Seattle - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in coordination with the Transportation Security Administration, will support air security for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver by conducting inspections on U.S. registered general aviation aircraft seeking entry into Olympic airspace from the United States.
In preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Canadian government will be establishing areas of Temporary Flight Restrictions for security. CBP, working with TSA, will be assisting in these security measures by conducting outbound inspection/security screening for any U.S. registered general aviation aircraft approved to enter these restricted areas. This approval is granted by Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a Provisional Flight Authorization Code.
CBP and TSA will provide this service beginning February 1 until February 28. Screening will take place at one of 16 airports designated as U.S. gateway airports: Bedford Hanscom, Boise International, Chicago Midway International, Dallas Love Field, Long Beach, Memphis International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Palm Beach International, Port Columbus International, Reno-Tahoe International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Spokane International, Teterboro, William P. Hobby, Westchester County and Washington Dulles International.
U.S. registered general aviation aircraft flying into the Vancouver who have not applied for Provisional Flight Authorization through the RCMP or who have been denied authorization by the RCMP are required to land at one of four Canadian portal airports: Kelowna, Abbotsford, Calgary, and Victoria. All GA aircraft flying out of the U.S. into Canada are subjected to all the customary Canadian processing procedures under the authority of the Canada Border Services Agency and Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.
Scheduled commercial/charter type aircraft operations are excluded from these requirements.