So I have several quad related flights on my bucket list.  One of them is to fly from my backyard to the mountain in the distance, 18 miles away.  This mountain is a few feet short of 12000 feet and I will be flying from 3000 feet.  So you have linear distance and elevation gain as well.  Quite a challenge and clearly requiring a fixed wing FPV vehicle of some sort.  

Another bucket list item is to fly from our RV parked in an RV park and fly to a significant destination and then back home, all the while sitting outside the RV in the park.....Well, this spring I did just that.  No video or pictures will be posted now, for plausible deniability and prosecution protection......and yes, the rule here on the forum is if there are no pics or video it didn't happen....but in this case I'm ok with that sentiment.  

We were in Moab Utah at a mountain bike event.  We parked near the event festivities with our RV, doing what is called dry camping.  I ended up flying from that location to the Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, through the Arch twice and then back home.  I made the flight in the early morning, but under full light.  But, I really didn't fulfill the bucket list requirement because I had to take off about 100 yards from the RV due to the lay of the land and where the RV was parked.  The RV was in a low point creating a blocked RF view for the flight.  Also we weren't in a true RV park.  

Talk about stressed out.  I wanted to fly early enough that the amount of people at the site would be few.  It's a popular destination and it gets huge numbers of sightseers.  That creates a risk of injury to people if things go wrong.  So when I left on the flight, I knew I might not be able to complete the flight due to too many people being there.  As it turned out I got to the Arch and only two people were there that I saw and they were well away from the Arch.  I flew through one way, and turned around and flew back through and then back to the RV.  

Fun stuff and I probably lost a few years off my life due to the stress.  My hands and legs were shaking so bad I could hardly fly.   But what a cool experience. 

Once the Statute of Limitations has expired on the law violations for the flight, I likely will post the video.  Trust me, it's pretty awesome!


Just in case you don't know what the Delicate Arch is, below is a photo of the Arch.

Nice post!
I really hope you can check all of your things in your bucket list

Ahh I hope I see the video if you ever post it.

I never heard of that attraction but I just looked it up and it's a stunning place to fly.

Are you able to say how far the RV park was from the arch? If not then I fully understand.

Did you have Judas Priest "Breaking the law" playing while you were filling your bucket ?

Very Cool ! can't wait to see the video. ( what is the statute of limitation ? )

Scott

(08-Aug-2019, 07:07 PM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: I never heard of that attraction but I just looked it up and it's a stunning place to fly.

Are you able to say how far the RV park was from the arch? If not then I fully understand.

Giving more info only serves to put me in more peril.  

(08-Aug-2019, 09:20 PM)Scott_M Wrote: Did you have Judas Priest "Breaking the law" playing while you were filling your bucket ?

Very Cool ! can't wait to see the video. ( what is the statute of limitation ? )

Scott

I haven't checked the limitations on this, but at the State level the majority of felonies are 3 years.  Of course if they get enough for a warrant that stops the clock.  


I doubt the Feds would waste resources on a big investigation into this.  But if I hand it to them on a silver platter, I'm sure they would take it.


EDIT:  It appears the limitations on this is 5 years, and it's a misdemeanor.....

We always try to be good citizens but some things are just impossible to resist and I'm sure most of us have bucket list things are skating on the edge of whats acceptable

What happens in Utah stays Utah.

I would love to power loop the arch.