Lower MEAs for GPS pilots a good move

Lower MEAs for GPS pilots a good move

By AOPA ePublishing staff

With the proliferation of IFR-certified GPS receivers, it makes sense to have airspace rules that evolve with the technology.

AOPA has been working with the FAA to publish GPS minimum en route altitudes (MEAs) on Victor airways. Traditionally, MEAs are based on "line of sight" for ground-based navaids, which means that many MEAs are thousands of feet above the terrain they cross. GPS MEAs would increase the amount of usable airspace and allow pilots to fly, in some cases, below bad weather and potential icing.

The FAA recently published lower GPS MEAs on portions of six Victor routes in the Northeast and has plans for 39 more route segments up and down the East Coast in 2008. AOPA wants to know if members see a need for GPS MEAs on Victor routes that they use. Please send your suggestions to us. We'll share them with the FAA.

December 27, 2007