The FAA is considering an Air Force proposal to establish a permanent military operations area (MOA) complex in Delta Junction, Alaska. The complex would cut off the IFR airways between Fairbanks, Delta Junction, Northway, and Glennallen during its hours of operation.
AOPA has requested that the Delta MOAs be split into low- and high-altitude segments so that civil use can be made the priority below 10,000 feet to allow limited IFR access between Fairbanks and Delta Junction, Tok, and Northway when needed. The association plans to file comments on the FAA’s notice of the proposal; members are encouraged file their own comments directly to the FAA and to tell AOPA how the proposal would impact their operations.
“Given the importance of air travel to Alaska, it is vital to provide some provision for routine IFR access along the airways affected by the Delta MOAs,” said AOPA Alaska Regional Representative Tom George. “With some changes in architecture and prioritization, the proposed airspace could be modified to simultaneously accommodate both military training and civilian needs.”
The Air Force has recently been conducting training exercises in a complex of four temporary Delta MOAs; the proposal would make them permanent. The MOAs impact airways commonly used by IFR aircraft. To transit this area during training exercises, IFR traffic would have to either delay their flights or fly through VFR corridors designed for low, slow flying traffic. Providing a more usable corridor through this airspace is important both for access and aviation safety.
Comments can be sent via e-mail or addressed to the Federal Aviation Administration, ATTN: Alaska Flight Services Information Area Group, AAL-530, 222 West 7th Avenue, #14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7687. To let us know how the proposed MOAs would affect you, send comments to AOPA by Aug. 27.
