FAA Closes Airspace Above Civil Unrest in Ferguson, Mo.
Jeff Edwards August 19, 2014
In a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) closed the airspace above Ferguson, Mo. for all flights operating below 3,000 feet.
The move by the FAA is intended to “provide a safe environment for law enforcement activities,” according to the NOTAM. The notice, which is valid through August 25, extends a previous ban on low-altitude flights issued last week.
The Washington Post reported that the latest NOTAM came at the request of Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon. The original NOTAM barring low-flying aircraft from the area was issued last week at the behest of the St. Louis County Police Department, which asked for the restriction after one of its helicopters was shot at during a period of looting and unrest.
Monday’s NOTAM allows exceptions to the flight ban only for “relief aircraft operating under the direction of the State of Missouri.” The previous NOTAM, which expired Monday, made exceptions only for flights under the direction of the St. Louis County Police Department.
The airspace restrictions extend in a 3-mile radius around the area of escalating tension between protestors and law enforcement, which erupted after a local officer shot and killed unarmed teenager Michael Brown on August 9.
The flight ban is not expected to affect commercial flights in or out of nearby Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL).
[Photo: AP Photo/Jeff Roberson]
The police asked for it after a police chopper was shot at and had trouble moving out of danger due the numerous news choppers over the area.
I wonder if this is about drones.
Interesting. So when they say, “provide a safe environment for law enforcement activities", does that mean they are considering airstrikes against the "opposing ground forces"? The police now have nearly as much firepower as the military, so maybe we shouldn't rule anything out as impossible.