Prohibited Until Further Notice Due To Increased Political Tensions

The FAA has issued a NOTAM prohibiting certain flights in the overwater area of the Tehran Flight Information Region (FIR) (OIIX) above the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

All flight operations in the overwater area of the tehran flight information region (FIR) (OIIX) above the Persian Gulf and Gulf Of Oman only are prohibited until further notice due to heightened military activities and increased political tensions in the region, which present an inadvertent risk to U.S. civil aviation operations and potential for miscalculation or mis-identification.

According to the NOTAM, the risk to U.S. civil aviation is demonstrated by the IRANIAN surface-to-air missile shoot down of a U.S. unmanned aircraft system on June 19 2019 while it was operating in the vicinity of civil air routes above the Gulf of Oman.

This NOTAM applies to:

• All U.S. air carriers and commercial operators;
• All persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, Except Such Persons Operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier;
• All operators of aircraft registered in the UNITED STATES, Except where the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier.

This NOTAM does not prohibit persons described above from conducting flight operations in the above named area when such operations are authorized either by another agency of the United States government with the approval of the FAA or by a deviation, exemption, or other authorization issued by the FAA administrator.

In an emergency that requires immediate decision and action for the safety of the flight, the pilot in command of an aircraft may deviate from this NOTAM to the extent required by that emergency.

(Source: FAA. U.S. State Department map)

FMI: NOTAM