On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 16:54:21 GMT, Ed Rasimus
wrote:

As for the basic question regarding FAA authority over military
aviation operations, except in special use airspace, the military is
expected to comply fully with FAA direction. The governing regulation
for the USAF (used to be AFM 60-16 "Flight Operating Rules") specifies
that operations "will be conducted to the maximum extent practicable,
under IFR"--which includes filing of FAA flight plans and compliance
with FAA ARTC throughout. Exceptions, such as operating at higher
speed under 10,000 feet, are well coordinated with FAA.

NASA has a similar regulation, of course. We do not, however, file
flight plans or comply with ARTCC instructions when the Orbiter is
reentering the atmosphere. The Orbiter also don't pay much attention
to that airspeed limit below 10,000 ft. Something about L/D. We do
tell the FAA we're coming, though. We don't like to surprise them too
much, after all.

Seriously, Dryden, like the USAF, uses the restricted areas around
Edwards, which are controlled by the FAA RAPCON (SPORT) there on base,
for most of its flying. The FAA isn't very involved in the actual
operations, except to issue traffic calls and warn of possible
boundary violations. They track the aircraft on radar, obviously, and
help do vectors when new chases join up or we're looking for the
tanker. It's a nice, friendly relationship, with all three agencies
occasionally conspiring against LA Center over the Daggett Shelf, a
little piece of airspace.

When Dryden aircraft leave the restricted areas, particularly to go
cross-country, the only thing special is that we've been allocated the
call sign "NASA". Otherwise, we're just like any other civil jet
fighter or 747 carrying an Orbiter in the airspace. We even give our
aircraft N numbers, from a block of numbers reserved to us.

It's always seemed fair to me that the FAA should allocate special
airspace for special purposes, like research flying or Oil
Burner/Olive Branch routes. After all, they create special restricted
airspace for borate bombing forest fires, too. Someone has to have
the final word on how the airspace is used, after all. They just
can't tell us (or the military) what airplanes to fly or exactly how
to fly them once we get the airspace, unless it's airspace used for
regular operations.

Mary

--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer