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Comments urged on California airspace proposal

The U.S. Marine Corps has proposed establishing two military operations areas in the east-central California and west-central Nevada region to support training exercises at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center near Bridgeport, California.

Proposed boundries for Walker High and Low MOAs. Image courtesy of FAA.

The Walker High and Low MOAs would also support other Department of Defense unit level mountain warfare training operations.

AOPA urges pilots to review and comment on the proposal by October 19 as provided below.  As proposed, the special-use airspace would overlie Sonora Pass along Highway 108, a popular general aviation flight route over the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

According to the notice posted by the FAA, the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center conducts up to six mountain training exercises annually involving high-speed combat maneuvers and formation flights by aircraft including helicopters, fixed-wing turboprops, and fast-moving fighters such as the F/A–18 Hornet.

The military said it is installing a low-altitude range communications system to provide coverage within the training areas, and an advisory frequency would be available during exercises to provide real-time status of activity in the airspace.

Comments may be submitted to the FAA, citing Aeronautical Study Number: 19-AWP-14NR, by email or by mail to Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center, ATTN: Richard Farnsworth, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198.

AOPA would like to know your thoughts on the proposal, which you can share by sending us a copy of your comments by email.

Dan Namowitz
Dan Namowitz
Dan Namowitz has been writing for AOPA in a variety of capacities since 1991. He has been a flight instructor since 1990 and is a 35-year AOPA member.

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