Originally Posted by
rick22
Breaking news... FAA bans low altitude flights along the East River...
Small aircraft ban on East River unless in contact with ATC...
FAA Restricts Flights Over East River
By LESLIE MILLER (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
October 14, 2006 2:29 AM EDT
WASHINGTON - Reacting to the crash that killed a New York Yankees pitcher, the Federal Aviation Administration has added new flight restrictions to the air space over New York's East River.
The regulations will affect small aircraft, but not helicopters, that were previously permitted to fly over the river, which runs along the east side of Manhattan Island.
Also exempted are planes that fly in and out of a seaplane base in the river. Pilots of those aircraft are more familiar with the airspace than most private pilots.
Under Friday's announcement by the FAA, most small, fixed-wing planes are banned from the area unless the pilot is in contact with air traffic controllers.
The new flight restrictions went into immediate effect.
The FAA, though, said it changed the rule because of safety rather than security considerations.
"You get some real strange winds going through those canyons of buildings," said Bill Waldock, aviation safety professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Prescott, Ariz.
"It's a weird area to try to maneuver airplanes in anyway," Waldock said.