I just ran across the following item in the 5 March edition of AVweb's
AVflash and thought I should share it. I'm certain that most of you who
are affected by this are already aware of it, but... This is a terrible
tragedy for the UK, and I do want you to know that there are many of us
here in the US that are aware of your unfortunate
circumstances...particularly those of us who have friends and family who
are in the cattle business here in the US. -Ed Lindsay-
"FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE GROUNDS UK PILOTS...
Pilots in Great Britain are being asked to stop flying to help stem the
flow of disease. The island is seeing a huge outbreak of Foot and Mouth
Disease, a highly contagious infection of cloven-hoofed animals. The
disease can spread over great distances with movement of infected or
contaminated animals, people, or objects like cars and, yes, airplanes.
Civil aviation authorities have restricted flight over 17 temporary
restricted flight areas (TRAs), so far.
...AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS THREATEN LIVESTOCK AND LIVELIHOODS
Because the virus can be airborne at 1,500 feet and within a 2-mile
radius of the infected areas, the TRAs ban flights at those limits
for those areas. The number of TRAs remains fluid depending on where
outbreaks are identified, so Britain's Popular Flying Association is
asking pilots to check NOTAMS at <http://www.ais.org.uk/nav/nav.htm>
before flying and with ATC while airborne. Civil aviation authorities
are also asking pilots at farm strips not to fly until the outbreak has
eased.
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