What, More Paperwork?

The FAA and the Transportation Security Administration will strengthen a relic of the tense days immediately after the September 11 attacks. Aviation advocates would rather see it eliminated all together.

The FAA has published notams (3/3541 and 3/3542, listed below) that eliminate a blanket waiver for VFR flights between the United States and Canada and forces pilots to apply for individual waivers.

AOPA: "Ridiculous"

"This is ridiculous," said Melissa Bailey, AOPA's vice president of airspace, regulatory and certification policy. "VFR flights between the U.S. and Canada are already tightly controlled by other agencies within the Department Homeland Security."

"VFR aircraft crossing the border are required to be on a flight plan and must go through Customs and Immigration," Ms. Bailey said. "Why in the world do they also need a waiver? The VFR restriction is left over from right after the terrorist attacks, and it is no longer necessary. It should be eliminated, not strengthened."

AOPA is lobbying the TSA to eliminate the waiver requirement. In the meantime, pilots who need individual waivers must apply to TSA no later than May 31, 2003.

NOTAMs

3/3541 SPECIAL NOTICES.. VFR AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS BETWEEN MINNEAPOLIS ARTCC AIRSPACE AND CANADIAN AIRSPACE. VFR AIRCRAFT OPERATORS ARE HEREBY ADVISED THAT, EFFECTIVE JUNE 15, 2003, ALL BLANKET WAIVERS GRANTED UNDER WAIVER NUMBER 8027, WHICH AUTHORIZES VFR AIRCRAFT TO OPERATE BETWEEN CANADA AND MINNEAPOLIS ARTCC AIRSPACE WITHOUT AN ATC ASSIGNED TRANSPONDER CODE, ARE CANCELLED. PILOTS REQUIRING CONTINUED RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF FDC NOTAM 2/5319, OPERATIONS TO/FROM LOCATIONS OUTSIDE THE U.S., AND/OR FDC NOTAM 2/5167, VFR OPERATIONS IN THE U.S., SHOULD REAPPLY BY SENDING THEIR APPLICATION TO THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (TSA) NO LATER THAN MAY 31, 2003 TO ALLOW FOR PROCESSING OF INDIVIDUAL WAIVERS. WAIVER APPLICATION FORMS MAY BE OBTAINED BY ACCESSING THE AIR TRAFFIC WEB SITE AT (WWW.INTL.FAA.GOV/USWAIVERREQUEST.DOC) AND SUBMITTED VIA FAX TO 571-227-1947. FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED BY CONTACTING TSA AT 571-227-2234, OR 571-227-2245 WIE UNTIL UFN

3/3542 SPECIAL NOTICES.. VFR AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS BETWEEN SEATTLE ARTCC AIRSPACE AND CANADIAN AIRSPACE. VFR AIRCRAFT OPERATORS ARE HEREBY ADVISED THAT, EFFECTIVE JUNE 15, 2003, ALL BLANKET WAIVERS GRANTED UNDER WAIVER NUMBER 7388, WHICH AUTHORIZES VFR AIRCRAFT TO OPERATE BETWEEN CANADA AND SEATTLE ARTCC AIRSPACE WITHOUT AN ATC ASSIGNED TRANSPONDER CODE, ARE CANCELLED. PILOTS REQUIRING CONTINUED RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF FDC NOTAM 2/5319, OPERATIONS TO/FROM LOCATIONS OUTSIDE THE U.S., AND/OR FDC NOTAM 2/5167, VFR OPERATIONS IN THE U.S., SHOULD REAPPLY BY SENDING THEIR APPLICATION TO THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (TSA) NO LATER THAN MAY 31, 2003 TO ALLOW FOR PROCESSING OF INDIVIDUAL WAIVERS. WAIVER APPLICATION FORMS MAY BE OBTAINED BY ACCESSING THE AIR TRAFFIC WEB SITE AT (WWW.INTL.FAA.GOV/USWAIVERREQUEST.DOC) AND SUBMITTED VIA FAX TO 571-227-1947. FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED BY CONTACTING TSA AT 571-227-2234, OR 571-227-2245 WIE UNTIL UFN

FMI: www.intl.faa.gov