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Drones a looming danger
The Federal Aviation Administration progressively requires aircraft owners, commercial and private, to install automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast equipment on their aircraft for domestic and international flights. Not inexpensive. The purpose to provide mutually safe separation for private and commercial aircraft in domestic and international airspace.
No provision for owners of drones, ostensibly for recreation, to register, now that an appeals court has struck down this requirement. Locally in Sandpoint, home of the Kodiak, two inventors were being funded by TV millionaires to develop drones capable of reaching 10,000 feet above main sea level.
Concerned about hijackers taking down your flight? Think about drones on your next trip in or out of Spokane International. Airport authorities have enough problems with foreign objects and birds or animals on the runway. You don’t always have Capt. Sullenberger at the controls for take-off and landing. Additionally, the FAA is under increasing pressure to turn over the responsibility for operations in the national airspace to private operators. Good luck with that.
Bob Costigan
Spirit Lake