Low Flying over Game Farm

[Le Pou]

Hi guys,
This message is for those idiots who were flying a few metres above the ground over a game farm in the Cradle of Humankind WHS this morning. The owner is fuming and threatening to report AC registration marks to the CAA. As I am sure you know the low flying frightens the game which often then run into the fences and are injured. Please stop this c--p, we don't want CAA involvement and more rules and regs that restrict our sport!

If anyone wants to apologise send me a PM and I will pass it on to him.

[RV12]

Report him !

[Tumbleweed]

Perhaps post a map and identify the farm so out -of- towners or dof okes can see.

[Le Pou]

Hi Tumbleweed,
A large part, probably most, of the Cradle of Humankind is devoted to game farms/nature reserves so there is no point in singling out a particular property.

[justin.schoeman]

Remember guys - min altitude over the cradle is 8000'

[nicow]

How low is low?Some game farm owners think if you fly 2000' above them,then you're to low...if it's not proclaimed...read air law...

[Dish]

Remember in that area sometimes Lanseria will route the guys 4500 and below when they are inbound to Rietfontein. Im not saying it was Rietfontein boys, more likely not to have been as they are all busy with other things so haven't flown much BUT, fact of the matter is Lanseria route them and other microlights passing through the CTR lower than the prescribed minimums.

[John.com]

Ignorance of the law is no excuse!

Height restrictions over National Parks & World Heritage Sites now 2500AGL!!!

Fines for first offence R5million, second offence R10million

Some useful links to help errant pilots understand the limits, especially around the area in question:

Avcom Topic : Height Restrictions National Parks

FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS OVER NATIONAL PARKS AND WORLD HERITAGE SITES

PROTECTED AREAS DATABASE

PROTECTED AREAS AND BUFFERS ZONES 2014 Q3

Magaliesberg declared a world biosphere reserve

Let's respect the rules guys!

[justin.schoeman]

How low is low?Some game farm owners think if you fly 2000' above them,then you're to low...if it's not proclaimed...read air law...

The Cradle of Humankind WHS is proclaimed, and has a minimum altitude restriction of 8140'.

I don't think there have been any prosecutions there yet, but if there are too many reports, I am sure they will start - then there will be huge issues for anybody that needs to operate in that area.

[Dish]

Hey John - Nice to see you young man..

Who has 'authority" in that situation, the law or the atc? eg, a pilot flying into Lanseria CTR lets say from the north, calls the tower, and requests a routing through the airspace lets say toward the vaal (so heading south) - ATC often give clearance at 5000 and below west of Lima alpha report CTR outbound. That's dangerously close to the area in question, so I would in that instance obey the ATC ?? am I wrong to do so ?/

[Thatchman]

Remember in that area sometimes Lanseria will route the guys 4500 and below when they are inbound to Rietfontein. Im not saying it was Rietfontein boys, more likely not to have been as they are all busy with other things so haven't flown much BUT, fact of the matter is Lanseria route them and other microlights passing through the CTR lower than the prescribed minimums.

Dishy 4500 is about 500 below the ground battle to get much speed down there.

Riet is at 5050 and they route us out of the CTR below 5500 but we do not route over the cradle.

I was not flying so it was not me

[John.com]

Hey John - Nice to see you young man..

Who has 'authority" in that situation, the law or the atc? eg, a pilot flying into Lanseria CTR lets say from the north, calls the tower, and requests a routing through the airspace lets say toward the vaal (so heading south) - ATC often give clearance at 5000 and below west of Lima alpha report CTR outbound. That's dangerously close to the area in question, so I would in that instance obey the ATC ?? am I wrong to do so ?/

Hey Chris! Good to connect.

Yes, the whole thing is a bit of a joke, but I believe somewhere between the two we need to find a happy medium! Clearly at a point in time one would need to respect ATC in order to progress your flight plan and maintain separations, etc. I would be more concerned at the non-ATC flights into the area.

Cheers Buddy!

[Dish]

Sorry 4500 - typo - meant 5500....

[John Boucher]

Reminds me of Demon being threatened because of some Wildebeest that wanted to calve... lots of finger pointing and Demon came back with what is being said here.

If ATC routes them out of their airspace with that instruction - remain below 5500, then that's what the man is going to do. Maybe a quiet chat to the "offender", clear up the circumstances first and then say - you need a hiding squire!

[Le Pou]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the comments. Just for the record, there were 4 microlights and I am told that they came right down almost to ground level. I did not see them myself but these were not guys just over-flying the game farm. Microlights frequently fly over here and no one is complaining about that. So let's just keep it that way. Incidentally, the owner is ex-SAAF and has an interest in sport aviation.

Bear in mind that our WHS status means that the Cradle's Management Authority gets many ridiculous complaints and proposals which they are obliged to investigate and which we as residents have to fight tooth and nail! Nobody is objecting as yet to Microlights flying over here at 500ft so I repeat, let's keep it that way by showing concern for the game farm owners very real concerns.

By the way, when I suggested an apology, I have no interest in names, I had intended to pass on the apology to the owner without identity.