TFR over El Paso?

bflynn

bflynn

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Brian Flynn
It appears there is a TFR over El Paso. But the language reads more like a restricted area with no access at all.

Anyone know what’s going on?

!FDC 6/2233 ZAB PART 1 OF 2 TX..AIRSPACE EL PASO, TX..TEMPORARY
FLIGHT
RESTRICTIONS.
FEBRUARY 10-20, 2026 LOCAL. PURSUANT TO 49 USC 40103(B)(3),
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE
DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS 'NTL DEFENSE AIRSPACE'. PILOTS WHO DO NOT
ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROC MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETAINED AND
INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY PERSONNEL. ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTIONS MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AGAINST A PILOT WHO
DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE RQMNTS OR ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR
PROC ANNOUNCED IN THIS NOTAM:
A) THE FAA MAY TAKE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, INCLUDING IMPOSING CIVIL
PENALTIES AND THE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF AIRMEN CERTIFICATES;
OR
B) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY PURSUE CRIMINAL CHARGES,
INCLUDING CHARGES UNDER 49 USC SECTION 46307; OR
C) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST THE
AIRBORNE ACFT, IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT POSES AN IMMINENT
SECURITY THREAT.
PURSUANT TO 14 CFR 99.7, SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS, ALL ACFT
FLT OPS ARE PROHIBITED: WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 10NM RADIUS OF
2602110630-2602210630
END PART 1 OF 2




!FDC 6/2233 ZAB PART 2 OF 2 TX..AIRSPACE EL PASO, TX..TEMPORARY
FLIGHT
314826N1062235W (ELP252004.9) SFC-17999FT MSL
EFFECTIVE 2602110630 UTC (2330 LOCAL 02/10/26) UNTIL 2602210630 UTC
(2330 LOCAL 02/20/26).



EXCLUDING MEXICAN AIRSPACE.
THE SYSTEM OPERATION SUPPORT CENTER (SOSC), TEL
202-267-8276, IS THE POINT OF CONTACT.

2602110630-2602210630
END PART 2 OF 2
 
Last edited:
I saw this. I believe it means they are going to be running some sort of special operations in the area, possibly involving the military. And they probably don't want news helicopters around and/or they intend to use lethal force. This is really bizarre.
 
From news reports quoting ATC comms, ALL air traffic is grounded, including medevac flights. The closure was so abrupt airlines didn't even know what was going on.

“It’s a complete ground stop … not even medevac are allowed to fly,” an air-traffic controller was heard telling flight crews of the imminent airspace closure Tuesday night.

“Wow,” a flight crew member is heard responding in flight control audio recorded by the website LiveATC.net.
Click to expand...

Some travelers said they saw messages on social media indicating the El Paso International Airport had closed, but airlines told them their flights were still scheduled. When people arrived Wednesday, they found the airport shut down. Other travelers said destination airports were unaware of the closure.

Alex Torres, 42, was standing in the American Airlines line on the ground floor of the airport with her 22-year-old son, Noah Velasquez. Ms. Torres was expecting to fly to New York for business and did not discover that flights had been grounded until she arrived at the airport. When Ms. Torres spoke with an American Airlines representative on the phone, she said, the agent had yet to hear the news.

“They didn’t know anything about the airport being closed,” she added.
Click to expand...
 
WTH?

FDC 6/2233 ZAB PART 1 OF 2 TX..AIRSPACE EL PASO, TX..TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS. FEBRUARY 10-20, 2026 LOCAL. PURSUANT TO 49 USC 40103(B)(3), THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS 'NTL DEFENSE AIRSPACE'. PILOTS WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROC MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETAINED AND INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY PERSONNEL. ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTIONS MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AGAINST A PILOT WHO DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE RQMNTS OR ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR PROC ANNOUNCED IN THIS NOTAM: A) THE FAA MAY TAKE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, INCLUDING IMPOSING CIVIL PENALTIES AND THE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF AIRMEN CERTIFICATES; OR B) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY PURSUE CRIMINAL CHARGES, INCLUDING CHARGES UNDER 49 USC SECTION 46307; OR C) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST THE AIRBORNE ACFT, IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT POSES AN IMMINENT SECURITY THREAT. PURSUANT TO 14 CFR 99.7, SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS, ALL ACFT FLT OPS ARE PROHIBITED: WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 10NM RADIUS OF 2602110630-2602210630 END PART 1 OF 2 FDC 6/2233 ZAB PART 2 OF 2 TX..AIRSPACE EL PASO, TX..TEMPORARY FLIGHT 314826N1062235W (ELP252004.9) SFC-17999FT MSL EFFECTIVE 2602110630 UTC (2330 LOCAL 02/10/26) UNTIL 2602210630 UTC (2330 LOCAL 02/20/26). EXCLUDING MEXICAN AIRSPACE. THE SYSTEM OPERATION SUPPORT CENTER (SOSC), TEL 202-267-8276, IS THE POINT OF CONTACT. 2602110630-2602210630 END PART 2 OF 2
 
IMG_3222.webp

It’s for 10 days without explanation or published coordination with local officials.

“El Paso airport travelers seek explanation for closure​
The airport, desolate in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Feb. 11, was little more than a waypoint for travelers seeking answers about their plans.​
​
At 2:30 a.m., only a handful of people stood in line at airline counters, many of them unstaffed and dark. The stillness offered little warning of the disruption ahead, as thousands of El Paso travelers would soon learn that all flights had been grounded for 10 days.​
​
The quiet presence of employees, travelers and security personnel underscored a broader uncertainty: no one had been told why the shutdown had been ordered.”​

<Now paywalled>

 
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elpasomatters.org

El Paso, New Mexico airspace closed by FAA without explanation; flights restricted under national defense noticeWithout explanation, FAA closes El Paso and New Mexico airspace for 10 days, cites national defense - El Paso Matters

The Federal Aviation Administration has closed airspace over El Paso and parts of southern New Mexico for 10 days under a national defense designation, offering no explanation for the rare move.An unexplained FAA order has shut down air space over El Paso and parts of southern New Mexico...
elpasomatters.org elpasomatters.org

More complete and unpaywalled as the moment.
 
And a shorter one (5 days in the middle of it) for New Orleans.
 
The 2nd trapezoidal TFR west of ELP covers a little mountain range in the NM desert, a volcanic crater or two, and a border patrol outpost.
 
kaiser said:
I can tell you one thing - I'm definitely not flying into DNA this week.


isnt @masloki going to mardi gras? what about @eman1200 ?
Click to expand...

0a37c9be6e7daa403279941366b34a98.gif
 
Can the US put up a TFR that covers part of Mexico?
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Its over.

"Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones," an administration official told ABC News. "The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel."

abcnews.com

FAA lifts temporary halt in El Paso tied to potential military drone action, source says

The Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary flight restrictions.
abcnews.com abcnews.com
Click to expand...
If there is no threat to commercial travel, why they put a TFR to begin with?
 
arturo caballero said:
If there is no threat to commercial travel, why they put a TFR to begin with?
Click to expand...
I interpret it as there is now no threat to commercial travel. Of course, the specificity of the announcement means they still might shoot down non-commercial aircraft.
 
Maybe an AI controlled military drone with a 10 day fuel load went rouge on them
 
Had to kill a cartel drone… it’s been lifted so for some of you the children will be okay…
 
Pretty sure this was an unscheduled alien landing. Ten days just to obscure the real date and time
 
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