Small aircraft photo shoot pilot circled a city for an extended period of time. He was flying at the...

Attributes
ACN	594585
Time
Date	200309
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci.tracon tower : ixd.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 925
ASRS Report	594585
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : 7
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Arrived ixd from ads under VFR flight following with kansas city approach. As kansas city approach was about to have me switch to 1200 and tower frequency, I informed them that I was on a photo mission that was approximately 6-9 mi north of ixd and requested TA's while we were over the project to be photographed. I was not ready to photograph yet, but wanted to locate the property and circle it a few orbits in preparation to the photo shoot. Approach denied and suggested I coordinate that with ixd tower. I complied, scouted the property for a few mins (coordinating with ixd tower), then landed ixd to get camera gear ready and make a few calls. As a courtesy, I always call local law enforcement and tell them who I am, where I will be circling, and a description of the plane. I did that in this case too. I then boarded the plane (with another pilot who would watch for traffic and hold the plane in the appropriate confign briefly while I had the camera up to my eye), departed, coordinated with ixd tower, and stayed in touch with tower for the time we were over the property. I deemed the property to be considered an 'uncongested area' and circled at various altitudes above 500 ft AGL for about 25 orbits. I then informed tower we were finished and requested landing ixd. Tower replied 'report 2 mi final and call tower upon landing.' I complied. Tower instructed to call approach control. I complied. I was told he had received a couple of calls about an 'unknown plane' circling in olathe. I explained my mission and who I had contacted previous to the flight. He asked a few questions, suggested that I also contact FSDO in the future, and took my phone numbers. I believe I was thoughtful and prudent to notify the property residents of the project I was photographing, the local auths, attempt to get radar surveillance from approach, and coordinate with ATC (tower). I will add notification of local FSDO to the list of notifications in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PHOTO SHOOT PLT CIRCLED A CITY FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. HE WAS FLYING AT THE MINIMUM LEGAL ALT. RESIDENTS ON THE GND COMPLAINED OF HIS PRESENCE.

Narrative: ARRIVED IXD FROM ADS UNDER VFR FLT FOLLOWING WITH KANSAS CITY APCH. AS KANSAS CITY APCH WAS ABOUT TO HAVE ME SWITCH TO 1200 AND TWR FREQ, I INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS ON A PHOTO MISSION THAT WAS APPROX 6-9 MI N OF IXD AND REQUESTED TA'S WHILE WE WERE OVER THE PROJECT TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED. I WAS NOT READY TO PHOTOGRAPH YET, BUT WANTED TO LOCATE THE PROPERTY AND CIRCLE IT A FEW ORBITS IN PREPARATION TO THE PHOTO SHOOT. APCH DENIED AND SUGGESTED I COORDINATE THAT WITH IXD TWR. I COMPLIED, SCOUTED THE PROPERTY FOR A FEW MINS (COORDINATING WITH IXD TWR), THEN LANDED IXD TO GET CAMERA GEAR READY AND MAKE A FEW CALLS. AS A COURTESY, I ALWAYS CALL LCL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TELL THEM WHO I AM, WHERE I WILL BE CIRCLING, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANE. I DID THAT IN THIS CASE TOO. I THEN BOARDED THE PLANE (WITH ANOTHER PLT WHO WOULD WATCH FOR TFC AND HOLD THE PLANE IN THE APPROPRIATE CONFIGN BRIEFLY WHILE I HAD THE CAMERA UP TO MY EYE), DEPARTED, COORDINATED WITH IXD TWR, AND STAYED IN TOUCH WITH TWR FOR THE TIME WE WERE OVER THE PROPERTY. I DEEMED THE PROPERTY TO BE CONSIDERED AN 'UNCONGESTED AREA' AND CIRCLED AT VARIOUS ALTS ABOVE 500 FT AGL FOR ABOUT 25 ORBITS. I THEN INFORMED TWR WE WERE FINISHED AND REQUESTED LNDG IXD. TWR REPLIED 'RPT 2 MI FINAL AND CALL TWR UPON LNDG.' I COMPLIED. TWR INSTRUCTED TO CALL APCH CTL. I COMPLIED. I WAS TOLD HE HAD RECEIVED A COUPLE OF CALLS ABOUT AN 'UNKNOWN PLANE' CIRCLING IN OLATHE. I EXPLAINED MY MISSION AND WHO I HAD CONTACTED PREVIOUS TO THE FLT. HE ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS, SUGGESTED THAT I ALSO CONTACT FSDO IN THE FUTURE, AND TOOK MY PHONE NUMBERS. I BELIEVE I WAS THOUGHTFUL AND PRUDENT TO NOTIFY THE PROPERTY RESIDENTS OF THE PROJECT I WAS PHOTOGRAPHING, THE LCL AUTHS, ATTEMPT TO GET RADAR SURVEILLANCE FROM APCH, AND COORDINATE WITH ATC (TWR). I WILL ADD NOTIFICATION OF LCL FSDO TO THE LIST OF NOTIFICATIONS IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Small aircraft photo shoot pilot circled a city for an extended period of time. He was flying at the minimum legal altitude. Residents on the ground complained of his presence.