AC 91-57
FAA advisory circular for recreational unmanned aircraft operations.
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AC 91-57 is an FAA Advisory Circular that provides interim safety guidance to individuals operating unmanned aircraft, including flying model aircraft, for recreational purposes in the National Airspace System of the United States. It is notable as the FAA's early formal recognition of safety issues raised by recreational RC model aircraft operations, originally published in 1981 under the title Model Aircraft Operating Standards.
Background
In 1981, the FAA published AC 91-57, then entitled Model Aircraft Operating Standards, to address safety concerns arising from the recreational operation of RC model aircraft. The circular conveys the FAA's expectation that operators exercise good judgment so that persons on the ground or other aircraft in flight are not endangered.
It includes guidance on site selection, advising users to avoid noise-sensitive areas such as parks, schools, hospitals, and churches. Hobbyists are also advised not to fly in the vicinity of spectators until the model aircraft has been flight tested and proven airworthy. The circular specifies that model aircraft should be flown below 400 feet above the surface to avoid other aircraft in flight, and the FAA expects operators to maintain visual line-of-sight at all times.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: AC 91-57 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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