Controlled Airspace Authorization/LAANC Question

[Earnest Ward]

As some of you may have already notice, it turns out that not all airports are participating in the LAANC automated authorization program. Case in point, Carswell Field/JRB in west Fort Worth, TX, is not currently a participant - although the AirMap app says, "Automated authorization coming soon...."

My question for the group - has anyone received an FAA-issued Controlled Airspace Authorization for operations in controlled airspace near a non-participating field since the rollout of LAANC in your area?

I applied for a Carswell Class-D COA about a month before the Texas LAANC system went active (about two weeks to go before I hit the 90-day mark) and I'm left wondering if the FAA is still processing these applications. (I've called the local FISDO once, and emailed once, requesting a definitive answer but received no response.)

In the interest of brevity, no speculation please - just informed answers.

Thanks!

 

[BigAl07]

The FAA has made the announcement that they will continue to process "non-LAANC" requests as normal. I don't have a link to this but it was just a few days ago so it shouldn't be too hard to locate this announcement.

 

[R Martin]

As some of you may have already notice, it turns out that not all airports are participating in the LAANC automated authorization program. Case in point, Carswell Field/JRB in west Fort Worth, TX, is not currently a participant - although the AirMap app says, "Automated authorization coming soon...."

My question for the group - has anyone received an FAA-issued Controlled Airspace Authorization for operations in controlled airspace near a non-participating field since the rollout of LAANC in your area?

I applied for a Carswell Class-D COA about a month before the Texas LAANC system went active (about two weeks to go before I hit the 90-day mark) and I'm left wondering if the FAA is still processing these applications. (I've called the local FISDO once, and emailed once, requesting a definitive answer but received no response.)
Thanks!

I reapplied for DTO authorization in April and two of mine run out at the end of June. I have it on the calendar to contact my rep on the 8th if I haven't heard anything. I will let you know the results.

 

[Earnest Ward]

I reapplied for DTO authorization in April and two of mine run out at the end of June. I have it on the calendar to contact my rep on the 8th if I haven't heard anything. I will let you know the results.

Thanks. The proposed startup date on my application is June 6. So, I'll be checking in with my rep shortly too. And, in the meantime, will check AirMap every day or so (just in case Carswell is added to LAANC without fanfare.)

 

[R Martin]

Thanks. The proposed startup date on my application is June 6. So, I'll be checking in with my rep shortly too. And, in the meantime, will check AirMap every day or so (just in case Carswell is added to LAANC without fanfare.)

Call the duty officer or the tower at Carswell and ask them if they plan at some point participating in LAANC. The source is always the best place to start.

 

[R Martin]

The FAA has made the announcement that they will continue to process "non-LAANC" requests as normal. I don't have a link to this but it was just a few days ago so it shouldn't be too hard to locate this announcement.

Not knocking on the FAA but with the reduction in filings that LAANC is going to enable, I would hope that they would be able to respond faster tahn has been the case.

 

[Earnest Ward]

Call the duty officer or the tower at Carswell and ask them if they plan at some point participating in LAANC. The source is always the best place to start.

Already on it. (The mayor introduced me to the base commander.)

 

[R Martin]

Already on it. (The mayor introduced me to the base commander.)

The reply will be interesting. The JRB has a permanent TFR slapped on it but that should not prevent you using airspace adjacent to it.

 

[Earnest Ward]

The reply will be interesting. The JRB has a permanent TFR slapped on it but that should not prevent you using airspace adjacent to it.

Yep, too many F35s, F16s, F/A18s, T38s, C130s, and the occasional B52 to want to venture anywhere near the TFR area. (Fun to watch coming and going over the house though.) But the field is surrounded with commercial and residential areas that are an untapped market and - since the area is already "zoned" for eventual drone access - nows a great time to start asking.

 

[R Martin]

Yep, too many F35s, F16s, F/A18s, T38s, C130s, and the occasional B52 to want to venture anywhere near the TFR area. (Fun to watch coming and going over the house though.) But the field is surrounded with commercial and residential areas that are an untapped market and - since the area is already "zoned" for eventual drone access - nows a great time to start asking.

So I decided to contact my rep in the Tactical Operations Team and found out (a) she no longer does airspace authorizations for government entities, and (b) that is now handle out of headquarters and she would try to get them to contact me before mine expire at the end of the month. The fact that it has gone from local approval to national does not bode well....