After yesterday's temporary closure of air space over Lake Huron and the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula, we asked Owen Sound Flight Services whether this was any risk to local aircraft .

We appreciate this response from Dave Kalistchuk, Chief Flight Instructor:

Thanks for reaching out. Yes, quite an exciting day. Regarding risk due to lack of communication, it's very very small in this scenario, it's really more of an inconvenience that this small gap in communication can exist in this rare scenario where sudden airspace closures happen while pilots are in mid-flight.

Pilots have access to NOTAM's or Notices to Airmen, and we are expected to check these notices prior to departing for a flight to ensure there are no unusual closures or changes to services at airports or airspace.

This system generally works very well, it's in the unusual scenario where things change mid flight and to such a significant degree, that this slight gap can be created where some pilots flying at lower altitudes in uncontrolled airspace may not know changes have happened until they have landed.

In busier areas like Toronto, Kitchener, London, etc., there are air traffic controllers who communicate with pilots on frequencies assigned to that airspace, where they relay clearances and instructions and they control the airspace right down to the ground.

However in this area and further North, a lot of the very low level airspace remains uncontrolled where many small general aviation airplanes operate. In these areas pilots broadcast their intentions and position on local frequencies and other pilots tune in and communicate with each other, between that and general see and avoid practices, it makes for very safe airspace.

Over this same geographic area here, pilots operating at higher altitudes, generally flying larger aircraft, are in communication with air traffic controllers, and would be notified about sudden changes to airspace, hence why all commercial flights were being diverted around that airspace yesterday. If the airspace had continued to be closed for an extended period, more pilots flying outside of that airspace could also warn pilots of the closures should they hear their intentions to head that direction ... eventually communication in flight and NOTAMs on the ground would close that gap in communication.

For us little guys flying down low, there are also rules put in place called Intercept Orders where if a pilot finds themselves in airspace they should not be in, they might find a military aircraft off their wing giving them instructions using various signals and gestures. Pilots could also communicate with those aircraft on a designated emergency frequency. In that scenario, military aircraft could escort a pilot out of the danger area or restricted area; pilots are to be familiar with Intercept orders.

That being said, it's really not possible to create procedures for every possible scenario in aviation, that's where good piloting comes in. Suppose a pilot is flying near a dormant volcano that suddenly erupts, there's not going to be anyone notifying them of the sudden change in the situation ahead, they will have to "do pilot things", and alter their course, they will be the first ones to notify others. A bit of an extreme or unusual situation, but so was the sudden closure of airspace yesterday, I've only seen that twice in 25 years of flying, the last time was in 2001.

I think the system has sufficient procedures in place to cover safety in general aviation, especially for commercial aviation operating at higher altitudes.

For the low flying pilots of general aviation, it's simply not possible to predict every possible scenario, we have to put some faith in the skills of those aviators to see any developing situations on the horizon, and make the necessary alterations to their flight path.

In my opinion, pilots are at greater risk of regularly flying into drones from amateur operators unaware of the risks of getting nice aerial pictures from high altitudes, than of the situation we saw yesterday.

image: Hay Bay & Tobermory at sunset, October 2021, Owen Sound Flight Services Facebook