do you need a permit for this? no ropes in these canyons

[trackrunner]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC5QIuKusBM&feature=related

note yes I know the video says Zion but Bryce is also included. not my video

[oldno7]

Cool Video Shaun, I thought there was an air space limit over National Parks.
Not sure if they consider a non motorized hang glider as an aircraft though.

[Bo_Beck]

Cool Video Shaun, I thought there was an air space limit over National Parks.
Not sure if they consider a non motorized hang glider as an aircraft though.

I'm pretty sure that as long as the ground clearance (min. ) is maintained that there are no issues? Certainly if landing were made in either Zion or Bryce then legal issues would come into play. I think the video was shot from a motorized craft?

Dang!!! This brings back so many good memories! I built gliders for a year at Electra Flyer in Albuquerque in 1972-3. My flying started in 1970 and ended in 1979. When I was in the military 1975-79, I would fly at least 9 days a month. Caslo, Chelan, Dog, Tekoe, Steptoe, Mt. Spokane, Sandia Peak, M-Mountain, Torrey Pines (Blacks Beach ;-) Ft. Funston, Tahoe. My last glider was an 'Oly' 180. Max. alt. gain from take-off was 6000'. Longest flight 30 miles. Longest time aloft-8 hours. So much has changed, but I'd still give my eye teeth to "hang-out" again!

[jman]

Old man number 69,

I have a brother who is a black hawk pilot for Utah Air Guard and for NPS it's 1000 feet, unless of course, by permission.

Sidenote: And over civilian homes it's suppose to be 500 ft over. But if it's over unoccupied land, they can be just a few feet above the ground. He has some cool videos buzzing around a few reservoirs and water flying everywhere.

[ratagonia]

Looks like footage and/or outtakes from Hoover's Zion Imax movie. Cool stuff. All shot from the helicopter, chasing a hang so the audience thinks hang, and shot as if on a hang so the audience thinks hang.

Cool stuff.

Tom

[moabmatt]

For flights over NPS administered and certain other areas they "request" that you maintain 2000 feet over the ground and no closer than 2000 horizontally from the nearest landform. They also "request" that you do not fly below the rim of a canyon or valley, even if the ground beneath you is more than 2000 feet below.

"b. Pilots are requested to maintain a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet above the surface of the following: National Parks, Monuments, Seashores, Lakeshores, Recreation Areas and Scenic Riverways administered by the National Park Service, National Wildlife Refuges, Big Game Refuges, Game Ranges and Wildlife Ranges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wilderness and Primitive areas administered by the U.S. Forest Service."

This is merely a "request," mentioned in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) and not an enforceable regulation as spelled out in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). So you can fly below this requested limit without punishment, but more often than not it's best to heed this request to be respectful of those on the ground and to give yourself more time (altitude) to deal with an emergency over what is most likely some very rugged terrain.

Over populated areas (as depicted in yellow on aeronautical charts) the FARs require you to stay 1000 feet over the ground (except for landing and take-off operations). Over unpopulated areas (other than yellow on the charts) you may fly as close to the ground as you want but must stay at least 500 feet from any person, structure or vehicle.

If you really want to know where these populated areas are you can view the charts at http://www.skyvector.com