FAA revises consolidated notam

The FAA has revised the consolidated notam that clarified a number of previous notams governing operations in the nation's airspace. Pilots should read the actual notam carefully, but in summary, virtually all operations are now permitted outside of enhanced Class B airspace and temporary flight restriction (TFR) areas. The revised notam is broken into three parts: VFR operations, IFR operations, and cross-border operations. The only significant change from the notam issued yesterday is to restore IFR Part 91 operations in the Boston enhanced Class B airspace. Pilots should be sure to contact their local FAA facility for the application of the notams to their area.

The following operations are permitted outside of enhanced Class B airspace:

• IFR/VFR operations (except for specific exclusions listed in the notam)
• VFR flight training in non-turbojet aircraft of 12,500 pounds or less
• VFR banner towing, airship, balloons, traffic watch, news reporting
• VFR pipeline/powerline operations only permitted with assigned beacon code

Operations permitted inside enhanced Class B airspace:

• IFR operations (except for the Washington and New York TFRs and Hawaii enhanced Class B).
• VFR flight training in piston single- and multiengine non-turbojet aircraft with a gross weight of 6,000 pounds or less (except for the Washington and New York TFRs and Boston enhanced Class B).
• Supervised student solo flight (except in the Washington and New York TFRs and Boston enhanced Class B).

VFR flight by certificated pilots inside enhanced Class B airspace is still prohibited—you read that correctly.

Note from AOPA President Boyer: "This is absurd! What this means is a student can fly solo, VFR in Class B airspace, but his/her highly trained and licensed CFI cannot! With all due respect to the problems our country's leadership faces, we cannot ignore the lunacy of these decisions affecting some 120,000 licensed pilots. Will the FAA set up a procedure to downgrade their hard-earned licenses to student certificates so they can fly again? It is time we call on our elected officials in Congress to "Free the GA 41,000" aircraft trapped in enhanced Class B airspace following their weekend recess. (AOPA Online will provide full information on the telephone and e-mail campaign beginning Monday.)

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