Regional Affairs

AOPA wants better communication on restricted airspace

When Nellis Air Force base contacted AOPA about recent pilot incursions of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), AOPA immediately suggested implementing an ATIS frequency that will alert pilots to which ranges are hot and which are cold. In the meantime, VFR pilots, both local and transient, should be aware of the NTTR area and understand the hazards associated with inadvertent violations of the restricted airspace. They may be unintentional violations, but passing through impacts military operations and weapons deliveries and may cause accidents as many high-speed military aircraft operate on the range daily. There can be severe penalties for careless mistakes, so be sure to visit the AOPA Air Safety Foundation's Safety Hot Spot: Critical Airspace to learn how to identify and avoid prohibited and restricted airspace.

August 3, 2007