Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to reach out to let everyone know there will potentially be a large VFR exercise on Saturday June 18th I will attach the info I received for everyone below. with the amount of A/C we may potentially have, I also wanted to remind everyone that while they can be frustrating. There will be a film crew doing a documentary on it. So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure you are all using proper phraseology and being professional throughout the day on the frequencies and landlines. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Also, before we get into the good stuff about the VFR flights, if you haven’t RSVP’d to the NATCA solidarity event on July 13th. Please do so prior to the sign up cut off of June 25th. Amy has sent out a few emails on this and there are posters and QR codes on the NATCA board right outside the control room.
“The event will be most of the day Saturday June 18th, across the entire state. Most aircraft will be VFR and may or may not ask for Flight Following.
I've attached a map of the planned flights between airports. Several will be the airplanes "evacuating" to the hub of Walla Walla (ALW). Other airports in use for the exercise will be S50, AWO, BLI (hub), BFI, OS9, OLM, CLM, PAE, RNT (hub), SHN, EAT, and YKM. One of the airports as a point from the hub will be Point Roberts (1RL) as their only land access is from Canada.
Other flights will cross the border from Canada (and clear Customs appropriately of course).
Several local, state, and federal agencies representatives have been involved, or at least included in the planning of this event.
BLI Tower (Serco) and NavCanada have been advised of this event as well.
I would like to ask they get the best support from our members as they practice relief exercises for the "Big One" earthquake. If you have any questions, please feel free to email, text, or call me.
There will also be an LA based film documentary crew from start to finish, so transmissions may be recorded and used in that as well. Especially if they are not typically available on LiveATC.net”
Here are two articles describing the event:
https://www.knkx.org/transportation/2022-06-09/civilian-pilots-and-cyclists-rehearse-delivering-earthquake-relief-supplies-after-the-big-one
https://generalaviationnews.com/2022/05/19/general-aviation-preps-for-when-the-big-one-hits/
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