Regional Affairs

FAA creates new restricted area despite opposition

AOPA is disappointed that the FAA didn't take into account comments from the aviation community when it created a new restricted area near Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Effective March 15, the FAA will chart R-5601F, adding it to the R-5601 complex. AOPA had commented against the change, saying that it would cut off one of the last east-west VFR corridors left in southern Oklahoma. There were five negative and no positive comments, yet the final rule remained unchanged from the initial proposal. The small piece of airspace is sandwiched between the rest of the R-5601 complex to the south and the Washita Military Operations Area (MOA) to the north.

December 29, 2006