Question regarding 333 Exemption

[Matt Simok]

Hey guys,

just a quick question regarding the exemption. I got a quote from the Gowdybros for 333 exemption and they quoted me about $3k, thought that was rather steep and was wondering of any alternate successful routes or any advice regarding that process.

~Thanks!

 

[msinger]

The most common alternative route is to submit the petition yourself. It'll no doubt take more of your time to complete that process, but it'll only cost about $20.

 

[ringolong]

It was free to file mine. You will have to pay $5 for each air craft you register though.

 

[Matt Simok]

It was free to file mine. You will have to pay $5 for each air craft you register though.

FAA registration is not 333 exemption

 

[Matt Simok]

The most common alternative route is to submit the petition yourself. It'll no doubt take more of your time to complete that process, but it'll only cost about $20.

I heard the likelihood of them accepting a self submitted petition is slim to none?

 

[SanCap]

I heard the likelihood of them accepting a self submitted petition is slim to none?

That would be inaccurate, myself and of 2 my friends submitted by ourselves and were granted for a total cost of about 25 dollars.

 

[Matt Simok]

That would be inaccurate, myself and of 2 my friends submitted by ourselves and were granted for a total cost of about 25 dollars.

Beautiful! Thanks!

 

[SanCap]

FAA registration is not 333 exemption

You will need to register an aircraft to fly under your granted 333 exemption that will cost you 5 dollars.

 

[ringolong]

You will need to register an aircraft to fly under your granted 333 exemption that will cost you 5 dollars.

+1

 

[Outta Control]

Hey guys,

just a quick question regarding the exemption. I got a quote from the Gowdybros for 333 exemption and they quoted me about $3k, thought that was rather steep and was wondering of any alternate successful routes or any advice regarding that process.

~Thanks!

I've always been a skeptic of some of these guys and others.

BTW, You're welcome .

Caveat Emptor

Gowdy Brothers:- Snake oil sales surge - sUAS News

"Gentle sUAS News reader. You are here because you are plainly able to sort the wheat from the chaff. Recent claims have warranted a look and boy we have unearthed a couple of weeks worth of stories. If you are considering using a lawyer to help you with a 333 exemption read on. If you are looking for drone pilot training stay tuned.

When a company gets more than 1000 drone types listed for FAA approval it makes you stand up and take note. Especially when you have never heard of that company or seen its executives active in the unmanned world. Then I start seeing recommendations for that company from satisfied customers on Facebook and think, crikey that’s quick.

I started asking around (Google and others) and found out it is run by an ex-federal convict.

Time I think for the FAA to slow down and check the folks taking hard earned cash from excited newcomers to take them through the 333 process.

Gowdy Brothers, LLC

There used to be a group of brothers, but now there is only Stephen C. Gowdy. http://www.firstflightaerospace.com/

Gowdry say they will sort out your, COA’s, exemptions, registration, consulting, etc. They also say:-

“We are not lawyers – we are licensed pilots,”

When I searched the FAA’s airmen’s database, I could only confirm one of them is a pilot who has only a private pilot certificate. Where are the other pilots? Where is the aviation experience?
On top of this, they claim they are not lawyers which causes more problems since Minnesota State Statute 481.02 says, “It shall be unlawful for any person or association of persons, . . . . . . to prepare legal documents, or as being engaged in advising or counseling in law or acting as attorney or counselor at law, or in furnishing to others the services of a lawyer or lawyers, or, for a fee or any consideration, to give legal advice or counsel” which seems to call into question all the exemption work they are doing.

Just read Exemption - Gowdy Brothers Aerospace, LLC and ask how does preparing and filing paperwork that affects the legal rights of their clients not violating the Minnesota State law?

To make things more interesting, Stephen C Gowdy pleaded guilty to fraud surrounding a loan from the federal government for over $1 million. Owner of EP business pleads guilty to fraud

We know it is him because the Minnesota Secretary of State lists “Stephen C Gowdy” as the registered agent for Gowdy Brothers Aerospace LLC. (https://mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us/...lingGuid=d806ad80-fee1-e411-b14d-001ec94ffe7f) An old LinkedIn profile lists Stonebridge Wireless and Grace Bible College (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-gowdy-a45a4b3) but his new LinkedIn profile lists only Grace Bible College without Stonebridge Wireless (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephengowdy).

If you search the Federal Bureau of Prisons you’ll find his name and that he was released from federal prison in 2009. Inmate Locator

Another twist is that he is offering drone companies with exemptions already approved! Drone Businesses for Sale - Gowdy Brothers Aerospace, LLC. , the problem is that they might not be legal.

It appears he has been petitioning for exemptions for companies that DO NOT EXIST. I guess he gets the money from you and then sets up the company?

Go to the Minnesota Secretary of State business search and type in the name of the business on the exemption. https://mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us/Business/Search

You’ll notice that these pending exemptions are for companies that DO NOT EXIST!

Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov

So Gowdry Brothers appears to be built on sand.

As all good TV ads say… but wait there’s more…. Tomorrow if I dare we shall speak of more faux experts just waiting to take your cash."

 

[Matt Simok]

I've always been a skeptic of some of these guys and others.

BTW, You're welcome .

Caveat Emptor

Gowdy Brothers:- Snake oil sales surge - sUAS News

"Gentle sUAS News reader. You are here because you are plainly able to sort the wheat from the chaff. Recent claims have warranted a look and boy we have unearthed a couple of weeks worth of stories. If you are considering using a lawyer to help you with a 333 exemption read on. If you are looking for drone pilot training stay tuned.

When a company gets more than 1000 drone types listed for FAA approval it makes you stand up and take note. Especially when you have never heard of that company or seen its executives active in the unmanned world. Then I start seeing recommendations for that company from satisfied customers on Facebook and think, crikey that’s quick.

I started asking around (Google and others) and found out it is run by an ex-federal convict.

Time I think for the FAA to slow down and check the folks taking hard earned cash from excited newcomers to take them through the 333 process.

Gowdy Brothers, LLC

There used to be a group of brothers, but now there is only Stephen C. Gowdy. http://www.firstflightaerospace.com/

Gowdry say they will sort out your, COA’s, exemptions, registration, consulting, etc. They also say:-

“We are not lawyers – we are licensed pilots,”

When I searched the FAA’s airmen’s database, I could only confirm one of them is a pilot who has only a private pilot certificate. Where are the other pilots? Where is the aviation experience?
On top of this, they claim they are not lawyers which causes more problems since Minnesota State Statute 481.02 says, “It shall be unlawful for any person or association of persons, . . . . . . to prepare legal documents, or as being engaged in advising or counseling in law or acting as attorney or counselor at law, or in furnishing to others the services of a lawyer or lawyers, or, for a fee or any consideration, to give legal advice or counsel” which seems to call into question all the exemption work they are doing.

Just read Exemption - Gowdy Brothers Aerospace, LLC and ask how does preparing and filing paperwork that affects the legal rights of their clients not violating the Minnesota State law?

To make things more interesting, Stephen C Gowdy pleaded guilty to fraud surrounding a loan from the federal government for over $1 million. Owner of EP business pleads guilty to fraud

We know it is him because the Minnesota Secretary of State lists “Stephen C Gowdy” as the registered agent for Gowdy Brothers Aerospace LLC. (https://mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us/...lingGuid=d806ad80-fee1-e411-b14d-001ec94ffe7f) An old LinkedIn profile lists Stonebridge Wireless and Grace Bible College (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-gowdy-a45a4b3) but his new LinkedIn profile lists only Grace Bible College without Stonebridge Wireless (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephengowdy).

If you search the Federal Bureau of Prisons you’ll find his name and that he was released from federal prison in 2009. Inmate Locator

Another twist is that he is offering drone companies with exemptions already approved! Drone Businesses for Sale - Gowdy Brothers Aerospace, LLC. , the problem is that they might not be legal.

It appears he has been petitioning for exemptions for companies that DO NOT EXIST. I guess he gets the money from you and then sets up the company?

Go to the Minnesota Secretary of State business search and type in the name of the business on the exemption. https://mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us/Business/Search

You’ll notice that these pending exemptions are for companies that DO NOT EXIST!

Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov

So Gowdry Brothers appears to be built on sand.

As all good TV ads say… but wait there’s more…. Tomorrow if I dare we shall speak of more faux experts just waiting to take your cash."

Craziness! Thanks for that, not that I was planning on shelling out 3k anyways

 

[Stephen Gowdy]

Hey guys,

just a quick question regarding the exemption. I got a quote from the Gowdybros for 333 exemption and they quoted me about $3k, thought that was rather steep and was wondering of any alternate successful routes or any advice regarding that process.

~Thanks!

Matt,

The is Stephen Gowdy, Chief Pilot at Gowdy Brothers Aerospace, LLC ... We just wanted to help you with the facts. Matt Simok send an e-mail to Gowdy Brothers on Dec 23, 2015 at 5:59 pm and requested a quote for the following purpose: "Hello, I use my DJI Inspire, to maintain my photographical and film buisness. I freelance and shoot a variety of locations at varying heights."

Dwight Anderson our Independent Sales Rep responded to you with an e-mail quote for about half that price, on Dec 24, 2015 and a follow-up phone call.

Dwight would tell you what he tells just about everyone. Anyone can write their own FAA Section 333 exemption petition, they can even copy someone else's approved exemption and re-submit under their own name and that does not cost anyone anything, but their time.

What he does ask individuals is how much is your time worth? If you have all the time to write it yourself, a well drafted exemption can be written from scratch in about three weeks and if you are a "little smarter than the average bear", you might be able to get it done in a week.

Dwight encourages individuals if they can and have the time, go ahead and submit their own.

The questions many a petitioner may overlook is (1) what are all of the purposes a petitioner will use the sAUV over the next two years, (virtually everyone knows what they want to do today, but what about the other 65 different purposes the FAA will allow them to be approved for? (adding greater value to their business with more revenue producing opportunities); (2) Should a petitioner request an approval for the one sUAV the petitioner owns, or two or the new Phantom 4 or Yuneec Typhoon H or should the petitioner request as many as they can name or 200? or even all of the 1,120 FAA approved sUAV's?; (3) What exemptions are required to be asked for? (4) Are their any exemption requests that will slow down the approval process? (4) Does a petitioner need to send in an amendment every time a new drone comes out?

This is just four simple questions of many any section 333 document company should be able to help with and come along side any petitioner who might need a little help.

Many individuals submit on their own and about 20-30% are returned to the sender for missing some critical, but required part of the petition. The tough part is the petitioner will not know that they are missing something until after about three to four months. We are finding many are having to submit an amendments because they did not request the correct sUAV's, purposes or are missing the Motion Picture and Television Flight "Operations Manual" required when using a sUAV for flights closer that 500' from structures, vehicles and vessels.

Hope this helps.

 

[SanCap]

Matt,

The is Stephen Gowdy, Chief Pilot at Gowdy Brothers Aerospace, LLC ... We just wanted to help you with the facts. Matt Simok send an e-mail to Gowdy Brothers on Dec 23, 2015 at 5:59 pm and requested a quote for the following purpose: "Hello, I use my DJI Inspire, to maintain my photographical and film buisness. I freelance and shoot a variety of locations at varying heights."

Dwight Anderson our Independent Sales Rep responded to you with an e-mail quote for about half that price, on Dec 24, 2015 and a follow-up phone call.

Dwight would tell you what he tells just about everyone. Anyone can write their own FAA Section 333 exemption petition, they can even copy someone else's approved exemption and re-submit under their own name and that does not cost anyone anything, but their time.

What he does ask individuals is how much is your time worth? If you have all the time to write it yourself, a well drafted exemption can be written from scratch in about three weeks and if you are a "little smarter than the average bear", you might be able to get it done in a week.

Dwight encourages individuals if they can and have the time, go ahead and submit their own.

The questions many a petitioner may overlook is (1) what are all of the purposes a petitioner will use the sAUV over the next two years, (virtually everyone knows what they want to do today, but what about the other 65 different purposes the FAA will allow them to be approved for? (adding greater value to their business with more revenue producing opportunities); (2) Should a petitioner request an approval for the one sUAV the petitioner owns, or two or the new Phantom 4 or Yuneec Typhoon H or should the petitioner request as many as they can name or 200? or even all of the 1,120 FAA approved sUAV's?; (3) What exemptions are required to be asked for? (4) Are their any exemption requests that will slow down the approval process? (4) Does a petitioner need to send in an amendment every time a new drone comes out?

This is just four simple questions of many any section 333 document company should be able to help with and come along side any petitioner who might need a little help.

Many individuals submit on their own and about 20-30% are returned to the sender for missing some critical, but required part of the petition. The tough part is the petitioner will not know that they are missing something until after about three to four months. We are finding many are having to submit an amendments because they did not request the correct sUAV's, purposes or are missing the Motion Picture and Television Flight "Operations Manual" required when using a sUAV for flights closer that 500' from structures, vehicles and vessels.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for responding here, my guess is that they will lock you out as you are not an approved vendor but before they do I would like to ask a question. It appears that all new 333's are being approved without asking for a specific UAV for use. The newly approved 333 exemption is saying to use any of the approved UAV's in the approved list. My question is do I have to submit a addendum to ask to use this new list or can I just use this new list?

 

[Stephen Gowdy]

Lastly, we are not attempting to provide legal advice. Far from it! We try to make this very clear in our communications, website and even our phone conversations. When we do get legal inquires, we refer our clients to attorneys - even some of own competitors! Just earlier this week we sent a fellow to Drone Law. Just like sUASnews provides information about the changing industry we are trying to keep our customers and potential customers similarly informed. We are disappointed that they would go after our company for attempting to follow suit. We have viewed sUASnews and their website as a partner in our endeavor to provide accurate and timely information to the sUAV community.

Bottom line: WE have asked Gary Mortimer, if there something I or an another employee of the company can do to show you what we do? Could we show Gary exactly what we do for our customers? If, after he sees our offering and finds we are providing clarity and a needed, valuable service then we would ask that you would reconsider and remove his article.

Does that sound reasonable? Gowdy Brothers Aerospace will take responsibility and be willing to be held accountable for poor customer service .. but to trash a company for providing a needed service at a reasonable price.

Please correct me if I am missing something here, but I am smelling an alternative motive from a disgruntled attorney.

The simple truth would be by testing the quality of our actions and our services ... ask anyone of our 725 customers ... we will let the service and the attention to detail, we provide to our customers speak for itself. Enough Said.

 

[Stephen Gowdy]

Thanks for responding here, my guess is that they will lock you out as you are not an approved vendor but before they do I would like to ask a question. It appears that all new 333's are being approved without asking for a specific UAV for use. The newly approved 333 exemption is saying to use any of the approved UAV's in the approved list. My question is do I have to submit a addendum to ask to use this new list or can I just use this new list?

SanCap,

Frankly, we have been working behind the scenes with the FAA's Airman and Airspace Rules Division for about 4 months now.

To bring about the most significant change with the Section 333 Exemptions. The first changes were with our on March 4, 2016 where sect 333 exemption requests with more than one sUAV request will be granted the entire current list of 1,120 FAA approved sUAV's under 55 lbs.

The very nice thing about this is ... this list will be constantly changing and being updated with the newest of drones. New petitioners and new exemption holders will not need an amendment filed every time a commercial operator wants to fly a new sUAV. This will save commercial operators a lot of time and money since the amendments are also taking an inordinate amount of time to approve as well.

To answer your question directly, if you are an existing exemption holder you will need to file an amendment to request the entire list of 1,120 FAA and all newly approved sUAV's. If you waiting for your approval grant and you have requested more than one drone more than likely you will be receiving the entire list as your approved sUAV's. There does seem to be some ramping up with regards to consistently applying this new list of approved drones to the new exemptions.

Hope this helps.

PS ... We joined this list because our customers told us that we need to contribute to the discussion and protect ourselves from being trashed. Thanks

 

[SanCap]

SanCap,

Frankly, we have been working behind the scenes with the FAA's Airman and Airspace Rules Division for about 4 months now.

To bring about the most significant change with the Section 333 Exemptions. The first changes were with our on March 4, 2016 where sect 333 exemption requests with more than one sUAV request will be granted the entire current list of 1,120 FAA approved sUAV's under 55 lbs.

The very nice thing about this is ... this list will be constantly changing and being updated with the newest of drones. New petitioners and new exemption holders will not need an amendment filed every time a commercial operator wants to fly a new sUAV. This will save commercial operators a lot of time and money since the amendments are also taking an inordinate amount of time to approve as well.

To answer your question directly, if you are an existing exemption holder you will need to file an amendment to request the entire list of 1,120 FAA and all newly approved sUAV's. If you waiting for your approval grant and you have requested more than one drone more than likely you will be receiving the entire list as your approved sUAV's. There does seem to be some ramping up with regards to consistently applying this new list of approved drones to the new exemptions.

Hope this helps.

PS ... We joined this list because our customers told us that we need to contribute to the discussion and protect ourselves from being trashed. Thanks

Thanks for your reply and I appreciate you coming here to give your side of the facts.

I already have my 333 exemption, current pilots license and have all the UAV's that I own listed on my 333. I also have 2 that were approved on my 333 that are not included on the FAA's newest master list. The beauty of the new master list is that all the "Local Photographers" who have been in the land based photography business and have been flying under the radar for years are starting to contact me as a legal way for them to fly for them using their high end copters and equipment with my certs. I guess I will add an addendum to my 333 for the master list. If you would like to add a link to the suggested verbage for that amendment it would be appreciated

I did make a couple of mistakes that probably added a few weeks to my 333 being approved, so I can value your services for someone that has not dealt with the FAA and wants to get thru the process ASAP. None the less I did receive it.

 

[Stephen Gowdy]

Thanks for your reply and I appreciate you coming here to give your side of the facts.

I already have my 333 exemption, current pilots license and have all the UAV's that I own listed on my 333. I also have 2 that were approved on my 333 that are not included on the FAA's newest master list. The beauty of the new master list is that all the "Local Photographers" who have been in the land based photography business and have been flying under the radar for years are starting to contact me as a legal way for them to fly for them using their high end copters and equipment with my certs. I guess I will add an addendum to my 333 for the master list. If you would like to add a link to the suggested verbage for that amendment it would be appreciated

I did make a couple of mistakes that probably added a few weeks to my 333 being approved, so I can value your services for someone that has not dealt with the FAA and wants to get thru the process ASAP. None the less I did receive it.

The funny thing about this is when I first started a year ago, I read your "SanCap" posts and I learned a lot ... we have since been tenaciously learning every aspect we could talking to the FAA about 3-5 times a week ... enough so that they assigned a Program Analyst in Washington, DC to our account. We have read everyone of the first 3,500 exemptions (probably yours) and have been channeling all that research directly to our customers and not on any blog or forum.

Congrats on the exemption, Pilots Certificate and we are happy for anyone who has been patient and can now get their dreams off the ground, literally.

The amendment is simple and easy to write ... it is far less restrictive than the 333, copying an existing one is pretty simple, the tough part is the FAA while they used to approve them slightly quicker than the exemption ... it appears they work on them in batches and they at times seem to approve a large batch at a time and we have been seeing them still take quite a while ... we are hoping and praying the new on-line complete approved drone list will speed the process. The FAA will need to go from approving 100 to 150 a week to 250 to 350 exemptions a week to get back to the their 120 day target completion date !! A large chunk of exemptions recently were over 200+ days to grant award! Very difficult to live through.

Other than advice not totally sure what I can offer on this forum.

 

[SanCap]

The funny thing about this is when I first started a year ago, I read your "SanCap" posts and I learned a lot ... we have since been tenaciously learning every aspect we could talking to the FAA about 3-5 times a week ... enough so that they assigned a Program Analyst in Washington, DC to our account. We have read everyone of the first 3,500 exemptions (probably yours) and have been channeling all that research directly to our customers and not on any blog or forum.

Congrats on the exemption, Pilots Certificate and we are happy for anyone who has been patient and can now get their dreams off the ground, literally.

The amendment is simple and easy to write ... it is far less restrictive than the 333, copying an existing one is pretty simple, the tough part is the FAA while they used to approve them slightly quicker than the exemption ... it appears they work on them in batches and they at times seem to approve a large batch at a time and we have been seeing them still take quite a while ... we are hoping and praying the new on-line complete approved drone list will speed the process. The FAA will need to go from approving 100 to 150 a week to 250 to 350 exemptions a week to get back to the their 120 day target completion date !! A large chunk of exemptions recently were over 200+ days to grant award! Very difficult to live through.

Other than advice not totally sure what I can offer on this forum.

I will contact you privately. I do have contacts with another one of your clients, Proto Visual. We have a lot of excitement of what is going on in this industry.

 

[C.Harris]

I am one of Stephen Gowdy's first clients, I communicated with him via email over the 4th of July weekend this past year. After several emails and fully answered questions, I hired him for my 333 exemption application. My application was submitted rather quickly - I am happy to report that my exemption was approved with closed set motion picture & television filming.

I would highly recommend Gowdy Brothers Aerospace to anyone considering looking for someone to handle that.

I knew I could have submitted my own application but didn't want to take the chance of it being rejected for some reason.

For those of you that have the money and want it done right the first time, contact Gowdy Brothers Aerospace

If any one wants to pm me ask questions feel free to do so.

Rchjr