We got a stunt show a few months ago where we fly north of Sante Fe. It would have been annoying except for the fact that it was clearly a MIG-15, doing vertical loops over our field, and it was only about 10 minutes. I'd like to see that one on the ground, too, but a few weeks later a MIG-15 went down in southern New Mexico. I don't know if it was the same one, though. I also don't know if the found the one that dropped, or the pilot. :(
Sometimes I get the feeling the pilots read the NOTAMs and then fly out there just to see what is going on.
BTW, Happy Father's Day to all fathers out there. I'll be launching tomorrow with my oldest (who's 23 tomorrow also; weird). I hope you all are too.
Or 150 Km. While it is unlikely (not impossible) in the daytime, reports that read "rocket or flare" should be checked for the possibility of an iridium flare.
I'm virtually certain that I would have heard of an HPR launch anywhere near there.
I didn't.
And from what I know of that area, you wouldn't get approval for one there either. Heavy air traffic, betwixt two major airports. Areas mostly either treed or built-up - you'd be very hard pressed to find a field big enough with sufficient permissions.
HPR rocketry in Canada usually involves not only a NOTAM, but getting a restricted airspace designation. Any aircraft flying through gets a black mark on their license and possible suspension. US HPR NOTAMs aren't usually _quite_ as restrictive AFAIK.
HPR is still somewhat experimental legally in Canada, and everybody's playing it _very_ safe.
As I understand it, it's _possible_ to get an HPR approval with less restrictions on aircraft in Canada, but it's rarely done.
Most of our HPR launches have been at airfields with total "no fly" restrictions up to our altitude limit. Last time, we reported two aircraft in violation (one was a misunderstood instruction from local ATC, and the other was a misunderstanding by the local flying club) - we spotted them on approach in time and called our own holds.
A previous time, the local ATC (military) asked/told us to have a hold while they flew an aircraft out. The pilot had to come out on foot to tell us when he wanted to go, we called the hold when he was ready to go, informed ATC, and then got mutual agreement with ATC when we could unhold.
We were asked to fly some HPR during an airshow last year, but they found out too late that the HPR application request and airshow request were in conflict, so we could only do a static display. Maybe this year they'll have it straight. [Frankly, HPR under those conditions make me nervous - not so much the aircraft, but uncontrolled spectators. At least ATC/crowd control is on-site and we'd be in continuous communication with them.]
Our club model field is under a permanent airspace restriction - it's a major military training base (rifle ranges etc)... We're kinda hoping we can piggyback a permanent HPR (I motors to ~4500' - open area isn't really big enough for higher than that) waiver on that...
_Even_ under full aircraft restrictions, anything short of a total launch hold until a straying aircraft leaves would be totally irresponsible. All people "staffing" HPR launches are always on the lookout for aircraft possibly straying into the area.
At our local NAR launches, _anyone_ can call a hold for air traffic. If someone yells "I hear an airplane", everything stops until the airplane has been visually identified and is determined to be proceeding safely clear of the area. (The field is fairly near a local airport so there is a certain amount of light-plane traffic; fortunately we don't have too many who circle around trying to see what all the people are doing down there!)
Yes, quite. Especially when you consider that the relevant Canadian Govt. agencies has been quite supportive of HPR rocketry, and if anything, are going to less regulation rather than more.
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