AAL B772 cutting across Nellis Range

FlightAware General
1

I happened to see AAL1267 DFW-SFO cut across R-4809, right across the Tonopah Test Range this afternoon:

Screenshot: http://i.imgur.com/QPBOKNH.jpg

Curious if this is anything new. I’ve heard of planes being allowed to clip R-4807, but going over the TTR is not something I’ve seen before.

2

Just speculating: Perhaps the restricted area is closed and the FAA and military are cooperating to allow SFO bound flights a slightly shorter flight.

3

Close, and partially right here. I’d say that the AAL flight requested a shortcut to OAL. I say this for 2 reasons:

  1. J80 is slightly north of that route, which also goes to OAL.

  2. OAL is the initial transition to the MOD3 arrival into KSFO. if you look at the AWE flight, it is slightly south of KTPH, which is directly on J80, but headed towards OAL and MOD as well.

I can’t remember the width of a given airway, but both are near it to be slightly on it. As for R-4809, my guess is that you’re right. The airspace wasn’t hot, so it could be used for civilian flights to transition.

BL.