Fri, Jul 09, 2004
Follows AOPA Recommendation For National Security Areas
The FAA has denied Department of
Defense requests to turn 11 temporary flight restriction areas
(TFRs) into prohibited airspace, the agency informed AOPA yesterday
afternoon. Instead, the FAA will follow AOPA's recommendation and
convert the existing TFRs over the 11 military installations into
national security areas (NSAs), a less restrictive classification
that still preserves the government's ability to protect the
airspace when needed for national security.
"Since these TFRs were thrown up shortly after September 11,
AOPA has consistently advocated that they be eliminated as
unnecessary and an operational hindrance to legitimate general
aviation activities," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Both AOPA
staff and I have had countless meetings with the Defense
Department, Department of Homeland Security, FAA, and members of
Congress to quantify the impacts of these TFRs on pilots and to
develop reasonable alternatives.
"An NSA, where pilots are requested to avoid flying too closely
to sensitive areas, is a reasonable solution," said Boyer. "This is
a tremendous victory for general aviation and common sense."
There are currently 13 TFRs over military installations. In two
cases, Bangor, Washington, and St. Mary's, Georgia, the FAA has
proposed creating permanent prohibited areas through notices of
proposed rulemaking. AOPA is opposing both proposals.
The remaining TFRs will become NSAs upon the printing of new
sectional charts depicting the areas. The first chart, depicting an
NSA over Anniston, Alabama, will be published in September. The
last national security area to be charted will appear on the Denver
sectional in January. Until the charts are issued, the areas will
remain TFRs and must be treated as such by pilots.
The specific TFRs are:
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