Posted: 9/4/2026 5:15:10 PM EDT
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I ask this question today as I had a strange conflict today at the RC airplane club today. We got lots of GA aircraft that do a flyby high enough to be safe, sometimes with a little wing wag. We generally enjoy and and call it out to alert all the guys that may have planes in the air. We have a duty to deconflict obviously. We obviously have to stay near the field for line of sight and stay under 400 feet. That’s our ceiling. GA is 500+ so 100’ of vertical separation. Today this guy descended through our pattern at probably 300-350 feet where I was flying a pattern. He was splitting across midfield perpendicular to our strip, we have a grass strip long enough for some GA planes in pinch and a little patch of black geotex for our small stuff and some benches and a standard windsock and a U.S. flag. Anyhow he came low enough that I had to break left out of the pattern and he also had to break left. I was trying to come around to land to get on the ground out of his way and cut my flight short. (Electric battery inducted fan jets only get about 3-4 minute flights before becoming a glider). I am pretty dang certain that he saw my plane as he suddenly avoided it when was within 50-60 yards of it. I at first thought oops accidents happen but this guy kept coming back over the field for a good ten minutes when another of our fliers had launched his plane and thought the coast was clear. Anyways I was annoyed where I am usually pleased to see the planes visit. I could see being curious if he thought it was an actual private strip for real planes but it’s not of course but why keep buzzing when you just had to deconflict. |
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The short answer is: no. The longer answer: These areas (FRIAs and LAANC activations) do not appear on the charts that VFR and IFR pilots utilize. Nor are they available as a layer in the two most popular electronic flight bag app's, ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot. Thus they are effectively invisible to 99% of pilots. Indeed, while FRIAs are easy to find on the relevant FAA website, LAANC activations are a huge PITA to look up. It might be a good bet that most pilots don't even know what a FRIA is unless they are themselves RC pilots, or what LAANC is if they don't hold a Part 107 certificate. As you point out, it ought not to be a problem. The FAA ensures that FRIAs and LAANC activations are not located anyplace a manned aircraft should be flying lower than 500 ft AGL. Although, as a helicopter pilot, I feel compelled to point out that restriction does not apply to us  Having done quite a bit of low level helicopter LIDAR surveys, which generally occur at 300 ft AGL with the most common LIDAR systems, I very much wish that every UAS operation would submit a NOTAM. After you've gone though the submission process once or twice it is quick and easy. And this thread is a good reminder to me to check for FRIAs in any low level operating area, something I've not previously thought about. It might be a little outside the intended discussion, but I very much wish that Part 107 UAS operators were required to monitor the helicopter air-to-air frequency, 123.025 MHz, and be authorized to respond to calls from helicopters that need to transit their operating area (as depicted on their UAS NOTAM  ). |
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum."
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Originally Posted By aa777888-2: The short answer is: no. The longer answer: These areas (FRIAs and LAANC activations) do not appear on the charts that VFR and IFR pilots utilize. Nor are they available as a layer in the two most popular electronic flight bag app's, ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot. Thus they are effectively invisible to 99% of pilots. Indeed, while FRIAs are easy to find on the relevant FAA website, LAANC activations are a huge PITA to look up. It might be a good bet that most pilots don't even know what a FRIA is unless they are themselves RC pilots, or what LAANC is if they don't hold a Part 107 certificate. As you point out, it ought not to be a problem. The FAA ensures that FRIAs and LAANC activations are not located anyplace a manned aircraft should be flying lower than 500 ft AGL. Although, as a helicopter pilot, I feel compelled to point out that restriction does not apply to us Having done quite a bit of low level helicopter LIDAR surveys, which generally occur at 300 ft AGL with the most common LIDAR systems, I very much wish that every UAS operation would submit a NOTAM. After you've gone though the submission process once or twice it is quick and easy. And this thread is a good reminder to me to check for FRIAs in any low level operating area, something I've not previously thought about. It might be a little outside the intended discussion, but I very much wish that Part 107 UAS operators were required to monitor the helicopter air-to-air frequency, 123.025 MHz, and be authorized to respond to calls from helicopters that need to transit their operating area (as depicted on their UAS NOTAM ).I kind of figured the whole fria thing is too new to be on any paper charts that an old pilot would actually have in his bag. They certainly made the RC clubs jump through the FAA hoops though. At the moment it seems like they wasted our time. I am a realist though. Things happen. We didn’t used to have the 400’ foot ceiling at all so the chance of conflicts were always there. While we are lumped in with drones in the legal sense, the RC plane guys are doing what they’ve done for about 80 years or better. We fly at fixed sites or special sites under temp permits. If I had an aviation band radio I would have advised the fellow that he was causing a conflict that we were trying to avoid. The other RC pilot waited for him to move on before he took off…..only to have the guy turn around and come back. There were four of us there today and all of us have been members for 5-8 years there and never had that kind of event. During one of our benefit events they actually had a scheduled flyby by a local fellow with a Ryan PT22. We are aviation enthusiasts even though we stay on the ground. The kids in the cheap seats maybe. This was the only sketchy encounter this close overhead. Not sure if it was curiosity but it was harassment even if not intentional. I’ve never had that feeling before with real aircraft “visiting” the place. We keep an eye and ear out for aircraft. Heck we’ve paused for balloon traffic. More so to watch them. I had my 2m Kenwood mobile in the car but I don’t believe it can monitor aviation bands let alone transmit there. Edit, I looked at my radio specs. Starts at 136Mhz so 121.5 and 123.5 would be out of reach even to listen. |
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Originally Posted By SteelonSteel: I kind of figured the whole fria thing is too new to be on any paper charts that an old pilot would actually have in his bag. Originally Posted By SteelonSteel: I kind of figured the whole fria thing is too new to be on any paper charts that an old pilot would actually have in his bag. Also, paper charts are practically obsolete. Almost everyone uses a phone or tablet running ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot. And most are using vector charts when doing so, although both app's also support raster charts (the digital version of the paper charts) for both VFR and IFR operations. These app's can be configured to automagically show NOTAMs and TFRs in addition to the normal airspace boundaries. For completeness, there are alternative to the Big Two app's, including iFly, DroidEFB and Avare. But they are all very distant third tier solutions. If I had an aviation band radio I would have advised the fellow that he was causing a conflict that we were trying to avoid. Also, technically it would not have been legal for you to do so, but the chances of getting into any hot water over it would be practically zero. We keep an eye and ear out for aircraft. Heck we've paused for balloon traffic. I had my 2m Kenwood mobile in the car but I don't believe it can monitor aviation bands let alone transmit there. Edit, I looked at my radio specs. Starts at 136Mhz so 121.5 and 123.5 would be out of reach even to listen. There are exactly ZERO handheld FM radios that are capable of transmitting on the aviation bands. Aviation comm's are AM, not FM, and nobody has managed to put both in the same radio. Radtel just announced one, and I bought it, and it's junk. It sort of works to transmit on aviation AM freq's, but not good enough to actually use. I returned it. |
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum."
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Originally Posted By aa777888-2: It's not "too new". FRIAs have been around for at least three years. It's just that the FAA doesn't believe they are of any interest to manned aircraft. Also, paper charts are practically obsolete. Almost everyone uses a phone or tablet running ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot. And most are using vector charts when doing so, although both app's also support raster charts (the digital version of the paper charts) for both VFR and IFR operations. These app's can be configured to automagically show NOTAMs and TFRs in addition to the normal airspace boundaries. For completeness, there are alternative to the Big Two app's, including iFly, DroidEFB and Avare. But they are all very distant third tier solutions. That might be more difficult than you think. How would you know what frequency he was monitoring? He might not have been using the radio at all. Also, technically it would not have been legal for you to do so, but the chances of getting into any hot water over it would be practically zero. As you should, since any sort of manned traffic has the right of way over any unmanned traffic. There are a number of amateur and Chinesium handhelds that have the ability to monitor the aviation band. But monitoring does you little good as there is nothing to monitor with respect to aircraft inside or in proximity to your FRIA. And transmitting does you little good if you don't know what freq. the aircraft is listening to. There are exactly ZERO handheld FM radios that are capable of transmitting on the aviation bands. Aviation comm's are AM, not FM, and nobody has managed to put both in the same radio. Radtel just announced one, and I bought it, and it's junk. It sort of works to transmit on aviation AM freq's, but not good enough to actually use. I returned it. Originally Posted By aa777888-2: Originally Posted By SteelonSteel: I kind of figured the whole fria thing is too new to be on any paper charts that an old pilot would actually have in his bag. Also, paper charts are practically obsolete. Almost everyone uses a phone or tablet running ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot. And most are using vector charts when doing so, although both app's also support raster charts (the digital version of the paper charts) for both VFR and IFR operations. These app's can be configured to automagically show NOTAMs and TFRs in addition to the normal airspace boundaries. For completeness, there are alternative to the Big Two app's, including iFly, DroidEFB and Avare. But they are all very distant third tier solutions. If I had an aviation band radio I would have advised the fellow that he was causing a conflict that we were trying to avoid. Also, technically it would not have been legal for you to do so, but the chances of getting into any hot water over it would be practically zero. We keep an eye and ear out for aircraft. Heck we've paused for balloon traffic. I had my 2m Kenwood mobile in the car but I don't believe it can monitor aviation bands let alone transmit there. Edit, I looked at my radio specs. Starts at 136Mhz so 121.5 and 123.5 would be out of reach even to listen. There are exactly ZERO handheld FM radios that are capable of transmitting on the aviation bands. Aviation comm's are AM, not FM, and nobody has managed to put both in the same radio. Radtel just announced one, and I bought it, and it's junk. It sort of works to transmit on aviation AM freq's, but not good enough to actually use. I returned it. Yea, I have had radios in the comparison charts at the radio retailers and saw that some/ few have aircraft band but it’s mostly monitor I’m sure. As a kid I used to have a few channels for the commercial traffic in and out of ALB. GFL is the near regional and it gets some but very little traffic. A few Lear or Gulfstream jets and GA plus a couple of instructors with training flights. Heck it may have been their rental 152. |
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Originally Posted By aa777888-2: It's not "too new". FRIAs have been around for at least three years. It's just that the FAA doesn't believe they are of any interest to manned aircraft. Also, paper charts are practically obsolete. Almost everyone uses a phone or tablet running ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot. And most are using vector charts when doing so, although both app's also support raster charts (the digital version of the paper charts) for both VFR and IFR operations. These app's can be configured to automagically show NOTAMs and TFRs in addition to the normal airspace boundaries. For completeness, there are alternative to the Big Two app's, including iFly, DroidEFB and Avare. But they are all very distant third tier solutions. That might be more difficult than you think. How would you know what frequency he was monitoring? He might not have been using the radio at all. Also, technically it would not have been legal for you to do so, but the chances of getting into any hot water over it would be practically zero. As you should, since any sort of manned traffic has the right of way over any unmanned traffic. There are a number of amateur and Chinesium handhelds that have the ability to monitor the aviation band. But monitoring does you little good as there is nothing to monitor with respect to aircraft inside or in proximity to your FRIA. And transmitting does you little good if you don't know what freq. the aircraft is listening to. There are exactly ZERO handheld FM radios that are capable of transmitting on the aviation bands. Aviation comm's are AM, not FM, and nobody has managed to put both in the same radio. Radtel just announced one, and I bought it, and it's junk. It sort of works to transmit on aviation AM freq's, but not good enough to actually use. I returned it. Originally Posted By aa777888-2: Originally Posted By SteelonSteel: I kind of figured the whole fria thing is too new to be on any paper charts that an old pilot would actually have in his bag. Also, paper charts are practically obsolete. Almost everyone uses a phone or tablet running ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot. And most are using vector charts when doing so, although both app's also support raster charts (the digital version of the paper charts) for both VFR and IFR operations. These app's can be configured to automagically show NOTAMs and TFRs in addition to the normal airspace boundaries. For completeness, there are alternative to the Big Two app's, including iFly, DroidEFB and Avare. But they are all very distant third tier solutions. If I had an aviation band radio I would have advised the fellow that he was causing a conflict that we were trying to avoid. Also, technically it would not have been legal for you to do so, but the chances of getting into any hot water over it would be practically zero. We keep an eye and ear out for aircraft. Heck we've paused for balloon traffic. I had my 2m Kenwood mobile in the car but I don't believe it can monitor aviation bands let alone transmit there. Edit, I looked at my radio specs. Starts at 136Mhz so 121.5 and 123.5 would be out of reach even to listen. There are exactly ZERO handheld FM radios that are capable of transmitting on the aviation bands. Aviation comm's are AM, not FM, and nobody has managed to put both in the same radio. Radtel just announced one, and I bought it, and it's junk. It sort of works to transmit on aviation AM freq's, but not good enough to actually use. I returned it. Since you mentioned the others Garmin also has a free electronic flight bag, Fltplan Go https://www.fltplan.com/ |
Bad things happen in isolated instances in an armed populace, horrific things happen to a disarmed populace. 20th Century Democide https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/20TH.HTM
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In late 1996, while flying towards Flemming Field in the Twin Cities from the south I had a run in with an RC F16. One of my fellow NWA Pilots was a high end RC builder (north of $100K RC airplanes). He saw me ( I was flying my Stearman; N224DF at the time) and knowing who I was, jumped me from my 8 O'clock position and slightly higher. Only because I happened to look left at an opportune moment did I see him coming. I did a hard left climbing turn (almost a snap roll) and got my nose on him as he blew by me at more than twice my speed. I dove for the deck so he could not see me, circled around and popped up on the RC field in a simulated strafing run. My friend looked up my schedule at the airline and a week later over lunch showed me photos of his RC F16, and my Stearman giving his happy bunch a good buzzing job. Those were the days... |
Dave Funk
Past President and now a Board of Directors member Iowa Firearms Coalition. Past President of the Iowa Chapter-SCI.
Past President and now a Board of Directors member Iowa Firearms Coalition. Past President of the Iowa Chapter-SCI.