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Special Bulletin
October 21, 2001


FAA OPENS MOST CLASS B AIRSPACE TO VFR

AOPA KEEPS FOCUS ON REMAINING CITIES, SPECIALTY OPERATIONS
The FAA on Sunday afternoon released a notam announcing the phased reopening of 12 more "enhanced Class B" (ECB) areas to most VFR operations. Last week, most VFR flights were allowed to resume in 15 other ECB areas. This leaves three metropolitan areas-New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Boston-where VFR remains prohibited.

"This is an important milestone and fantastic news for VFR pilots," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. Restoring VFR flight in ECB airspace has been an AOPA priority for weeks. "But now our focus must turn to restoring operations in the three remaining metropolitan areas and in getting the news and traffic reporters, banner towers, and other specialty operators back in the air everywhere."

Much like the release of airspace last week, this release will be phased in over three days. The first five will be reopened on Monday. The opening will follow the schedule below:

Monday, October 22, at 1100Z (7 a.m. Eastern time): Atlanta, Georgia; Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida, and San Francisco, California.

Tuesday, October 23, at 1100Z (7 a.m. Eastern time): Denver, Colorado; Detroit, Michigan; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and San Diego, California.

Wednesday, October 24, at 1100Z (7 a.m. Eastern time): Chicago, Illinois, and Orlando, Florida.

The procedures for these cities are the same as those established for the 15 areas opened last week. Aircraft flying in enhanced Class B (ECB) airspace must have an encoding transponder and squawk 1200 (or as assigned by ATC). Aircraft without a transponder must get a waiver from ATC for each flight in ECB airspace. If equipped to do so, pilots flying in ECB airspace should monitor the guard frequency of 121.5 MHz. The notam also asks pilots to operate their aircraft in a "normal" manner, avoiding aerobatics as well as circling or loitering. 

See AOPA's "frequently asked questions <http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsitems/2001/011019faq.html>" for more information on rules applicable to enhanced Class B airspace.

The full text of Sunday's notam is below. While this is an official FDC notam, AOPA recommends that pilot check the latest notams prior to any flight operations. In recent weeks, some notams have been modified repeatedly or rescinded. AOPA will continue to post updates promptly on AOPA Online <http://www.aopa.org/>.


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FDC 1/1474 FDC...SPECIAL NOTICE...VFR INSIDE ECB... 

FOR REASONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 22, 2001, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, PURSUANT TO TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.139 THE FOLLOWING EMERGENCY AIR TRAFFIC RULES ARE IN EFFECT: 

U.S. REGISTERED AIRCRAFT CONDUCTING PART 91 AND PART 137 VFR OPERATIONS ARE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE INSIDE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE" AS SPECIFIED IN THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS: 

1) DEFINITION REPEATED: "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE" REFERS TO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND THAT AIRSPACE UNDERLYING AND OVERLYING THE CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM THE SURFACE TO FL180. THIS DEFINITION DOES NOT CHANGE THE ASSOCIATED RULES AND/OR SERVICES PRESCRIBED FOR CLASS B AIRSPACE. ADDITIONALLY, THIS DEFINITION DOES NOT CHANGE THE ASSOCIATED RULES AND/OR SERVICES PRESCRIBED FOR THE UNDERLYING/OVERLYING AIRSPACE. 

2) THE FOLLOWING OPERATIONS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS PROVISION AND REMAIN PROHIBITED FROM OPERATING VFR IN "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE": NEWS REPORTING, TRAFFIC WATCH, CIVIL AIRCRAFT BANNER TOWING, SIGHTSEEING (IN ROTORCRAFT AND AIRPLANES) CONDUCTED FOR COMPENSATION OR HIRE (UNDER PART 91, PURSUANT TO THE EXCEPTION IN 119.1(E)(2)), AND AIRSHIP/BLIMP OPERATIONS. 

3) AIRCRAFT MUST OPERATE USING A CODED RADAR BEACON TRANSPONDER AT ALL TIMES WITHIN THE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE", USING NORMAL VFR CODES, I.E. 1200. 

4) CAPABLE AIRCRAFT MUST MONITOR THE GUARD FREQUENCY ON 121.5/ 243.0 AT ALL TIMES WITHIN THE "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE". 

5) APPROVAL/WAIVER TO OPERATE WITHOUT A CODED RADAR BEACON TRANSPONDER MUST BE OBTAINED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, AND ON A FLIGHT-BY-FLIGHT BASIS, FROM THE LOCAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FACILITY CONTROLLING THE AFFECTED "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE". 

6) EFFECTIVE MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2001, AT 1100 UTC, OPERATIONS ARE APPROVED AS DESCRIBED ABOVE IN THE FOLLOWING "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE": ATLANTA, GA; LOS ANGELES, CA; LAS VEGAS, NV; MIAMI, FL; SAN FRANCISCO, CA. 

7) EFFECTIVE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2001, AT 1100 UTC, OPERATIONS ARE APPROVED AS DESCRIBED ABOVE IN THE FOLLOWING "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE": DENVER, CO; PITTSBURGH, PA; PHILADELPHIA, PA; DETROIT, MI; SAN DIEGO, CA. 

8) EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001, AT 1100 UTC, OPERATIONS ARE APPROVED AS DESCRIBED ABOVE IN THE FOLLOWING "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE": ORLANDO, FL AND CHICAGO, IL. 

VFR PILOTS IN "ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE" ARE ENCOURAGED TO OPERATE THEIR AIRCRAFT IN A NORMAL MANNER, AVOIDING AEROBATICS, LOITERING OR CIRCLING, AND UNPREDICTABLE FLIGHT PATHS. PILOTS ARE URGED TO CHECK NOTICES TO AIRMEN (NOTAMS) AND CALL THE LOCAL FLIGHT SERVICE STATION AT 1-800-WX-BRIEF PRIOR TO EACH FLIGHT. 

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