It will be interesting to see how this plays out in our area of British Columbia. Traditionally when we go from Langley to Victoria we travel through US air space for a very short bit. That air space is controlled by Nav Canada through some sort of common agreement and in conjunction with Bellingham ATC. As I read this we will have to get special clearance each way each time.


U.S. has tightened cross-border aircraft security.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a NOTAM on Jan. 1 that significantly changes cross-border operations for Canadian aircraft.

The NOTAM appears to require the operator of any Canadian aircraft to obtain a waiver from the FAA to fly in U.S. airspace.

Before the NOTAM was issued, Canadian aircraft were allowed to transit U.S. airspace without notifying U.S. Customs or security authorities as long as their destination was another Canadian airport.

There are numerous shortcuts across U.S. airspace used by Canadian pilots to get from one domestic airport to another and this NOTAM appears to add a layer of bureaucracy to those flights. Pilots who ignore the directive could find an F-16 or Blackhawk helicopter on their wing, according to the NOTAM.

The measure was apparently imposed without consultation and it seemed to take authorities on this side of the border by surprise.

The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association has put the following notice on its Web site.

“Urgent to all Canadian pilots as of January 1st, 2016, U.S. NOTAM FDC 5/6289, requiring a U.S. TSA approval for “all” flights through U.S. airspace. COPA is currently working with authorities to resolve this issue.”

175 magnum wrote:It will be interesting to see how this plays out in our area of British Columbia. Traditionally when we go from Langley to Victoria we travel through US air space for a very short bit. That air space is controlled by Nav Canada through some sort of common agreement and in conjunction with Bellingham ATC. As I read this we will have to get special clearance each way each time.


U.S. has tightened cross-border aircraft security.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a NOTAM on Jan. 1 that significantly changes cross-border operations for Canadian aircraft.

The NOTAM appears to require the operator of any Canadian aircraft to obtain a waiver from the FAA to fly in U.S. airspace.

Before the NOTAM was issued, Canadian aircraft were allowed to transit U.S. airspace without notifying U.S. Customs or security authorities as long as their destination was another Canadian airport.

There are numerous shortcuts across U.S. airspace used by Canadian pilots to get from one domestic airport to another and this NOTAM appears to add a layer of bureaucracy to those flights. Pilots who ignore the directive could find an F-16 or Blackhawk helicopter on their wing, according to the NOTAM.

The measure was apparently imposed without consultation and it seemed to take authorities on this side of the border by surprise.

The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association has put the following notice on its Web site.

“Urgent to all Canadian pilots as of January 1st, 2016, U.S. NOTAM FDC 5/6289, requiring a U.S. TSA approval for “all” flights through U.S. airspace. COPA is currently working with authorities to resolve this issue.”

Yeah, it seems about right for this administration. Tighten security on our northern border, and let the southern border go the way it is what with all the new incoming Syrian immigrant voters (cough! terrorists) and whatnot.....

It goes with all the other crazy shit that is going on here.

Not surprised at all. I'm sure our illustrious president would use this as a pawn in the game by stating something along the lines of, "We have stepped up our border security by cracking down on flights being made by technically law breaking pilots who overfly the border doing horrible things like going back to their own country."

Talking with TSA they said it was a small technical oversite and the amended Notam should be out next week to fix the problem. Maybe the future will be friendly again.

Thanks for following up with that Ken.. I was flying by mount baker just a week ago thinking about Blackhawk helicopters.. Glad I didn't get into trouble. If they were wanting to follow through on this it sure would mess up heading to Victoria, or doing a nice scenic flight by mount baker.. My non flying friends love going over there..

Yeah, it seems about right for this administration. Tighten security on our northern border, and let the southern border go the way it is what with all the new incoming Syrian immigrant voters (cough! terrorists) and whatnot.....

It goes with all the other crazy shit that is going on here.

Not surprised at all. I'm sure our illustrious president would use this as a pawn in the game by stating something along the lines of, "We have stepped up our border security by cracking down on flights being made by technically law breaking pilots who overfly the border doing horrible things like going back to their own country."

Nothing personal against the poster or his expressed viewpoint, but as a preemptive strike, can I just BEG that politics be left out of all posts for the next...well, forever?

There are trying times close at hand and tempers will run higher than a cumulous cloud, but nothing will be gained and much will be lost by discussing it here.

Speaking generally (not to the poster, but to the community at large), nobody who agrees with your politics is going to love you any more for that agreement, but everyone with a different opinion is going to love you less for having heard it. It's all lose and no win. Doesn't matter what your political opinion is...you're going to generate more hate than you are love if you discuss politics here.

I'm more than happy to discuss aviation policy, but regardless of my political stance, if I have to deal with politics when I log in I'm just going to leave. I do not need that crap injected into my fun time.

Political opinions are just like flatulence... Your closest friends will accept them, your close friends will forgive them, and everyone else will resent being subjected to them.

Let's leave politics out of BCP.

Hammer wrote:

Political opinions are just like flatulence... Your closest friends will accept them, your close friends will forgive them, and everyone else will resent being subjected to them.

.

Especially the wives and girlfriends who get the dutch oven treatment.

Tried avoiding that airspace today and promptly got a tongue lashing from ATC that re-steered me into it in order to comply with "their" routing. Not sure how an intercept would work out on a transit infraction as nothing could get on station fast enough anyway. Besides, why not just take the gentlemanly approach and complain to the miscreant assigned the transponder code using an envelope and stamp.

Hammer wrote:

Yeah, it seems about right for this administration. Tighten security on our northern border, and let the southern border go the way it is what with all the new incoming Syrian immigrant voters (cough! terrorists) and whatnot.....

It goes with all the other crazy shit that is going on here.

Not surprised at all. I'm sure our illustrious president would use this as a pawn in the game by stating something along the lines of, "We have stepped up our border security by cracking down on flights being made by technically law breaking pilots who overfly the border doing horrible things like going back to their own country."

Nothing personal against the poster or his expressed viewpoint, but as a preemptive strike, can I just BEG that politics be left out of all posts for the next...well, forever?

There are trying times close at hand and tempers will run higher than a cumulous cloud, but nothing will be gained and much will be lost by discussing it here.

Speaking generally (not to the poster, but to the community at large), nobody who agrees with your politics is going to love you any more for that agreement, but everyone with a different opinion is going to love you less for having heard it. It's all loose and no win. Doesn't matter what your political opinion is...you're going to generate more hate than you are love if you discuss politics here.

I'm more than happy to discuss aviation policy, but regardless of my political stance, if I have to deal with politics when I log in I'm just going to leave. I do not need that crap injected into my fun time.

Political opinions are just like flatulence... Your closest friends will accept them, your close friends will forgive them, and everyone else will resent being subjected to them.

Let's leave politics out of BCP.

Hammer,

It was a rant, admittedly. I know where you are coming from about not bringing politics here. I know better than than that. I'm an admin for crying out loud!!! Whoops.

I am not going to delete my post for posterities sake, and hope that maybe someone else may see my poor choice for places to rant and think twice.

Be careful folks. Save the politics for Hot Air.

I can chose what I want to read. I am certainly not going to suggest someone not say what they think. I can easily disregarding comments I don't like. No apologies necessary. You could even put a match to that methane and I would appreciate the flame. Mike

Very interesting situation Karmutzen. It seems that Vancouver Terminal would rather send you into a known US notam closed ( for Canadians) area rather than deal with us little planes in their control zone. I wonder who would be better to deal with, US Blackhawk helicopter or Transport Canada paperwork for disregarding Nav Canad instructions. Probably the helicopter pilot, he is better trained.

Apologies to our Canadian neighbours. Hot Air material or not, this is a political situation as to which many of us here are none too happy about.

TSA oversight my ass...

More significant for US pilots. If you stray into Canadian airspace, the TSA considers you to have exited the country without notification, and when you re-enter you have entered without TSA approval. No EAPIS, no discrete code. Lots of situations in the panhandle or Gulf Islands where the airspace has some odd cutouts. No dotted lines painted on the ocean, easy to make a mistake. Some IFR approaches may take you into Canadian airspace. And landing back in the US the Blackhawk can land beside you.

Hammer wrote: ....Political opinions are just like flatulence... Your closest friends will accept them, your close friends will forgive them, and everyone else will resent being subjected to them......

You certainly turn a colorful phrase! I like it!
And FWIW I agree. You're not gonna change anyone's mind, you're just gonna piss people off.
And I'm sure there's more entertaining ways to do that.

This notam has been favorably amended through a lot of hard work by AOPA & COPA and others working with the FAA and TSA so things are sort of back to normal.
Question:
When you guys are hopping around from strip to strip in the backcountry do you traditionally file flight plans?
Just curious because it looks like a Canadian plane down playing in the backcountry will have to file a flight plan for each leg of each flight.
I am going to try and get clarification on this part from the FAA. Sometimes when governments write things they can be a little confusing for us common folks.

You are not required to file a flight plan for every flight in Canada. You must at least leave an itinerary with a responsible person.

Pinecone wrote:You are not required to file a flight plan for every flight in Canada. You must at least leave an itinerary with a responsible person.

I think Ken knows this. I'm also thinking he is asking our US brethren about this. So when a Canadian plane is in the US do we need to file for every flight?

No politics??
What are ya all...a bunch of tricycle driving commie bastards??

This just in from my COPA rep:


The US NOTAM requiring TSA authorization to transit US Airspace has now been amended.
Please refer to the COPA web site at: copanational.org for a link to the NOTAM.


COPA took the lead on this issue in Canada and was assisted by AOPA, IAOPA & CBAA to have this severe restriction lifted.


It is important to review the contents of the NOTAM and to particularly note that when Canadian aircraft are transiting US airspace, they must be on a flight plan, be transponder equipped, assigned a squawk code, and be in contact with ATC.

akgreg wrote:No politics??
What are ya all...a bunch of tricycle driving commie bastards??

Oh, that was so the last generation. Wev'e gone upscale, were now androgynous pinko envirotards that ride solar powered quads, with beer holders. Thanks for ask'in.