March 3, 2014
The FAA has released an airspace study from the United States Air Force proposing to establish the Powder River Training Complex military operations areas (MOA) for North and South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming – a plan that concerns NBAA, which plans to submit comments to the proposal.
The airspace would cover a huge swath of high and low altitudes across all four states, and be active for significant periods of time from Monday through Friday, in both the mornings and evenings.
Bob Lamond, NBAA’s director of air traffic services and infrastructure, has been involved with this proposal since its inception several years ago through his work on various RTCA committees.
“If implemented as proposed, the potential impact on business aviation operators is very significant. Operating IFR, as most of our NBAA Members do, will require pilots to fly around MOAs, adding potentially hundreds of miles to their flights,” Lamond said. “Or, they may not be able to operate at all if originating or flying to locations directly under the active MOAs.”
NBAA intends to comment on the impact to business aviation operations and is soliciting comments from Members directly to the FAA, as well as to NBAA, for a consolidated input. Members should be as specific as possible, with impacts to include approximate cost of operating around this airspace, or not being able to operate as a result of this airspace proposal.
Submit feedback to Lamond at rlamond@nbaa.org by March 28. If responding directly to the FAA, comments are due by April 3 to the address listed in the proposal.
Review the proposal. (PDF)
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.