To prevent a duplication of the Washington incident, the FAA has now banned aircraft with non-functioning transponders from the ADIZ. If the transponder goes on the fritz while in the ADIZ, the aircraft is supposed to depart via the most direct route. As AVweb has previously reported, the new rule raised the hackles of AOPA, which accused the FAA of scapegoating GA instead of addressing its own problems. Rhetoric aside, the new NOTAM unintentionally caused some major headaches for flying schools within the ADIZ. Some FAA officials interpreted the NOTAM as banning pattern work and low-level flight within the ADIZ. When schools and students phoned to request the normal permission to do the training, they were denied. AOPA President Phil Boyer said he was able to phone Russ Chew, the head of the FAA’s new Air Traffic Organization, directly to get the misunderstanding sorted out.
…ADIZ Airports Adjust To New NOTAM
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA banned aircraft with non-functioning transponders from the ADIZ, requiring immediate departure if a transponder fails within the zone.
- AOPA criticized this new rule, accusing the FAA of scapegoating General Aviation instead of addressing its own problems.
- The new NOTAM unintentionally caused confusion, leading some FAA officials to deny permission for pattern work and low-level flight for schools within the ADIZ.
- AOPA President Phil Boyer directly intervened with a high-ranking FAA official to resolve this misunderstanding regarding flight training.
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