Narrative:

I was flying this airship from aiken, sc, to atlanta, GA. As the winds were too strong for us at altitude, I elected to fly low over the forest, avoiding populated areas. Our airspeed is about 30-35 KTS, and wind is really a big factor. From what I recall, we were making between 10-15 KTS at 1000 to 2000 ft AGL, wind being strong from the southwest. I flew low, at about 200-500 ft and the speed was then over 20 KTS. Whenever I sighted any house or sign of life, I would either climb or turn away from it. But I remember being right over an ostrich farm hidden in the trees and I could do nothing but fly away from it. I suggest these farms should be specified on NOTAMS for lighter than air and helicopters, as ostriches and emus are more and more common in the states now. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies a skyship 600 helium airship with a very large logo on each side. Neither the company that owns the airship or the sponsor of the airship have heard anything from the ostrich farmer or his insurance company, so the reporter assumes that there was no injury to any bird. Apparently the farmer contacted the FAA as the reporter has received a 'warning letter' from the FAA. The reporter suggests that bird farms and animal farms be put on sectional charts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SKYSHIP 600 AIRSHIP PLT FLEW LOW OVER AN OSTRICH FARM AND WAS RPTED TO THE FAA. LOW LEVEL CIVIL FLT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THIS AIRSHIP FROM AIKEN, SC, TO ATLANTA, GA. AS THE WINDS WERE TOO STRONG FOR US AT ALT, I ELECTED TO FLY LOW OVER THE FOREST, AVOIDING POPULATED AREAS. OUR AIRSPD IS ABOUT 30-35 KTS, AND WIND IS REALLY A BIG FACTOR. FROM WHAT I RECALL, WE WERE MAKING BTWN 10-15 KTS AT 1000 TO 2000 FT AGL, WIND BEING STRONG FROM THE SW. I FLEW LOW, AT ABOUT 200-500 FT AND THE SPD WAS THEN OVER 20 KTS. WHENEVER I SIGHTED ANY HOUSE OR SIGN OF LIFE, I WOULD EITHER CLB OR TURN AWAY FROM IT. BUT I REMEMBER BEING RIGHT OVER AN OSTRICH FARM HIDDEN IN THE TREES AND I COULD DO NOTHING BUT FLY AWAY FROM IT. I SUGGEST THESE FARMS SHOULD BE SPECIFIED ON NOTAMS FOR LIGHTER THAN AIR AND HELIS, AS OSTRICHES AND EMUS ARE MORE AND MORE COMMON IN THE STATES NOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES A SKYSHIP 600 HELIUM AIRSHIP WITH A VERY LARGE LOGO ON EACH SIDE. NEITHER THE COMPANY THAT OWNS THE AIRSHIP OR THE SPONSOR OF THE AIRSHIP HAVE HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE OSTRICH FARMER OR HIS INSURANCE COMPANY, SO THE RPTR ASSUMES THAT THERE WAS NO INJURY TO ANY BIRD. APPARENTLY THE FARMER CONTACTED THE FAA AS THE RPTR HAS RECEIVED A 'WARNING LETTER' FROM THE FAA. THE RPTR SUGGESTS THAT BIRD FARMS AND ANIMAL FARMS BE PUT ON SECTIONAL CHARTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.