It’s a busy few days in the skies of Los Angeles this week.

A major political event – The Summit of The Americas – is happening there from June 6-10. A number of TFRs will become active affecting access to numerous airports throughout the LA Basin.

The FAA has now published the details, so let’s took a closer look.

Update on Restricted Airspace

It looks as if some newer TFRs were issued after we posted this post. First up, check the list because we can’t predict changes and they do happen.

But right now, we can see a few more like 2/5019, 2/5016, 2/5015 which might get in your way if you’re not a scheduled commercial service. These don’t supersede the other, they are for shorter time periods. But they are a lot more prohibitive (particularly if you’re a GA or private flight wanting to get into KLAX).

Restricted Airspace

There will be four TFRs becoming active in the LA area. Three of them are further west near Santa Monica and Central LA, while the fourth is out east near Pomona. The upper limit of all of them is 2,999’.

They will be active each day of the event at various times which you can access here.

If you’re operating on a valid flight plan in or out of KLAX/Los Angeles, KSMO/Santa Monica or KEMT/San Gabriel Valley then you won’t be affected.

Otherwise only essential traffic will be allowed through – SAR, medical, fire-fighting, or if you’re experiencing an emergency.

If you are allowed into one, make sure you’re squawking a discrete code. The FAA are reminding us that the timings and positions of the TFRs are subject to last minute changes, so keep an eye on the Notams too. The current one is FDC 2/4276 – and it’s a solid read. So, here’s a picture, because we like pictures more.

Impact

The majority of VIP movements will be via KLAX/Los Angeles. Although they are possible at other airports too.

Traffic may be given priority to enter the queue which means potential holding, slow-downs or delaying vectors. The impact will likely be minor, but a little common sense may prevail here – consider topping the tanks off with some extra contingency fuel just in case.

The largest impacts will be felt at KVNY/Van Nuys and KBUR/Burbank – flights in and out of these are not exempt from the TFR restrictions, so if you’re heading in or out of one, here is what to expect:

Head-to-Head

 Or in other words, opposite direction operations at both airports (weather permitting). It is not a normal configuration, and may take a little extra briefing – especially when it comes to traffic and runway awareness.

STARs (and not the Hollywood Type)

 Over at KBUR/Burbank arrivals from the east can expect and plan for the JANNY 5 when the TFRs are active. This will temporarily replace the usual THRNE 3.

Overflights

SOCAL Terminal Area Control traffic which usually routes via V186, V201 and V459 can expect to fly via the Palmdale (PMD) VOR instead.

Other tower en-route control (TEC) routes may be unavailable during the next few days too.

I still have questions…

Detailed information on the TFR can be found on the FAA’s official website, here. Or if you still have a conundrum to solve, you can contact Flight Service 800-992-7433.

Otherwise get in touch with us on team@ops.group and we’ll do our best to help!

Mystery in LA! There were two separate reports of a man in a jetpack flying uncomfortably close to arrivals at KLAX/Los Angeles on Sunday evening. The airborne offender was spotted by jets who were on approach at 3000 feet, and estimated to be at a distance of 300 yards. Unsurprisingly, he or she successfully evaded authorities and their identity remains unknown…

Listen to the actual radio transmissions between the pilot and the tower here:

 

American Flight 1997: “Tower, American 1997, we just passed a guy in a jetpack.”
Tower: “American 1997, OK, thank you. Were they off to your left or right side?”
American Flight 1997: “Off the left side, maybe 300 yards or so, about our altitude.”

Fox 11 reported a Skywest pilot also confirmed the sighting:
Skywest Flight: “We just saw the guy passing by us in the jetpack.”

Then the tower alerted an incoming Jet Blue flight to the reported hazard:
Tower: “Jet Blue 23, use caution, a person in a jetpack reported 300 yards south of the LA final at about 3,000 feet, 10 mile final.”
Jet Blue 23: “Jet Blue 23, we heard and we are definitely looking.”

Another pilot chimed in: “Only in LA.” 😊

At the time of the sighting, it was still light with plenty of visibility. There are a number of jetpack-like models out there on the market, but all have very limited range, and so some reports have suggested this was possibly some sort of drone that was made to look like a jetpack. Or a small helicopter. Or a flying car. Or some guy in a lawn chair with helium balloons tied to it (ok, probably not this one!)

Regardless of the specific technology, this incident is concerning – particularly given that the airspace around LAX is some of the busiest in the US, and that the craft was flying at the same altitude as the aircraft as it was making its approach to the airport. The FAA has reportedly referred the incident over to the LAPD for investigation.

Yves “Jetman” Rossi hasn’t accounted-for-his-whereabouts-on-the-night-of-the-crime yet. But we can probably rule him out, as his flights normally take place in highly controlled environments and in airspace clear of any other traffic. LAX really isn’t his scene – he prefers the Swiss Alps.