dragonswitch41
Member
47 C.F.R. Section 87.18 - STATION LICENSE REQUIRED.
(a) Except as noted in paragraph (b) of this section, stations in the aviation service must be licensed by the FCC either individually or by fleet.
(b) An aircraft station is licensed by rule and does not need an individual license issued by the FCC if the aircraft station is not required by statute, treaty, or agreement to which the United States is signatory to carry a radio, and the aircraft station does not make international flights or communications. Even though an individual license is not required, an aircraft station licensed by rule must be operated in accordance with all applicable operating requirements, procedures, and technical specifications found in this part.
THEN F.A.A. SAYS:
14 C.F.R. Section 103.1 - APPLICABILITY.
This part prescribes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles in the United States. For the purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that:
(a) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant;
(b) Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only;
(c) Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate; and
(d) If unpowered, weighs less than 155 pounds; or
(e) If powered:
(1) Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices which are intended for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation;
(2) Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons;
(3) Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and
(4) Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 24 knots calibrated airspeed.
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To correctly identify on the radio in an ultralight first requires that an ultralight pilot be licensed to operate the radio transmitter. Ultralights can get the required FCC radio station license, and here's an example...
ULS License - Aircraft License - WQQW501 - Sterling Strategic Consulting, LLC
In this licensee's case, the call letters are WQQW501. At takeoff, the FCC rules would require identifying with the full callsign "Ultralight WQQW501." Once enroute or entering pattern, "Ultralight 501" would suffice. Prior to parking, again, identify with the full callsign "Ultralight WQQW501 out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SO, WHAT'S THIS MEAN FOR THE ULTRALIGHT PILOT?
1. An ultralight vehicle is not an aircraft (so says FAA), so a radio transmitter on the ultralight is not an "aircraft station" under FCC rules. Bottom line: you have to get the FCC license.
2. Once you've gotten the FCC license, you've got your callsign to talk to ATC. As long as you begin and end with the full callsign, you've got your 'tail number.'
(a) Except as noted in paragraph (b) of this section, stations in the aviation service must be licensed by the FCC either individually or by fleet.
(b) An aircraft station is licensed by rule and does not need an individual license issued by the FCC if the aircraft station is not required by statute, treaty, or agreement to which the United States is signatory to carry a radio, and the aircraft station does not make international flights or communications. Even though an individual license is not required, an aircraft station licensed by rule must be operated in accordance with all applicable operating requirements, procedures, and technical specifications found in this part.
THEN F.A.A. SAYS:
14 C.F.R. Section 103.1 - APPLICABILITY.
This part prescribes rules governing the operation of ultralight vehicles in the United States. For the purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that:
(a) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant;
(b) Is used or intended to be used for recreation or sport purposes only;
(c) Does not have any U.S. or foreign airworthiness certificate; and
(d) If unpowered, weighs less than 155 pounds; or
(e) If powered:
(1) Weighs less than 254 pounds empty weight, excluding floats and safety devices which are intended for deployment in a potentially catastrophic situation;
(2) Has a fuel capacity not exceeding 5 U.S. gallons;
(3) Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight; and
(4) Has a power-off stall speed which does not exceed 24 knots calibrated airspeed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To correctly identify on the radio in an ultralight first requires that an ultralight pilot be licensed to operate the radio transmitter. Ultralights can get the required FCC radio station license, and here's an example...
ULS License - Aircraft License - WQQW501 - Sterling Strategic Consulting, LLC
In this licensee's case, the call letters are WQQW501. At takeoff, the FCC rules would require identifying with the full callsign "Ultralight WQQW501." Once enroute or entering pattern, "Ultralight 501" would suffice. Prior to parking, again, identify with the full callsign "Ultralight WQQW501 out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SO, WHAT'S THIS MEAN FOR THE ULTRALIGHT PILOT?
1. An ultralight vehicle is not an aircraft (so says FAA), so a radio transmitter on the ultralight is not an "aircraft station" under FCC rules. Bottom line: you have to get the FCC license.
2. Once you've gotten the FCC license, you've got your callsign to talk to ATC. As long as you begin and end with the full callsign, you've got your 'tail number.'
