Helicopter safety regs

[boldlad]

Hopefully someone in here can help me, or direct me to the right place to find the answers. I line in a 795 home residential golf community in Lecanto, Fl. The developer allows private an commercial helicopters to land on communal property to drop off golfers. These copters must fly low over very dense residential areas. one spot being less that 100 ft from a home and the 18th green of the couirse. Last week, one landed within about 100 feet of homes, the clubhouse and the pool.

Are there any regulations regardin where copters can land in residential areas, disrance ranges from homes or the clubhouse?

Any help anyone can provide is appreciated. If anyone has info, please send to me at boldlad@aol.com. Thank you

[Denny of Oakland]

There are rules about operating helicopters, whicch is covered in part 91. I don't have all the answers, however I do know who does. If you contact the Oakland FSDO at (510) 748-0122 and ask for Ray he is the helicpter guru in the FAA. Or you can contact the FSDO in your area and make sure to request to speak to a helicopter rated Inspector. Ray happens to be the best helicopter person I know and not because I work with him. Ray knows all the helicopter rules inside and out.

We have had question like these come up before. Helicopter have to adhere to the same rules as fixed winged aircraft.

Stache

[Denny of Oakland]

This is the FAR 91.119

If you're interested, shown below is Title ·14, ·Code of Federal Regulations, Section 91.119 of the General Operating and Flight Rules which specifically prohibits low-flying aircraft.

91.119 Minimum safe altitudes; general
· Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes;
(a) Anywhere. ·An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.
(b) Over congested areas. ·Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2.000 feet of the aircraft.
(c) Over other than congested areas.
· An altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In that case, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
(d) Helicopters. ·Helicopters may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed In paragraph (b) or (c) of this section if the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface. In addition, each person operating a helicopter shall comply with routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the Administrator.

Helicopter operations may be conducted below the minimum altitudes set for fixed-wing aircraft. The reason? The helicopter's unique operating characteristics, the most important of which is its ability to execute pinpoint emergency landings during power failure. Further, the helicopter's increased use by law enforcement and emergency medical service agencies requires added flexibility in the application of many FAA provisions.

Denny of Oakland