Last-Minute NOTAM Has Adverse Effect on Safety

September 4, 2015 - The FAA has published a NOTAM warning pilots in the southeastern U.S. that TCAS and ADS-B systems may be unreliable in that region.

 Military activities on 1030/1090 MHz could affect systems in the airspace over Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, extending 200 nautical miles offshore. TCAS may not establish tracks on nearby aircraft and fail to give traffic advisories and/or resolution advisories.

Since no false alerts are expected as a result of this activity, pilots should regard all alerts as genuine. This notice is in effect until October 1.

Despite the sweeping nature of the NOTAM, it was published less than 24 hours before it went into effect. The degradation of collision avoidance technology in the region increases the risk of midair collisions, which is a risk the FAA should take very seriously.

EAA shares the concern of our members in the southeast. Any future similar action should result in ample notice that clearly outlines its effects on general aviation, and EAA will make this potential safety threat known to its contacts within the FAA