Is this legal?
 

Hi

Thinking of converting onto flexwing microlights for some summer fun and I stumbled across this video on youtube. This looks great fun and I would love to do this kind of thing but is it legal? Im pretty sure the 500' rule would come into play here with a light aircraft but are microlights exempt?

It does look like fantastic fun though.

They arn't exempt from the 500ft rule.

Its not showing to me any video. working now. Thats legal for just now. Come the new EASA rule changes with a hard limit of 500ft agl that will change.

The irish did a promo for going over there while the olympics were on. They had some cracking shot of wazzing around the countryside at sub 500ft buzzing roads etc.

Can anyone see it? It shows up for me.

Heres the link anyway

Apart from the shot flying over the (apparently) uninhabited and beached boat, I didn't see the pilot getting close to any person, vessel, or structure.

The 500' rule certainly applies to microlights, and up until recently they weren't allowed to fly over built up areas at all, even if they could glide clear. I believe this has changed and the same rules apply as for light aircraft, but some microlights may still have the restriction?

Apart from the bits at the beginning where there is a small village, it seems to mostly be over a deserted beach, there is maybe one person on the beach so he is probably breaking the law at times in this video, but largely not.

However, microlights aren't the quietest thing ever, I know they are quieter than a typical light aircraft, but it's a higher pitch tone which can be quite a nuisance to the locals. I hope he didn't annoy anyone with this type of flying, as it gives us all a bad name, I try to be as considerate as possible with my low flying. Looks like he chose a very deserted area though, so I'm sure there won't have been any complaints.

can see both now cheers

You wouldn't know whether there were people there or not though would you? There could be groups of walkers, fisherman etc.

http://youtu.be/9sp52Oq3_OI

There's deffo a vessel there, which is overflown at a few feet. So not legal. But not in any way dangerous either, and apart from the noise (which would not be affected by the 500' rule) not a problem for others in the vicinity.

This guy was fined recently after his YouTube videos got him noticed.

Prophead, get one of these & no-one will hear you coming:

I think one would have to expect there to be folk in the valley that he first flew down...or to pop up unexpectedly...asking for trouble,

Flying along a deserted beech should not be a problem as people ect should be able to be seen,

I fly a flex wing and am very aware of the legality's involved with low flight having done a fair bit myself...always along deserted coastlines.

Not a good advert IMHO.

I thought Eire had a 500' height rule, not a 500' from person etc, except when landing or taking-off.

Where are you getting this from?

How would you know, until you were directly overhead, that it was actually deserted, and didn't contain, for example, a couple having fun between two sand dunes, having deliberately selected the otherwise deserted beach?

(Warning: if you're thinking of trying this, the sand gets everywhere.)

When Part-SERA comes into effect.
see 4.6 in http://www.easa.europa.eu/rulemaking...ing%20Rule.pdf

Its mentioned in that pdf a few times

The Republic of Ireland does indeed have a 500ft minimum height rule.

From memory that video mentioned was low but I don't think it was below 500ft.

I'm not sure either if it was an official video?

The first bit over the village is very dodgy given how low he is. Fun as it looks, even if most of it is technically legal, it's just going to give private flying a bad name. There are enough NIMBYs out there already. Why create new ones by pulling stunts like this, and then posting them on YouTube for all and sundry to see!?

Is this legal?
 

So does this mean that 500 is a hard limit even if you are miles away from any person, place or object?

Course not, the Eleventh Commandment applies.

Once it comes in - legally yes - 500ft above ground or water, no matter whether there is a person there or not.

Last I heard, people were trying to get the CAA to plan to give blanket authorisation for PFLs / EFATO and a few other things (like picking up banners, practice approaches) but I haven't heard anything.

However I doubt anyone would go after you for it until something nasty happened or your video of yourself on YouTube skimming the water become popular...