FAA lifts northern Ethiopia overflight ban

The FAA has lifted a nearly 15-year-old prohibition on flight operations within the airspace or territory of northern Ethiopia.

The ban was instituted in May 2000 “because of the threat posed by the outbreak of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea,” according to the FAA. The agency, at that time, banned U.S. air carriers, commercial operators, holders of FAA-issued airman certificates and U.S.-registered aircraft (with the exception of foreign air carrier aircraft) from operating north of 12 degrees north latitude – roughly north of Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake.

“The FAA has now determined that the safety and security situation that prompted the above flight prohibition has significantly improved, and that it is safe for U.S. civil flights to be operated within the entire territory and airspace of Ethiopia, subject to the approval of and in accordance with the conditions established by the appropriate authorities of Ethiopia,” the FAA said in its February 4 notice lifting the ban.

http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2015/02/faa-lifts-northern-ethiopia-overflight-ban/