On April 28, COPA member Mike Shaw noticed
something amiss with a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) NOTAM for Detroit.
The TFR apparently put in place for a presidential visit extended into Canadian
airspace, within a mile or two of Windsor Airport.
Shaw immediately contacted COPA when he realized there were no NOTAMS regarding
this TFR on Nav Canada’s Web site.
Without a NOTAM, aviators on this side of the border were set up for a potential
international situation between Canada and the U.S., should the Americans have
flexed their power within the overlapping TFR.
Without delay COPA brought this matter forward to Kathy Fox at Nav Canada,
requesting that this infringement on Canadian sovereignty be immediately
investigated and to find out why the FAA does not specify if the TFRs are
applicable in Canadian airspace.
Nav Canada’s Larry Boulet responded to COPA’s urgent request that same day.
He said, “We coordinated directly with the FAA Command Centre, and they confirm
that the restricted areas are not applicable in Canadian Sovereign Airspace.
“Windsor Tower were aware of the restrictions and as a precautionary were
keeping aircraft away from the published restricted TFR.”
However, Boulet noted, “It appears from our initial communication with the FAA
Command Centre, the TFRs do not specify that they are applicable only to United
States Sovereign Airspace.”
David Rome, of Nav Canada looked into the matter and said, “I have asked and the
FAA concurred that in the future they will make it clear in the TFR NOTAMS that
they only apply in U.S. airspace.”
This is a prime example of how effective COPA and its members can be when urgent
matters such as this one materialize.