The COA-cast - Ask the FAA All About Flying Under a COA

This is the first of hopefully other podcasts where I talk directly to the FAA and get the facts and information from the source.

In this podcast, I talk with John Meehan from the FAA and we talk a deep dive into flight under a COA and investigate the landmines and pitfalls most pilots and departments are not aware of.

If you ever wanted to learn more about COAs and flying under a COA, this is the podcast you must listen to.

Highlights

• Why the new drone pilot of today is a danger as an accidental aviator.
• You are a real pilot flying a real aircraft and you have the same responsibilities as every other aircraft pilot flying in the sky.
• What all-new drone pilots missed and set them up for unlimited liability.
• Expertise is available if you reach out for it. A lot of local assistance is available.
• Congress created the rules that COA pilots operate under.
• The history of COAs.
• Be careful of COA flights that are not eligible.
• COA pilots and the named responsible person named in the COA personal liabilities and exposure to being sued personally.
• The first question the FAA is going to ask in a ramp, accident, or incident check.
• Your department is a person.
• A public aircraft crash where people went to jail.
• What Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) actually means under a COA and why most people are doing it incorrectly.
• The FAA wants everyone to be able to fly BVLOS.
• COAs still require a Visual Observer even under a BVLOS flight.
• Case law is coming. Just because there is no drone legal interpretation of the regulations published yet does not mean flight decisions are not non-compliant with the Federal Aviation Regulations.
• The surprising facts of accidents that have happened.
• Why a safety culture change is needed.
• The liability of anyone in your flight department with a hazardous attitude.
• The results of recent COA accidents and the findings.
• Is it even possible for a COA drone to be determined to be airworthy?
• You are a flight department of one to all pilots.
• If you have a local public safety manned aircraft department, they are your friend.
• The limiting factors of regulations but why that can be helpful to you from management.
• Why volunteer fire departments are not eligible to fly under a COA.
• How your COA flight can fall outside the rules and drop you into civil aircraft rules.
• Why COAs are walking into a giant minefield with a bayonet.
• Why public safety manned helicopter pilots will not fly under their COA.
• COAs add two sets of rules you have to remember.
• The pros and cons of COAs.
• When a COA is a big advantage to some flights.
• Your COA does not allow you to fly over department staff, even momentarily, except for a few specific members.
• What a qualified non-crew member.
• The FAA expectation of what it means for a COA pilot to be certified.
• COAs increase complexity and falling outside the rules.
• COA malfunction reporting requirements.
• Why you need to hunt down helipad operations staff ahead of time.
• When a COA can be really good.
• Why you should start budgeting now for type certified drones when they hit the market.
• If you are doing any FEMA or compensated flights it is better to do it under Part 107.
• Under a COA you can only fly a handful of flight types.
• Training flights are not permitted as COA flights.
• The documents all COA pilots need to carry.
• The types of COA drones that must be registered with the FAA. Surprise!
• Where you can turn to for guidance and support at the FAA.
• Technology limitations that are restricting flight today.
• What drones will look like in five years.