05/21/2026
PSA on low flying aerial firefighting operations.
The shooter stated that "it was against FAA regulation to fly below 500 feet of a residential home."
1-um, that doesn't give you the right to shoot at them š¤¦āāļø š
2-Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Ā§ 91.119) set a minimum safe altitude of 500 feet for rural areas and 1,000 feet for congested/urban areas.
However, fire agencies receive exemptions to conduct these critical low-level flights.
Because the FAA recognizes firefighting as a core "governmental function", government agencies and their approved contractors are granted legal pathways to operate outside civil restrictions.
For more detailed info research:
a) PAOs (Public Aircraft Operations, defined under 49 U.S.C. Ā§ 40125), which exempts from many Federal Aviation Regulations that strictly govern civil aircraft.
b) Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (COAs)For standard civil-registered aircraft contracted to fight fires (like commercial airtankers), the FAA grants official Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (COAs) or specific regulatory exemptions under 14 CFR Ā§ 11.81.Public Interest Clause: The FAA approves these waivers because protecting life and property during a wildfire provides an undeniable public benefit.
c) Alternative Safety Measures: To get a waiver, the agency must prove they have strict mitigation rules in placeāsuch as specialized pilot training, clearing the airspace via Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), and coordinating with ground teamsāto maintain a level of safety equal to the standard rules.
d) Built-In Helicopter Exemptions For rotorcraft, the regulations themselves contain an explicit exemption. Under 14 CFR Ā§ 91.119(d):Rotorcraft Flexibility: Helicopters are legally permitted to fly below the 500-foot and 1,000-foot minimums required of airplanes. Condition: They may do so as long as the pilot operates "without hazard to persons or property on the surface" and complies with any specific routes or altitudes prescribed by the FAA.
Thankfully in this case no one was hurt, the aircraft has returned to protecting life and property and the shooter is now in the crossbar hotel.
A St. Louis County man faces several charges after authorities say he shot at an aircraft that was working to put out wildfires in northern Minnesota, claiming he thought he was shooting at crows.
