The Latest Military Airspace Grab: 700 Square Miles!

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 15:15:18 GMT, Larry Dighera
wrote:


Does the military _ever_ return its airspace to public use?\

Yes. It wouldn't take very long to list all of the military bases
closed in the last 25 years, which would quickly relate to a whole
bunch of no longer needed airspace and training routes.

AVflash Volume 11, Number 7a -- February 14, 2005
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GA PILOTS TAKE ON MILITARY IN N.M.
New Mexico has some wide-open skies, but apparently there is not
enough room there for all the military and civilian pilots who want to
fly. The U.S. Air Force wants to add 700 square miles to the 2,600
square miles now used by the F-16 Falcons based at Cannon Air Force
Base. The airspace expansion would mean rerouting about 40 civilian
flights per day, and intrude onto GA routes between Albuquerque and
Roswell. "They've grabbed up so much airspace, it's going to be
dangerous for small, civilian aircraft," U.S. Pilots Association
President Steve Uslan told The Albuquerque Journal. "And that's a long
way around, and that means a lot of fuel and a lot of time wasted."
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#189168

First, lets' consider how big the somewhat inflammatory number "700
square miles is in the big picture of all of New Mexico: it's a block
35 miles by 20 miles-- then consider how much airspace it might take
to run a 2-v-2 training engagement.

Then, recognize that special use airspace comes in a lot of flavors.
Some is restricted (which means don't go there without permission),
some is prohibited (which means don't go there OR ELSE!), some is
warning (which means go there, but be careful), and some is simply
advisory.

Most military training airspace is open for transit when not in use.
In other words, ATC can authorize passage if the area is not "HOT".

And, the airspace used for most military training is within positive
control, so it only effects IFR traffic on flight plans. Most GA
"small, civilian aircraft" (as opposed to corporate) is VFR and below
positive control, hence not effected.

Poor Steve, he doesn't want to be inconvenienced and he'd rather have
those guys and gals who strap their butts into the big iron go to war
to protect him without being properly trained. Maybe they need a
community relations program at Cannon in which guys like Steve get
taken for a ride so they could get a clue. About 30 minutes of
air-to-air should do the job.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com