Plan to Restrict Airspace Topic of Hearing Tonight

Orange County-area pilots will be asked to comment tonight on a Federal Aviation Administration proposal to further restrict airspace in the San Onofre-Camp Pendleton area because of military training flights.

The FAA is holding a public hearing on the proposal at 7 p.m. in Building 6 at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Reserve Center.

Under the FAA’s plan, airspace in the heavily trafficked zone would be raised one security level higher, to a so-called “military operations area.” With such a designation, pilots would be warned not to fly in the area below an altitude of 8,000 feet in order to avoid jets and helicopters from Marine Corps bases nearby. The current minimum altitude in the area--known as Romeo 2533--is 2,000 feet.

The new level of restriction, however, would be advisory only, according to FAA spokesman Fred O’Donnell.

He said some general aviation pilots who like to fly along the coast may view the new restrictions as an “FAA grab for airspace” at their expense. But he said the FAA does not designate a military-operations area unless the Pentagon has made such a request.

“This will put the pilot world on notice that if they enter this area, they’re taking their lives into their hands,” O’Donnell said. “An F-18 going by at 400 knots could leave a wake of air turbulence that would turn a Cessna 172 on its back.”

But some pilots said Monday that the military’s request will harm general aviation operations along the coast and force them several miles farther inland or out to sea.

O’Donnell said there will be another hearing Thursday in San Diego. If approved in Washington, the new restriction could take effect 90 days later.