New Sky Lanes Will Accommodate Holiday Traffic

The general aviation industry received an unexpected gift last week when the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Department of Defense announced that military airspace on the East and West coasts will be open to non-military air traffic during the holidays.

On the Atlantic seaboard the military lanes open from 6 p.m. on Dec. 21 to 6 a.m. on Dec. 26, and from 6 p.m. Dec. 28 to 6 a.m. on Jan. 2. Similar privileges were granted on the West coast Dec. 21 through Jan. 2.

"What's unusual about this is that military space is usually provided during bad weather," said Laura Brown, FAA spokeswoman. "This year, they agreed in advance to give us a block of time and air space, instead of just on a tactical basis."

The military space option is one of several new Department of Transportation initiatives designed to alleviate air congestion.