By AOPA ePublishing staff
The FAA has granted the Air Force’s request for three unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations per week at Beale Air Force Base near Marysville, Calif.
This means there will be three 10-nautical-mile-radius temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) over the base each week. AOPA has requested that the FAA set a deadline by which the Air Force must have an alternative means for separating UAVs and aircraft.
“We’ve made it clear that the FAA can’t keep granting more TFRs for these operations,” said Heidi Williams, AOPA director of air traffic services. “Restricting airspace isn’t the way to integrate UAV operations into the National Airspace System. The Air Force needs to use chase airplanes or other methods to separate the UAVs from other aircraft.”
While AOPA continues to push for the elimination of frequent TFRs over Beale Air Force Base, the association has requested that the FAA provide an advance schedule of each week’s TFRs in order to alert pilots in the area.
February 21, 2008