV assumes its own navigation upon loss of control
from the ground. The UAV, incapable of complying with the
see-and-avoid regulation, then becomes a hazard to air navigation if
it is not operating in Restricted airspace.

If UAVs, in their current state of refinement, were capable of
operating within federal aviation regulations, they wouldn't need a
chase plane nor Restricted airspace.


http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...s-Side-ON.html
Crash stirs debate on drone safety

Alan Levin
USA Today
Aug. 7, 2006 08:30 AM

The explosion nearly jolted Barbara Trent out of bed. At first she
thought someone had bombed the high-desert scrubland where she lives
in southern Arizona.

When daylight arrived a few hours later April 25, Trent and her
neighbors realized that what they heard wasn't a bomb at all. Instead,
an unmanned drone the government uses to monitor the nearby Mexican
border had slammed into a hillside near several homes.

The Predator B, which weighs as much as 10,500 pounds and has a
wingspan of 66 feet, had been crippled when its operator accidentally
switched off its engine. It glided as close as 100 feet above two
homes before striking the ground, says Tom Duggin, the owner of one of
the houses. advertisement

"I was very, very concerned," says Trent, whose house is about 1,000
feet from the crash site. "If it had hit my house, I'd be dead."

Flight issues

The crash of the Customs and Border Protection plane has been a
catalyst heating up the debate over whether it is safe to operate
unmanned aircraft in the nation's airways.

Thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles regularly ply the skies above
the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. As pressure grows to put the
UAVs to use in the United States, federal officials and aviation
industry representatives are conducting highly technical discussions
on how unmanned aircraft should be regulated.

The debate also addresses the philosophy of what it means to fly. In a
sense, UAVs are the first example of robot-like devices being allowed
to roam the earth, says Massachusetts Institute of Technology aviation
professor John Hansman.

The questions they raise are profound. Can a machine replace the
skills of a veteran pilot? If there are no people aboard, should the
safety standards developed over the past 100 years for aircraft be
eased? Should a human controlling a drone from a desktop computer be
subject to the same standards as a traditional pilot?

"The increased use of unmanned aircraft by (the military) is certainly
challenging some of the long-held beliefs of organizations that have
worked aviation safety for a long time," says Dyke Weatherington, who
oversees UAV procurement at the Pentagon.

Safety precautions

In hearings before the House Aviation Subcommittee in March, Michael
Kostelnik, a retired general who heads Customs and Border Protection's
Air and Marine office, assured lawmakers that the agency's Predator
had robust backup systems to ensure safety.

"This redundant system works on all levels, from sensors to the flight
computer, and provides a triple-check system to protect the vehicle
and others in the airspace," said Kostelnik's written testimony.
....




http://www.aetc.randolph.af.mil/se2/...305/runway.htm
GROUND CREW’S INATTENTION
LEADS TO UNMANNED AIRCRAFT CRASH

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) — Investigators determined
that pilot error caused an Air Force RQ-1 Predator aircraft to
crash Oct. 25, nine miles west of Indian Springs Air Force
Auxiliary Field, Nev.

The Predator, an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, was destroyed
upon impact. The loss is estimated at $3.3 million. No one was
injured. The aircraft was assigned to the 11th Reconnaissance
Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

According to an Air Combat Command accident investigation report
released last month, the primary cause of the accident was the
ground crew’s inattention to the aircraft’s altitude.

While trying to enter the Indian Springs flight pattern, the
aircraft was flown over mountainous terrain, obstructing the
datalink and causing the ground crew to lose electronic contact
with the aircraft.

Following failed attempts to regain the link, the pilot executed
emergency procedures designed to safeguard the aircraft; however,
the aircraft impacted mountainous terrain 16 seconds later.


http://www.af.mil/news/Feb2001/n2001...shtmlOfficials

02/02/01
Officials release RQ-1L Predator RQ-1L Predator accident report
the accident resulted from operator error.

the pilot -- who flies the aircraft from a ground control station
-- inadvertently cleared the primary control module's random
access memory. As a result, the Predator lost its data link
connection with the ground control station.


http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...3/02/mil-03021...
releases RQ-1 accident report

In-Depth Coverage

Released: Feb. 19, 2003

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) -- Air Force investigators
have determined that human error caused an RQ-1 Predator aircraft
to crash Sept. 17 at a classified forward-operating location in
Southwest Asia.

The Predator, which is an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, was
destroyed upon impact. The loss is estimated at $3.2 million. No
one was injured in the accident. The aircraft was assigned to the
11th Reconnaissance Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

According to an Air Combat Command accident investigation report
released today, the primary cause of the accident was that the
pilot unintentionally flew the aircraft into a hazardous cloud.

The pilot lost communication with the aircraft several times, but
was able to re-establish communication twice. However, the
aircraft failed to respond to the pilot’s commands, indicating the
flight control computers were disabled by the hazardous weather
conditions


http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell...s/predator.htm
As of 31 October 2001 the Air Force had received a total of 68 air
vehicles, and had lost 19 due to mishaps or losses over enemy
territory, including four over enemy territory in Kosovo. A good
number of them were lost due to operator error, since it is hard
to land the UAV. The operator has the camera pointing out the
front of the plane, but he really has lost a lot of situational
awareness that a normal pilot would have of where the ground is
and where the attitude of his aircraft is.

The CIA has a small number of the armed drones. Newer versions of
the Predator, at $4.5 million each, are being produced at a rate
of about two aircraft a month.


http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_ho...2002/news/1996...
Thursday, October 31, 2002
Las Vegas Review-Journal

May 17 crash of unmanned spy plane blamed on human error

Investigators have blamed the May 17 crash of an unmanned Predator
spy plane in Southwest Asia on human error, saying one of the
plane's tail control mechanisms had been improperly assembled by
the manufacturer, according to an Air Force statement Wednesday.

The remote-controlled RQ-1 Predator was assigned to Nellis Air
Force Base's 15th Reconnaissance Squadron in Indian Springs.

The plane, which had been deployed as part of the 386th
Expeditionary Group, went down "near a classified forward
operating location" in Southwest Asia, said the statement from Air
Combat Command headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

The loss of the plane made by General Atomics of San Diego is
valued at $3.3 million, the statement said.

Air Force investigators determined that incorrect assembly of the
"right tail plane control servo" was the sole cause of the
accident, the statement said.

A spokesman for Air Combat Command said Air Force officials are
still probing Friday's crash of a Predator during a training
mission near Indian Springs. That plane was assigned to Nellis'
11th Reconnaissance Squadron.


http://www2.acc.af.mil/accnews/aug01/01267.html
Released: Aug. 16, 2001

RQ-1 Predator accident report released

The RQ-1 Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned
aerial vehicle system. The Predator is a system, not just an
aircraft. The fully operational system consists of four air
vehicles (with sensors), a ground control station, a Predator
primary satellite link communication suite and 55 people.
(Courtesy photo)

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) -- Officials investigating the
March 30 crash of an RQ-1L Predator unmanned aerial vehicle have
determined the accident resulted from operator error.

According to the Accident Investigation Board report released
today by Air Combat Command, the Predator experienced an icing
problem and the pilot was unable to maintain control of the
aircraft.

The Predator, which belonged to the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron
at Nellis AFB, Nev., was supporting the Kosovo Stabilization
Force. There were no injuries or fatalities. The Predator was
destroyed upon impact.

According to the report, the pilot recognized the icing problem,
but failed to immediately execute critical checklist steps for
pitot static system failure. The pitot static system uses air and
static pressure to determine the aircraft’s altitude and airspeed.
There is also substantial evidence that nonuse of the pitot static
heating system was a substantially contributing factor in this
mishap.


http://www2.acc.af.mil/accnews/dec99/990383.html
Released: December 23, 1999

RQ-1 Predator accident report released

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, VA. (ACCNS) -- Officials investigating the
April 18 crash of an RQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle near
Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia, have determined the accident resulted from
a combination of mechanical and human factors.

The Predator, which belonged to the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron
at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., was returning from a
reconnaissance mission over Kosovo in support of Operation Allied
Force. It was destroyed upon impact.

According to the Accident Investigation Board report released Dec.
22 by Air Combat Command, the Predator experienced a fuel problem
during its descent into Tuzla. Upon entering instrument
meteorological conditions and experiencing aircraft icing, the
Predator lost engine power.

The two Predator pilots, who control the aircraft from a ground
station, executed critical action procedures but were unable to
land the aircraft safely. It crashed in a wooded area four miles
south of Tuzla AB.

According to the report, the pilots' attention became too focused
on flying the Predator in icing and weather conditions they had
rarely encountered. The report also cites lack of communication
between the two pilots during the flight emergency as a cause of
the accident.

For more information, please contact the Air Combat Command Public
Affairs office at (757) 764-5994 or e-mail .

http://www2.acc.af.mil/accnews/apr01/01127.html
Released: April 13, 2001

Predator accident report released

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) -- An RQ-1K Predator unmanned
aerial vehicle crashed Oct. 23 in Kosovo as a result of mechanical
failure, according to accident investigators.

The Predator is an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft used to survey
battlefields and return video footage and radar data. The accident
happened about 180 miles southeast of Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia,
where the aircraft was based. The Predator was part of an
Operation Joint Forge reconnaissance mission over Kosovo and was
assigned to the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, Nellis Air Force
Base, Nev.

According to Air Combat Command's Accident Investigation Board
report released Thursday, the accident resulted from mechanical
failure in the UAV's propeller control system. Investigators found
substantial evidence indicating errors during maintenance on the
propeller control system on Sept. 28 played a critical role in the
accident. Evidence showed that certain components of the propeller
assembly were not adequately lubricated; in addition, a key bolt
was stripped and had not been tightened properly. These errors
likely led to the accident, according to the lead investigator.

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 16:38:01 GMT, "Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com
wrote in Jd0Gg.9778$u1.1872@trnddc05:


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 08:42:47 -0400, "John Doe"
wrote in :

They normally maintain heading and altitude much better than many of the
pilots I know.

And what about the times they or their operators do something
abnormal, and violate regulations?

UAVs have no place in the NAS without the ability to comply with the
regulations that govern its use.

Would you please cite a reference to these incidents?


Sure. Below are some examples of the many UAV loss of control
mishaps.

Don't forget, the UAV assumes its own navigation upon loss of control
from the ground. The UAV, incapable of complying with the
see-and-avoid regulation, then becomes a hazard to air navigation if
it is not operating in Restricted airspace.

If UAVs, in their current state of refinement, were capable of
operating within federal aviation regulations, they wouldn't need a
chase plane nor Restricted airspace.

Thanks, Larry. You probably won't agree, but I'm going to pose that all
your examples support my side.
First, none of the mishaps you cited involved any potential hazard to
other aircraft, even when they wandered out of their operating arenas. With
the exception to those in foreign theaters, my bet is that ATC knew, as
close as transponder accuracy would allow, the exact position of the UAV --
and could have provided ample warning to any other aircraft.
Second, those (albeit, few) incidents that occurred outside SUA support
my statement that I'm not in favor of flying them over populated areas. In
other words, NIMBY until the reliability goes way up.

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 18:15:56 GMT, "Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com
wrote in wF1Gg.19367$uV.3365@trnddc08:


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 16:38:01 GMT, "Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com
wrote in Jd0Gg.9778$u1.1872@trnddc05:


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 08:42:47 -0400, "John Doe"
wrote in :

They normally maintain heading and altitude much better than many of the
pilots I know.

And what about the times they or their operators do something
abnormal, and violate regulations?

UAVs have no place in the NAS without the ability to comply with the
regulations that govern its use.

Would you please cite a reference to these incidents?


Sure. Below are some examples of the many UAV loss of control
mishaps.

Don't forget, the UAV assumes its own navigation upon loss of control
from the ground. The UAV, incapable of complying with the
see-and-avoid regulation, then becomes a hazard to air navigation if
it is not operating in Restricted airspace.

If UAVs, in their current state of refinement, were capable of
operating within federal aviation regulations, they wouldn't need a
chase plane nor Restricted airspace.

Thanks, Larry. You probably won't agree, but I'm going to pose that all
your examples support my side.

Unfortunately, UAVs maintaining heading and altitude much better than
many of the pilots you know has very little to do with aviation
safety.

First, none of the mishaps you cited involved any potential hazard to
other aircraft, even when they wandered out of their operating arenas.

If you believe that an aircraft incapable of complying with federal
regulations requiring their operators to see-and-avoid do not
constitute a hazard to aerial navigation within the NAS, you might
consider suggesting to the FAA, military, and airlines that regulation
§ 91.113 (b) be rescinded. :-)

With the exception to those in foreign theaters, my bet is that ATC knew, as
close as transponder accuracy would allow, the exact position of the UAV --
and could have provided ample warning to any other aircraft.

Please describe how ATC would warn NORDO flights of the runaway, blind
UAV.

Please describe how ATC knowing the position of a runaway, blind UAV
would prevent the UAV from impacting a balloon (typically flown
NORDO).

Second, those (albeit, few) incidents that occurred outside SUA support
my statement that I'm not in favor of flying them over populated areas. In
other words, NIMBY until the reliability goes way up.

So, it is the unreliability of UAVs that concerns you, not the fact
that today's UAVs operating outside of Restricted airspace are
incapable of complying with federal regulations?

How would you feel if a fellow pilot were incapable of complying with
federal regulations; would you expect the FAA to grant him an
exemption to his responsibility to see-and-avoid?