KITE FLYING LEGISLATION
Civil Aviation legislation applicable to kite flying is contained in the Air Navigation Order 2000 (Statutory Instrument No 2000/1562) and the Rules of the Air Regulations 1996 (Statutory Instrument No 1996/1393). For the purposes of these documents kites are classified as aircraft.
The relevant parts of the above in relation to kites are:-
Article 86(2) () (iv)
A kite shall not be flown at a height of more than 30 metres above ground level within the aerodrome traffic zone of a notified aerodrome during the notified operating hours of that aerodrome. [Although it is generally accepted that for safety reasons you should not fly within 5km of any aerodrome].
Article 86(2) () (v)
A kite shall not be flown at a height of more than 60 metres above ground level.
The foregoing provisions may not take place without the permission in writing of the Authority and in accordance with any conditions subject to which that permission may have been granted. The application to be made NOT LESS than 28 days prior to the event
Article 63
Of the Order requires that a person shall not recklessly or negligently act in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, or any person therein.
Article 64
Of the Order requires that a person shall not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property.
Rule 14 The Rules of the Air
A kite while flying at night at a height exceeding 60 metres above the surface shall display lights as follows:
(a) a group of two steady lights consisting of a white light placed 4 metres above a red light, both being of at least five candela and showing in all directions, the white light being placed not less than 5 metres or more than 10 metres below the lowest part of the kite;
() on the mooring cable, at intervals of not more than 300 metres measured from the group of lights referred to in sub-paragraph (a), groups of two lights of the colour and power and in the relative positions specified in that sub-paragraph, and, if the lowest group of lights is obscured by cloud, an additional group below the cloudbase; and
© on the surface, a group of three flashing lights arranged in a horizontal plane at the apexes of a triangle, approximately equilateral, each side of which measures at least 25 metres; one side of the triangle shall be approximately at right angles to the horizontal projection of the cable and shall be delimited by two red lights; the third light shall be a green light so placed that the triangle encloses the object on the surface to which the kite is moored.
A kite while flying by day at a height exceeding 60 metres above the surface
shall have attached to it's mooring cable at intervals of not more than 200 metres measured from the lowest part of the kite, tubular streamers not less than 40 centimetres in diameter and 2 metres in length, and marked with alternate bands of red and white 50 centimetres wide, or at intervals of not more than 100 metres measured from the lowest part of the kite, streamers not less than 80 centimetres long and 30 centimetres wide at their widest point and marked with alternate bands of red and white 10 centimetres wide.
Terry
Edited by Terry, 19 February 2007 - 01:23 AM.
