aerial flower dropping

[flygirl24/7]

quick question.
As a Canadian cpl license holder , am I allowed to rent a plane and do flower dropping for an event ?
if yes , do I need permission to this from transport canada ?

[crazyaviator]

I believe the CARS prohibit flour dropping but i don't know about flower dropping ! What is the assumed terminal velocity of the proposed flowers? Will they act like a parachute? Have tests been accomplished? will the pointy end be equipped with a cushioning device to prevent injury to rodents, cattle and people? These are pertinent questions each and every commercial pilot must ask themselves !
PS: Don"t forget to include variable tailwinds in your calculations !

[cgzro]

If I remember correctly the CARS prohibit dropping an object that would "cause a hazard to persons or property on the ground". They don't mention any specific objects to the best of my knowledge and its fairly common to drop / disperse ashes.

The 'flour bombing' thing is something we used to do at fly ins. You put a bit of flower in a little paper or plastic bag and then fly down the runway and try to drop the bag out the window to hit a target. It was great fun. I even did it inverted once ;) but I still missed the target by a mile.. but everybody seemed to enjoy it anyway.

I don't think its the dropping flour thing that will get you in trouble these days though, its the proximity to an invited assembly of persons because you can't say you were doing a take-off, landing , or overshoot.

[photofly]

I can totally imagine TC deciding a wedding was actually an airshow and taking action against the pilot.

Come to that, I did hear a rumour about a wedding that actually featured an airshow by some of the guests recently, but for the life of me I can't think where I read about it

[cgzro]

Wouldn't be the first .. an airshow performer and wedding guest in the US got in a spot of bother when she decided to do acro over the little country church where her best friend had just got married. Cost her a seat on the US aerobatic team if I remember correctly.

[crazyaviator]

Many moons ago, I tied a bunch of aluminum cans to a long rope in series and towed it behind a jodel. I flew around and around my fiances parents house at low altitude on their 50th wedding anniversary with "happy 50th" spray painted on the side. I must have overlooked the church next door having services that Sunday !!!

[Siddley Hawker]

If permission is required for a candy drop - see Government vs May - then permission from Transport Canada is obviously required to do a flower drop. Spectators will be looking upward, and unless they all will be wearing safety goggles, there is a possibility of a wayward petal inflicting irreparable eye damage. After due consideration TC may consider the risk to be inconsequential and permission may be granted, but with restrictions to certain flower types. Daisies would seem to be relatively innocuous, but don't expect approval for roses for obvious reasons. It goes without saying that the flowers must first be removed from the pot.

[crazyaviator]

It goes without saying that the flowers must first be removed from the pot.

I would wholehardheadedly agree with that reasoning !

[HiLo]

It goes without saying that the flowers must first be removed from the pot.

I would wholehardheadedly agree with that reasoning !

But isn't that the part you smoke?

[Waldo Peppar]

You guys are TOO funny
Reminds me of the WKRP Cincinnati episode of dropping live turkeys from a helicopter...

[flygirl24/7]

thank you for all your replies and the entertainment
guys . I guess maybe I will write an email to tc and just to be on the safer side .

[gwagen]

They still do flour bombing events in Kingston. CYGK

They just tell TC when they are doing it, airport puts out a notam.

Much fun is had by all! Their annual event is coming up this September hosted by Fly Kingston.

$10,000 grand prize this year apparently.

http://flykingston.com/flour-bombing-event/