Surprise FAA Notams Wreak Havoc in Texas and New Mexico

The FAA late last night issued a notam closing the skies over El Paso, Texas, for the next 10 days, citing “Special Security Reasons” for the TFR. While an FAA spokesperson told AIN that the notam was canceled around 9 a.m. EST this morning, another similar TFR established over Santa Teresa, New Mexico, remains in effect, according to the agency.

The El Paso TFR, which would have shut down El Paso International Airport (KELP) for the duration, described a 20-mile diameter exclusion zone—centered around the airport, and extending from the surface up to 18,000 feet—simply as “ntl defense airspace.”

A travel advisory issued by the airport early this morning announced that all flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo, and general aviation. Even more strikingly, the restriction applied to local law enforcement and medevac flights as well.

Issued without advance notice, the TFRs—which represented the longest announced closures of U.S. airspace since the 9/11 aftermath—were unusually strict in their verbiage, stating, “Pilots who do not adhere to the following proc may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement/security personnel,” and warning that “the United States government may use deadly force against the airborne acft, if it is determined that the acft poses an imminent security threat.”

The issuance of the notams blindsided both local congressional lawmakers and the traveling public, many of whom arrived at KELP this morning to find their flights cancelled.

According to The New York Times, while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the El Paso TFR to a drug cartel drone incursion, another source blamed the shutdown on the testing of anti-drone technology.

André Carson (D-Indiana), ranking member of the subcommittee on aviation, and Rick Larsen (D-Washington)—ranking member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure—issued a joint statement in response to the situation. “What happened in El Paso last night is unacceptable,” they said. “While we’re not happy with the disruption, we commend the FAA for taking swift action to protect travelers and ensure the safety of U.S. airspace. This chaotic outcome is the result of ham-handed language forced into the [National Defense Authorization Act] by the White House that allowed the Pentagon to act recklessly in the public airspace. We look forward to pursuing a bipartisan solution that strengthens interagency coordination and ensures that the Department of Defense will not jeopardize safety and disrupt the freedom to travel.”