Video below!
This has been a discussion thats been going on in the building for a bit. Can you shoot a firearm out of an aircraft. Helicopter, fixed wing, etc. and this old video of Mark Serbu and a you-tuber DoItWithDan couldnt have popped up at a better time!
The only rule that remotely covers anything leaving an aircraft is the dropped objects rule and the Carriage of weapons, explosives, and incendiaries by individuals rules.
FAR § 91.15 – Dropping objects: No pilot in command of a civil aircraft may allow any object to be dropped from that aircraft in flight that creates a hazard to persons or property. However, this section does not prohibit the dropping of any object if reasonable precautions are taken to avoid injury or damage to persons or property.
There isn’t even anything under § 1540.111 – Carriage of weapons, explosives, and incendiaries by individuals.
[67 FR 8353, Feb. 22, 2002, as amended at 67 FR 41639, June 19, 2002; 70 FR 41600, July 19, 2005; 71 FR 30507, May 26, 2006]
(a) On an individual’s person or accessible property—prohibitions. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, an individual may not have a weapon, explosive, or incendiary, on or about the individual’s person or accessible property—
(1) When performance has begun of the inspection of the individual’s person or accessible property before entering a sterile area, or before boarding an aircraft for which screening is conducted under this subchapter;
(2) When the individual is entering or in a sterile area; or
(3) When the individual is attempting to board or onboard an aircraft for which screening is conducted under §§ 1544.201, 1546.201, or 1562.23 of this chapter.
(b) On an individual’s person or accessible property—permitted carriage of a weapon. Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply as to carriage of firearms and other weapons if the individual is one of the following:
(1) Law enforcement personnel required to carry a firearm or other weapons while in the performance of law enforcement duty at the airport.
(2) An individual authorized to carry a weapon in accordance with §§ 1544.219, 1544.221, 1544.223, 1546.211, or subpart B of part 1562 of this chapter.
(3) An individual authorized to carry a weapon in a sterile area under a security program.
(c) In checked baggage. A passenger may not transport or offer for transport in checked baggage or in baggage carried in an inaccessible cargo hold under § 1562.23 of this chapter:
(1) Any loaded firearm(s).
(2) Any unloaded firearm(s) unless—
(i) The passenger declares to the aircraft operator, either orally or in writing, before checking the baggage, that the passenger has a firearm in his or her bag and that it is unloaded;
(ii) The firearm is unloaded;
(iii) The firearm is carried in a hard-sided container; and
(iv) The container in which it is carried is locked, and only the passenger retains the key or combination.
(3) Any unauthorized explosive or incendiary.
(d) Ammunition. This section does not prohibit the carriage of ammunition in checked baggage or in the same container as a firearm. Title 49 CFR part 175 provides additional requirements governing carriage of ammunition on aircraft.
Needless to say this video is a couple years old but after its release people lost their minds and as you can imagine some snowflakes instantly took to the phones calling the police or Federal Aviation Administration to try and stick it to the pilot and passengers.
According to TampabayTimes
The Tampa Police Department agreed with Serbu on Monday, but only after taking the matter under advisement. Law enforcement agencies were alerted to the video by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, owners and operators of Peter O. Knight.
The Federal Aviation Administration also is investigating, but would not elaborate Monday.
A lawyer specializing in aviation issues, Guy Haggard of Orlando, said it wouldn’t surprise him if the FAA follows the lead of Tampa police.
“People use helicopters for things like hog hunts,” Haggard said. “In Florida, you can shoot guns from the sky in some situations.”
And under FAA regulations, Haggard said, it is legal to drop an object from an aircraft as long as reasonable precautions are taken to prohibit injuries.
Bullets could be defended as “dropping objects,” Haggard said.
Honestly being a flyer myself the fact that one passenger was shooting in the direction of the wing strut is sketch as fuck. But like the PD and FAA said there’s no Illegal act being committed here. Maybe not the brightest of ideas but the video is awesome and honestly I’m jealous I’m not hanging out of a Cessna slinging lead granted it would be in the opposite direction of a critical aircraft part…
