AOPA's network of members and ASN volunteers reported this morning that the FAA had allowed some aircraft to move VFR from inside the enhanced Kansas City (Missouri) Class B airspace to airports outside the restricted airspace. AOPA's staff on-scene at FAA headquarters immediately checked with air traffic officials to find out the details of the release. Turns out, local FAA officials had acted prematurely and were not authorized to release the aircraft. VFR aircraft still may not fly inside any enhanced Class B airspace.
AOPA did obtain a copy of the procedures used in Kansas City. Although this is not official yet, these procedures could give pilots a "clue" to what the FAA will do when it does permit VFR aircraft to relocate out of enhanced Class B. The procedures direct that:
- Aircraft must be transponder equipped
- Aircraft must be two-way radio equipped
- Pilot must file a flight plan—it will be an IFR flight plan, with notation that it is a VFR move.
- Pilot must contact approach control immediately after departure
- Approach will vector to airport of pilot's choice outside the enhanced Class B
- Aircraft will not be allowed to return to the original airport until the enhanced Class B airspace restriction is lifted.
Again, at this time VFR flights are not permitted inside enhanced Class B. However, AOPA expects that the FAA will publish a notam within the next few days that will permit pilots to move aircraft "trapped" inside the Class Bs. When that notam is published, based on this incident, the procedures may very well look like those listed above.
01-3-122x
