Drones May Be Allowed to Share U.S. Skies

The Washington Post ^ | 100403 | Renae Merle

[Archangelsk]

Drones May Be Allowed to Share U.S. Skies

By Renae Merle Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, October 4, 2003; Page E01

NASA launched a program this month budgeted at more than $100 million aimed at allowing unmanned aircraft to share the skies with commercial airliners, bolstering what the defense industry hopes will eventually be a multibillion-dollar market for drones.

The program would initially permit unmanned aerial vehicles, known as UAVs, to fly at about 40,000 feet, which is above most commercial traffic. By the end of five years, unmanned aircraft would be allowed to join general air traffic, flying as low as 18,000 feet. At that altitude, the aircraft could monitor border areas or check forested areas for fires, industry officials said. The industry envisions drones eventually moving cargo across the country.

[Thermalseeker]

Really? Constantly?

Yes, really. Constantly. Here is a recent example, but in my 28 years of flying I can cite many, many more not only in Chattanooga, but elsewhere as well. I fly several times a week in the vacinity of Chattanooga. Among other things I operate a glider tow business about 20 miles from CHA and I monitor Chattanooga approach for traffic advisories. In ONE recent flight, in a period of 45 minutes, I heard two different controllers clear two airplanes to land at the same time on the same runway. In one case it was a C-172 and a C-130 and in the other it was a Baron and the C-130. The C-130 was doing touch and goes and was staying in the pattern. There is absolutely no excuse for this. I also heard the same controller give THREE different airplanes the same transponder code. Mixed in with this a Northwest Airlink commuter called not less than SEVEN times for a handoff to BNA. He was almost out of radio range before the controller took notice and handed him off to Nashville. Bare in mind this was all in one fortyfive minute period and involved two different controllers. I have witnessed many other such incidents and Chattanooga isn't a busy field. I know quite a few people who fly both commuters and private aircraft in and out of Lovell field and all say "you'd better be paying attention, because ATC isn't."