U.S. Flagged Carriers Being Restricted From Flying Through Iraqi Airspace

The FAA has issued a new NOTAM restricting US operators from flying in the airspace above Iraq due to the hazardous situation created by the armed conflict. The new NOTAM supersedes previous FAA guidance for this airspace.

The NOTAM reads:

!FDC 4/1621 ZZZ SECURITY …Iraq … potentially hazardous situation—Iraq airspace due to the potentially hazardous situation created by the armed conflict between militants associated with the Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant and Iraqi security forces and their allies, all flight operations in the Baghdad flight information region (ORBB)  by the persons described in paragraph a below are prohibited until further advised. 

A. Applicability.
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; and all operators of aircraft registered in the united states, except where the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier.

B. Permitted operations.
This NOTAM does not prohibit persons described in paragraph a from conducting flight operations within the Baghdad flight information region (ORBB) 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 administrator.  Operators should call the FAA Washington operations center at 202-267-3333 for FAA authorization of operations.

C. Emergency situations.
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. the prohibition on operations in the airspace specified in this NOTAM and the associated justification for this special notice will be re-evaluated by 31 Dec 2014.

FMI: www.faa.gov