Officials are warning that there will be a large movement of military helicopters through portions of the northeast this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, but also say there is no need for concern. The helicopters will be moving from central upstate New York into the Philadelphia metro area for an unknown purpose.
According to Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport officials, they’ve been informed of the expected movement of military aircraft that will pass through their airspace in the coming days. According to the airport officials, a total of 70 helicopters will fly in smaller groups over this period from the Rome area to the Philadelphia area. Details about the specific helicopter type and the time of these flights has not been disclosed. Airport officials said that the helicopters will be flying through their airspace over those three days, but didn’t say whether or not this would impact flight operations there or elsewhere.
Rome’s airport, known as Griffiss International Airport, doubles as home to a U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.
While the FAA isn’t reporting any closed airspace, they have issued NOTAMs for the Philadelphia to Wilmington, Delaware corridor for the time extending from now through to Monday, simply declaring the issue “VIP” related. A NOTAM is a notice containing information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations but not known far enough in advance to be publicized by other means. It states the abnormal status of a component of the National Airspace System (NAS) , not the normal status.
Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport officials wrote on their official Facebook page, “The public is advised that this is ONLY AN EXERCISE, and there is no need for concern.”
