AOPA's Boyer Writes FAA Over New Language In NOTAMS

Pilots who routinely violate airspace temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) might find themselves in jail... and worse yet, ruin flying for those who are more careful and fly by the rules.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) say the addition of new language to Temporary Flight Restriction NOTAMS, that informs pilots of criminal penalties, is too blunt.

"Any person who knowingly or willfully violates the rules concerning operations in this airspace is subject to certain criminal penalties under 49 USC 46307" is the new way the FAA states what most pilots already knew. But AOPA thinks this is too much.

"The FAA has always had the ability to assess these types of charges, but it has never stated it so bluntly," the pilot advocacy group writes.

AOPA president Phil Boyer sent a letter to the FAA earlier this month to ensure that inadvertent violation of TFRs won't land pilots in jail or bankrupt them with large civil penalties.

"Security-related flight restrictions can occur virtually anywhere in the country with little advance notice. It is not uncommon that the average pilot has to pick through pages and pages of irrelevant and unrelated NOTAMS to find these important airspace restrictions," Boyer wrote to acting FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell.

Boyer stresses pilots must do their part and be aware of new rules, and know the law.

"We work to prevent unnecessary TFRs. The ones that are in place are intended to protect national security," Boyer said. "We must do our part to abide by these rules-no excuses, no exceptions."

FMI: www.aopa.org, www.faa.gov