LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BRINGS CHARGES AGAINST AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER UNDER A LOCAL REG REFING LOW FLT WHEN THE OP WAS FLOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH FARS. THE TIME PERIOD WAS JUST AFTER SEP-TUE-01.

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I OWN A SMALL AERIAL PHOTO BUSINESS. MY BUSINESS PARTNER AND I (HE'S THE PHOTOGRAPHER; I'M THE PLT) WERE ON OUR FIRST PHOTO FLT AFTER THE SEPTEMBER ATTACKS. WE WERE PHOTOGRAPHING RESIDENCES NEAR THE TOWNS OF TURNERS FALLS AND GREENFIELD; IN AREAS WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH; AND AT THE LEGAL LIMIT OF 1000 FT AGL. THE NATURE OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY IS TO ORBIT THE TARGET; WHICH WE WERE DOING. THIS MADE SOME PEOPLE ON THE GND CONCERNED. THEY CALLED THE POLICE; WHO MET US AT THE ARPT WHEN WE LANDED. APPARENTLY; A STATE POLICE HELI WAS ALSO CALLED INTO ACTION; ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T SEE HIM TILL AFTER LNDG. I WAS COOPERATIVE WITH THE POLICEMAN; GIVING HIM THE NAMES OF MY CLIENTS AND OTHER PERTINENT INFO. NEVERTHELESS; I RECEIVED A SUMMONS IN THE MAIL CHARGING ME WITH VIOLATING STATE LAW 90/46 'FLYING ACFT TOO LOW/AS TO ENDANGER.' I FEEL THE MAJOR FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT WAS THE HEIGHTENED STATE OF ALERT SINCE SEPTEMBER ATTACKS. A SUGGESTED SOLUTION (AND I MENTIONED THIS TO THE POLICEMAN ON THE RAMP) IS TO CALL POLICE IN JURISDICTIONS IN WHICH WE'LL BE PHOTOGRAPHING BEFORE WE MAKE THE FLT.