CAA: GA News, "San Diego Airspace Restrictions Eased: VFR Flights Resume"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tuesday, October 23, 2001

San Diego Airspace Restrictions Eased
VFR Flights Resume
TheSanDiegoChannel.com - Channel 10 ABC News


SAN DIEGO -- The Federal Aviation Administration opened the skies over San
Diego to all private planes beginning Tuesday at 7 a.m., 10News reported.

The action allows pilots to resume flying under what are known as visual
flight rules, in which the pilots are not required to navigate by
instruments and are not required to file a flight plan or talk to
controllers outside an airport's immediate airspace. Around 90 percent of
all private planes fly under visual flight rules.

Business at local general aviation airports, such as Montgomery Field and
Gillespie Field, has suffered dramatically since VFR flights were grounded
last month.

"People haven't been using their airplanes, so no service," Buzz Gibbs, of
Gibbs Flying Service, said. "I hope that will pick up. I think it will."

The restrictions are also being eased at 11 other cities nationwide, leaving
only Washington, New York and Boston with limits on the small aircraft.

On Monday, the airspace over Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and San
Francisco reopened to all private planes.

On Tuesday, Denver, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and San Diego
reopened. Airspace over Chicago and Orlando, Fla. will open to VFR flights
Wednesday.

"This is very good news for general aviation pilots," Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association spokesman Warren Morningstar said. "We're going to
continue to work to see if we can get the remaining restrictions modified
consistent with our national security concerns."

In Boston, New York and Washington, pilots must continue to file flight
plans with the Federal Aviation Administration.

All private plane flights are banned within 20 miles of John F. Kennedy
International Airport in New York and Reagan National Airport near
Washington. Seventeen small airports in those areas remain closed.

The ban also continues on foreign-owned private planes, unless they are
registered in Canada or Mexico, flying into the United States. And news
helicopters and blimps still can't fly within 30 metropolitan areas,
including San Diego.

Flying advertisements are also not allowed within controlled Class B
airspace, which surrounds Lindbergh Field and extends all the way past
Qualcomm Stadium. This has directly impacted several San Diego businesses.

"I've talked to the bank and the bankers about what to do, and the decision
right now is to sell off the assets," Aerial Advertising's Larry Duthie
said. The company plans to sell off their three airplanes (one pictured,
right) and close their doors.

All private planes flying under visual flight rules must have transponders,
which allow air traffic controllers to track the aircraft, or must obtain a
waiver from the FAA. While flying within 23 miles of 30 major airports,
including the 12 in the metropolitan areas opening to all private planes
this week, the pilots also must monitor a specific radio frequency.

Click on the link below to view the video, "Private Pilots Get The Go-Ahead"

 http://video.ibsys.com/video.cfm?ID=1025258&owner=sand

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http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID2

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