A SKYSHIP 600 AIRSHIP PLT FLEW LOW OVER AN OSTRICH FARM AND WAS RPTED TO THE FAA. LOW LEVEL CIVIL FLT.
Synopsis
A SKYSHIP 600 AIRSHIP PLT FLEW LOW OVER AN OSTRICH FARM AND WAS RPTED TO THE FAA. LOW LEVEL CIVIL FLT.
Narrative
I WAS FLYING THIS AIRSHIP FROM AIKEN; SC; TO ATLANTA; GA. AS THE WINDS WERE TOO STRONG FOR US AT ALT; I ELECTED TO FLY LOW OVER THE FOREST; AVOIDING POPULATED AREAS. OUR AIRSPD IS ABOUT 30-35 KTS; AND WIND IS REALLY A BIG FACTOR. FROM WHAT I RECALL; WE WERE MAKING BTWN 10-15 KTS AT 1000 TO 2000 FT AGL; WIND BEING STRONG FROM THE SW. I FLEW LOW; AT ABOUT 200-500 FT AND THE SPD WAS THEN OVER 20 KTS. WHENEVER I SIGHTED ANY HOUSE OR SIGN OF LIFE; I WOULD EITHER CLB OR TURN AWAY FROM IT. BUT I REMEMBER BEING RIGHT OVER AN OSTRICH FARM HIDDEN IN THE TREES AND I COULD DO NOTHING BUT FLY AWAY FROM IT. I SUGGEST THESE FARMS SHOULD BE SPECIFIED ON NOTAMS FOR LIGHTER THAN AIR AND HELIS; AS OSTRICHES AND EMUS ARE MORE AND MORE COMMON IN THE STATES NOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES A SKYSHIP 600 HELIUM AIRSHIP WITH A VERY LARGE LOGO ON EACH SIDE. NEITHER THE COMPANY THAT OWNS THE AIRSHIP OR THE SPONSOR OF THE AIRSHIP HAVE HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE OSTRICH FARMER OR HIS INSURANCE COMPANY; SO THE RPTR ASSUMES THAT THERE WAS NO INJURY TO ANY BIRD. APPARENTLY THE FARMER CONTACTED THE FAA AS THE RPTR HAS RECEIVED A 'WARNING LETTER' FROM THE FAA. THE RPTR SUGGESTS THAT BIRD FARMS AND ANIMAL FARMS BE PUT ON SECTIONAL CHARTS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.