• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
  • We hope the site problems here are now solved, however, if you still have any issues, please start a ticket in Contact Us

FAA grounds all flights to and from El Paso until Feb. 20

MarcusGregor

New year, new you...
Oct 1, 2025
185
360
26
South
✟21,272.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Democrat

EL PASO, TEXAS — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso, including commercial, cargo, and general aviation.
The restriction is effective from Feb. 10 at 11:30 p.m. to Feb. 20 at 11:30 p.m.
The FAA's decision, which also affects the neighboring community of Santa Teresa, N.M., appears to be security-related.
El Paso International Airport staff are awaiting further guidance from the FAA.
Here is a statement on behalf of the El Paso International Airport:
"The FAA, on short notice, issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and our neighboring community, Santa Teresa, NM. The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations (including commercial, cargo and general aviation) and is effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST). Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance. In the meanwhile, commercial airlines operating out of El Paso are being informed of the restriction, which appears to be security related. Travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines to get the latest information on their flight status."
Well, this is concerning
 

wing2000

E pluribus unum
Site Supporter
Aug 18, 2012
26,400
22,252
✟1,848,477.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Well, now we know where the strikes on Mexico are likely coming from.

....that thought passed through my mind. However, there are military bases in the region, including Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson...
 
Upvote 0

wing2000

E pluribus unum
Site Supporter
Aug 18, 2012
26,400
22,252
✟1,848,477.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
"....a source familiar with the restriction who was briefed by the FAA tells CNN’s Pete Muntean the sweeping flight ban was driven by military operations from nearby Biggs Army Airfield, located on Fort Bliss. Drones, helicopters and other aircraft operate from the facility. The source said the FAA acted after the Department of Defense could not assure the safety of civilian aircraft in the area."

 
Upvote 0

wing2000

E pluribus unum
Site Supporter
Aug 18, 2012
26,400
22,252
✟1,848,477.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Closure has apparently been lifted.

...maybe the FAA was fed-up with the Pentagon ignoring safety concerns with its air operations at nearby Biggs Army Airfield?
 
Upvote 0

DaisyDay

I Did Nothing Wrong!! ~~Team Deep State
Jan 7, 2003
43,252
20,856
Finger Lakes
✟352,927.00
Country
United States
Gender
Female
Faith
Unitarian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Cartel drones?


"Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones," a Trump administration official said after the area reopened Wednesday morning.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday suddenly ordered flights in and out of the El Paso International Airport to be halted for 10 days, causing shock and confusion.

This seems real.
 
Upvote 0

ThatRobGuy

Part of the IT crowd
Site Supporter
Sep 4, 2005
30,043
17,860
Here
✟1,583,312.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Cartel drones?

"Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones," a Trump administration official said after the area reopened Wednesday morning.​
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday suddenly ordered flights in and out of the El Paso International Airport to be halted for 10 days, causing shock and confusion.​

This seems real.
Per the BBC article, it seems as if CBS reporting something else

CBS News, the BBC's US media partner, though, reported on Wednesday that the brief closure stemmed from a disagreement between the FAA and the defence department over drone-related testing in the area.
Citing multiple sources close to the matter, CBS said the Pentagon had planned to test new military technology - reportedly a high-energy laser - to practice taking down drones near a military base next to the El Paso airport. Meetings to discuss the technology's safety were scheduled with the FAA, but the defence department wanted to test it sooner, prompting the FAA to close the airspace, according to CBS.



I guess shooting down cartel drones would count as "practice"


Wonder if it's a case where CBS reported the "let's not alarm the public" version of the story that they were told by one spokesperson, but BBC got their hands on the real story from another source.
 
Upvote 0

JosephZ

Well-Known Member
Mar 25, 2017
5,111
5,031
Davao City
Visit site
✟334,787.00
Country
Philippines
Gender
Male
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Private
Politics
US-Others
Upvote 0

DaisyDay

I Did Nothing Wrong!! ~~Team Deep State
Jan 7, 2003
43,252
20,856
Finger Lakes
✟352,927.00
Country
United States
Gender
Female
Faith
Unitarian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
  • Agree
Reactions: JosephZ
Upvote 0

Desk trauma

[redacted]
Site Supporter
Dec 1, 2011
23,479
19,373
✟1,545,609.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Atheist
Marital Status
Private
Politics
US-Others
Upvote 0

wing2000

E pluribus unum
Site Supporter
Aug 18, 2012
26,400
22,252
✟1,848,477.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
There's no way to spin any of this that does not stink.

Cartel Party Balloon?

In any case, it seems cartel drones in the border area is a common occurrence. Hegseth's Pentagon testing out a new drone interdiction system - without FAA clearance - is new.

At least one federal agency is looking out for the flying public....
 
Upvote 0

wing2000

E pluribus unum
Site Supporter
Aug 18, 2012
26,400
22,252
✟1,848,477.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
But according to the four people briefed on the matter, at the time F.A.A. officials closed the airspace, the agency had not yet completed a safety assessment of the risks the new technology could pose to other aircraft. Two of the people added that F.A.A. officials had warned the Pentagon that if they were not given sufficient time and information to conduct their review, they would have no choice but to shut down the nearby airspace.

Aviation and military officials had planned to meet on Feb. 20 to discuss the potential implications, three of the people said. But when the military decided to act sooner, without moving up that meeting, F.A.A. officials responded by imposing a rare, 10-day closure of the surrounding airspace up to 18,000 feet, out of concern for the safety of other aircraft in the region, citing “special security reasons.”
 
  • Informative
Reactions: JosephZ
Upvote 0

Pommer

CoPacEtiC SkEpTic
Sep 13, 2008
23,894
14,655
Earth
✟280,727.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Deist
Marital Status
In Relationship
Politics
US-Democrat
  • Agree
Reactions: JosephZ
Upvote 0

wing2000

E pluribus unum
Site Supporter
Aug 18, 2012
26,400
22,252
✟1,848,477.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
...another brilliant decision by Pete H and our DHS:

Another official said the FAA did not know how long the Pentagon’s counter-drone operation would last, and it appears the agency is still gathering information from defense officials. Use of the laser system was temporarily transferred to the Department of Homeland Security with approval from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, three officials said.


Who has time for the FAA's red tape when there's a new laser system to deploy?


 
Upvote 0