Identifying private aircraft

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Richard F.

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Richard F.
I realize this is a long shot, but could anyone here help me identify a private aircraft?

I am not a pilot.

The plane/pilot in question has repeatedly "buzzed" our home at low altitudes; easily under 500 feet. This is easy enough to estimate, as the surrounding bluffs are only 300 feet hight.

The plane in question is "high wing" with the struts going from the wings to the belly. The wing tips were "squarish" as opposed to rounded. Hopefully, the paint scheme - if not custom - is unique to a particular make (Cessna or Christen). The plane was basically white with dark/royal blue stripes starting at the wing tips. The first stripe was thicker than the next two (or three).

We have been unable to get the tail number from the plane, as it zooms quickly over the bluff tops west of our home and heads toward the river to the east. As the plane approaches the river, in its flight path there is a town with much residential area, plus a hospital, so he quickly ascends to a legal altitude.

I did happen to find a web site that shows all the airports and (more importantly) private airstrips by county, that lie west of us.
 
First rule of Flight Club is don't talk about Flight Club. (see what I did there). :D

Seriously, without a tail number what your asking is nearly impossible.

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 those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
Click to expand...

Do you live in a sparsely populated area? He could be less than 500 feet high so long as he isn't within 500 feet of any person vehicle, vessel or structure. Also remember 500 feet is less than 2 football fields.
 
Unfortunately, trying to find a specific aircraft without a tail number is indeed a long shot, like trying to find a certain car without a license plate.

Does the plane buzz you on a schedule or are there pipelines in your area?

Here are a few profiles of aircraft of the same type you describe, high wing with struts:

Super Decathlon
1754076.jpg


Aeronca Champion
aeronca_champion.jpg


Cessna 172
Cessna172-CatalinaTakeOff.JPG


Aviat Husky
LLulzq7.jpg
 
Do not be concerned until we re-arm, and re-fuel.
 
OMG That's Sam's plane! Don't worry, he does that all the time. If he has someone on board to hold his beer, he can get even lower.
 
Richard F. said:
I realize this is a long shot, but could anyone here help me identify a private aircraft?

I am not a pilot.

The plane/pilot in question has repeatedly "buzzed" our home at low altitudes; easily under 500 feet. This is easy enough to estimate, as the surrounding bluffs are only 300 feet hight.

The plane in question is "high wing" with the struts going from the wings to the belly. The wing tips were "squarish" as opposed to rounded. Hopefully, the paint scheme - if not custom - is unique to a particular make (Cessna or Christen). The plane was basically white with dark/royal blue stripes starting at the wing tips. The first stripe was thicker than the next two (or three).

We have been unable to get the tail number from the plane, as it zooms quickly over the bluff tops west of our home and heads toward the river to the east. As the plane approaches the river, in its flight path there is a town with much residential area, plus a hospital, so he quickly ascends to a legal altitude.

I did happen to find a web site that shows all the airports and (more importantly) private airstrips by county, that lie west of us.
Click to expand...

Interesting that you would come in to a pilot group and refuse to identify yourself but ask us to identify a plane for you. As for estimating the height of the plane, you say the bluffs are 300 feet high and he comes over them. Would that not put him at higher then 500?
 
Take pictures, and call the local FAA Flight Standards District Office. They'll tell you what can/cannot be done. But without pictures or a registration number, there's nothing they'll be able to do to identify the aircraft involved, because the description you give covers a huge swath of the light plane population.
 
Ron Levy said:
Take pictures, and call the local FAA Flight Standards District Office. They'll tell you what can/cannot be done. But without pictures or a registration number, there's nothing they'll be able to do to identify the aircraft involved, because the description you give covers a huge swath of the light plane population.
Click to expand...
Sure listen to Ron, but is Ron going to pay your medical bills after the pilot kicks your azz.:lol:
 
Yep, it's almost certainly that Australian Decathalon that did it :)
 
Sounds like a pipeline patroller which is 100% legal and mandated by law in some cases.
 
Were there any chemtrails?
 
Pilots forget the minimum altitude sometimes, your best bet is to get some white paint for your roof and write "Minimum altitude 1000 feet" on it. Letters have to be at least 6' high to be visible from 1000 feet, if you make them smaller pilots will fly lower to be able to read them, and that's only going to make your problem worse. If your roof isn't big enough, you have to either extend the letters on to your yard or a neighbor's roof. Its in a published circular from the FAA.


Here's a video explaining how to do it properly from youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
 
Richard F. said:
The plane/pilot in question has repeatedly "buzzed" our home at low altitudes; easily under 500 feet. This is easy enough to estimate, as the surrounding bluffs are only 300 feet hight.
Click to expand...


DEA recon/photo flight. They've been tipped off to the plants growing in your backyard "vegetable garden" :yikes:

Suggest you harvest immediately and replace with petunias. :yes:
 
OP: What exactly is the plane doing that you don't like?
 
It's definitely a Tubman 601.

By the way, please post descriptions of your cars so we can turn you in when you speed.
 
Perhaps the OP forgot to mention that he lives at the end of a runway?

:needpics:
 
Take pictures, you may be able to get a number from them. Please rid the skys of anyone doing dangerous and/or illegal low level flying because as soon as they have an accident we will all suffer.
Also, check Flight Aware or other flight tracking web sites. Check all flight out of local airports around the time of the incident. A longshot but worth a try.
 
If you can't read the tail numbers, it is highly unlikely that he has committed any violation.
 
The plane type is probably a reproduction of a Plibmanflop 1899 model 1.0. Don't see many of those anymore, especially since old man Plibmanflop passed away in 1902.

Larry Plibmanflop was the first man to achieve powered flight. His only mistake was to do it without the press or any witnesses. His wife was the first to complain about low flying airplanes. "That damn plane noise skeered the chickens right out of the chicken house".

Later that night a fire destroyed the barn and the first plane to ever achieve powered flight. Some say the still the he used to make moonshine errr.... airplane fuel blew up.

Some say Mrs. Plibmanflop set fire to the barn so her husband would not stay our all night working on his aeroplane.

Most people think the Wright brothers were the first to achieve powered flight. That was allowed to stand because no one could pronounce the name Plibmanflop. It was much easier to pronounce the name Wright. The Wright Flyer rolls off the tongue much easier than the Plibmanflop Flyer.

The very first flight occured on 15 April 1902. And thats the way it was.

source: from the Previously Unknown History department, Wassamatta University, Frostbite Falls campus.
 
Zeldman said:
The plane type is probably a reproduction of a Plibmanflop 1899 model 1.0. Don't see many of those anymore, especially since old man Plibmanflop passed away in 1902.

Larry Plibmanflop was the first man to achieve powered flight. His only mistake was to do it without the press or any witnesses. His wife was the first to complain about low flying airplanes. "That damn plane noise skeered the chickens right out of the chicken house".

Later that night a fire destroyed the barn and the first plane to ever achieve powered flight. Some say the still the he used to make moonshine errr.... airplane fuel blew up.

Some say Mrs. Plibmanflop set fire to the barn so her husband would not stay our all night working on his aeroplane.

Most people think the Wright brothers were the first to achieve powered flight. That was allowed to stand because no one could pronounce the name Plibmanflop. It was much easier to pronounce the name Wright. The Wright Flyer rolls off the tongue much easier than the Plibmanflop Flyer.

The very first flight occured on 15 April 1902. And thats the way it was.

source: from the Previously Unknown History department, Wassamatta University, Frostbite Falls campus.
Click to expand...

No he wasn't, it was Hugh DuMass.
 
Did the OP really think this would go well for him? Really...
Know your audience
 
Henning said:
500' on any arc radian.
Click to expand...

From a person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

Sec. 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 those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
Click to expand...

Since the OP didn't say, I would say that he was flying in a sparsely populated area...
 
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