Narrative:

Beautiful day--WX was VFR, hurricane had just moved off shore. Departed lna. Contacted daytona departure and advised them of intention to fly VFR to mth, and that I requested flight following. Approved and passed on to mia approach. They asked me if I would be following the coastline, or would I navigation direct. Initially I responded direct, but I felt that this would result in a considerable over water flight for single engine. I updated my request for direct to X51, and then direct mth. Approved and cleared through mia TCA. At the southern coastline, I was advised to contact ZMA for further advisories. Center frequency was exceptionally busy and was also responding to a military mayday. Unable to contact center, I proceeded on my own to mth direct. Upon arrival, I noticed a local NOTAM outlining required DVFR flight plan filing for all flts into and out of keys. This appeared to be effective 10/90. As pilots, we are all aware of this far with respect to our ADIZ. However, most pilots would be unaware of the ADIZ crossing within the same state (i.e., coastline of fl to fl keys). Maybe an advisory circular sent to all pilots would be beneficial. ATC should also question whether DVFR was filed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states what he saw posted was not a NOTAM, but sort of a 'gentlemen's agreement,' indicating new requirement into and out of the keys. His concern was, how does one know about such things? Unless you are a local pilot, you would not have been informed. Poor system. Subsequent call to mia FSS: (see letters attached.) this was a letter to airmen specifying enforcement of the far and effective on 10/1/90. However, due to many pilot complaints, the requirement is being reviewed and a new letter will be issued allowing a corridor flight within the keys. Reason for original letter was drug enforcement agency efforts. Now there are 5 or 6 agencies attempting this new arrangement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT LANDS IN FL KEYS TO DISCOVER POSTED LETTER INDICATING NEED TO FILE DVFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: BEAUTIFUL DAY--WX WAS VFR, HURRICANE HAD JUST MOVED OFF SHORE. DEPARTED LNA. CONTACTED DAYTONA DEP AND ADVISED THEM OF INTENTION TO FLY VFR TO MTH, AND THAT I REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING. APPROVED AND PASSED ON TO MIA APCH. THEY ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE FOLLOWING THE COASTLINE, OR WOULD I NAV DIRECT. INITIALLY I RESPONDED DIRECT, BUT I FELT THAT THIS WOULD RESULT IN A CONSIDERABLE OVER WATER FLT FOR SINGLE ENG. I UPDATED MY REQUEST FOR DIRECT TO X51, AND THEN DIRECT MTH. APPROVED AND CLRED THROUGH MIA TCA. AT THE SOUTHERN COASTLINE, I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT ZMA FOR FURTHER ADVISORIES. CENTER FREQ WAS EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY AND WAS ALSO RESPONDING TO A MIL MAYDAY. UNABLE TO CONTACT CENTER, I PROCEEDED ON MY OWN TO MTH DIRECT. UPON ARR, I NOTICED A LCL NOTAM OUTLINING REQUIRED DVFR FLT PLAN FILING FOR ALL FLTS INTO AND OUT OF KEYS. THIS APPEARED TO BE EFFECTIVE 10/90. AS PLTS, WE ARE ALL AWARE OF THIS FAR WITH RESPECT TO OUR ADIZ. HOWEVER, MOST PLTS WOULD BE UNAWARE OF THE ADIZ XING WITHIN THE SAME STATE (I.E., COASTLINE OF FL TO FL KEYS). MAYBE AN ADVISORY CIRCULAR SENT TO ALL PLTS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. ATC SHOULD ALSO QUESTION WHETHER DVFR WAS FILED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES WHAT HE SAW POSTED WAS NOT A NOTAM, BUT SORT OF A 'GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT,' INDICATING NEW REQUIREMENT INTO AND OUT OF THE KEYS. HIS CONCERN WAS, HOW DOES ONE KNOW ABOUT SUCH THINGS? UNLESS YOU ARE A LCL PLT, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INFORMED. POOR SYS. SUBSEQUENT CALL TO MIA FSS: (SEE LETTERS ATTACHED.) THIS WAS A LETTER TO AIRMEN SPECIFYING ENFORCEMENT OF THE FAR AND EFFECTIVE ON 10/1/90. HOWEVER, DUE TO MANY PLT COMPLAINTS, THE REQUIREMENT IS BEING REVIEWED AND A NEW LETTER WILL BE ISSUED ALLOWING A CORRIDOR FLT WITHIN THE KEYS. REASON FOR ORIGINAL LETTER WAS DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY EFFORTS. NOW THERE ARE 5 OR 6 AGENCIES ATTEMPTING THIS NEW ARRANGEMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.