News and Updates – New York City Marathon Declared No Drone Zone

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WASHINGTON The skies above the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 3, will be a No Drone Zone, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today.

The FAA, working in close coordination with its federal partners, said Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) will be prohibited within a two nautical-mile radius of the start line, which is located at the western end of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on Staten Island. The No Drone Zone, detailed in Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) FDC 9/6103, will be in effect from 5 a.m. until 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

A No Drone Zone for the end of the race will cover all of Central Park to a mile south of the park, encompassing airspace above the finish line. The restricted area, detailed in NOTAM FDC 9/5935, will be in effect from 9:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. EDT.

Both restricted areas extend 1,000 feet above ground level.

The restrictions will also be included in the FAAs B4UFLY mobile app.

Drone operators are reminded to check the FAAs NOTAM webpage for other airspace restrictions in New York.

UAS operators who violate these flight restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges.

News and Updates – Runway Status Lights Now Fully Operational

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that Runway Status Lights (RWSL), the first technology to provide direct warning to pilots about potential runway conflicts, is now operational at all 20 sites approved to receive the ground-breaking technology.

A report on the effectiveness of RWSL at the 15 airports where it was operational in 2017 found an overall 52% reduction in the average runway incursion rate, with 15,484 potential saves by the technology.

The FAA developed RWSL technology to increase situational awareness for flight crews and airport vehicle drivers, providing an added layer of runway safety. The technology alerts pilots and vehicle operators to stop when runways and taxiways are not safe to enter, cross or begin takeoff. Red lights embedded in the pavement illuminate when the presence of other traffic creates a potential conflict. RWSL uses the airports surface surveillance system to determine the location of aircraft and vehicles. The lights are fully automated, requiring no input from air traffic controllers.

Pilots and ground vehicle operators must still receive clearances from controllers for any operation on runways or taxiways.

The RWSL system is comprised of two types of lights. Runway Entrance Lights (REL) are deployed at taxiway and runway crossings and illuminate if it is unsafe to enter or cross a runway. Takeoff Hold Lights (THL) are deployed in the runway by the departure hold zone and illuminate when there is an aircraft in position for departure and the runway is occupied by another aircraft or vehicle and is unsafe for takeoff.

RWSLs are now operational at the following airports:

  • Baltimore-Washington International Airport
  • Boston Logan International Airport
  • Charlotte Douglas International Airport
  • Chicago OHare International Airport
  • Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
  • Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
  • Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
  • Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport
  • LaGuardia International Airport
  • Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
  • Los Angeles International Airport
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
  • Newark Liberty International Airport
  • Orlando International Airport
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
  • San Diego International Airport
  • San Francisco International Airport
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
  • Washington Dulles International Airport

News and Updates – UAS Operations Restricted At More Federal Facilities

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WASHINGTON The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) airspace restrictions over additional national security sensitive locations, effective November 7.

In cooperation with its federal partners, the FAA will restrict UAS operations in the airspace over 60 additional Department of Defense and Department of Justice facilities to address concerns about malicious drone activity. An FAA Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), FDC 9/7752, defines these special security instructions. The FAA has published a new NOTAM, FDC 9/1278, which alerts UAS operators and others in the aviation community to this change and points to FDC 9/7752.

UAS operators are strongly advised to review these NOTAMs, as well as important supporting information provided by the FAAs UAS Data Delivery System (UDDS) website. This website contains the text of FDC 9/7752 (click on UAS NOTAM FDC 9/7752 on scroll bar along the top of the page).

Further down the page is an interactive map (Map of FAA UAS Data) displaying restricted airspace throughout the U.S. Zooming in will enable viewers to click on each of the 60 new DOD and DOJ locations and see the specific restrictions. Each of the 60 locations are in yellow since the restrictions are pending until the Nov. 7 effective date, at which point they will become red.

The restrictions will also be included in the FAAs B4UFLY mobile app.

UAS operators who violate these flight restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges.

The FAA considers requests by eligible federal security agencies for UAS-specific flight restrictions using its authority under 14 CFR 99.7. The agency will announce any future changes, including additional locations, as appropriate.

The 60 locations:

  • Federal Correctional Institution Aliceville in Aliceville, Alabama
  • Federal Correctional Institution Ashland in Ashland, Kentucky
  • Federal Correctional Institution Bastrop in Bastrop, Texas
  • Federal Correctional Institution Beckley in Beaver, West Virginia
  • Federal Correctional Institution Bennetsville in Bennetsville, South Carolina
  • Federal Correctional Institution Berlin in Berlin, New Hampshire
  • Federal Correctional Institution Big Spring in Big Spring, Texas
  • Federal Correctional Institution Cumberland in Cumberland, Maryland
  • Federal Correctional Institution Danbury in Danbury, Connecticut
  • Federal Correctional Institution Dublin in Dublin, California
  • Federal Correctional Institution Edgefield in Edgefield, South Carolina
  • Federal Correctional Institution El Reno in El Reno, Oklahoma
  • Federal Correctional Institution Elkton in Lisbon, Ohio
  • Federal Correctional Institution Englewood in Littleton, Colorado
  • Federal Correctional Institution Estill in Estill, South Carolina
  • Federal Correctional Institution Fairton in Fairton, New Jersey
  • Federal Correctional Institution Gilmer in Glenville, West Virginia
  • Federal Correctional Institution Greenville in Greenville, Illinois
  • Federal Correctional Institution Herlong in Herlong, California
  • Federal Correctional Institution Jesup in Jesup, Georgia
  • Federal Correctional Institution La Tuna in Anthony, Texas
  • Federal Correctional Institution Loretto in Loretto, Pennsylvania
  • Federal Correctional Institution Lompoc in Lompoc, California
  • Federal Correctional Institution Manchester in Manchester, Kentucky
  • Federal Correctional Institution Marianna in Marianna, Florida
  • Federal Correctional Institution McDowell in Welch, West Virginia
  • Federal Correctional Institution McKean in Lewis Run, Pennsylvania
  • Federal Correctional Institution Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee
  • Federal Correctional Institution Mendota in Mendota, California
  • Federal Correctional Institution Miami in Miami, Florida
  • Federal Correctional Institution Milan in Milan, Michigan
  • Federal Correctional Institution Morgantown in Morgantown, West Virginia
  • Federal Correctional Institution Otisville in Otisville, New York
  • Federal Correctional Institution Oxford in Oxford, Wisconsin
  • Federal Correctional Institution Pekin in Pekin, Illinois
  • Federal Correctional Institution Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona
  • Federal Correctional Institution Ray Brook in Ray Brook, New York
  • Federal Correctional Institution Safford in Safford, Arizona
  • Federal Correctional Institution Sandstone in Sandstone, Minnesota
  • Federal Correctional Institution Schuylkill in Minersville, Pennsylvania
  • Federal Correctional Institution Seagoville in Seagoville, Texas
  • Federal Correctional Institution Sheridan in Sheridan, Oregon
  • Federal Correctional Institution Talladega in Talladega, Alabama
  • Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee in Tallahassee, Florida
  • Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island in San Pedro, California
  • Federal Correctional Institution Texarkana in Texarkana, Texas
  • Federal Correctional Institution Three Rivers in Three Rivers, Texas
  • Federal Correctional Institution Waseca in Waseca, Minnesota
  • Federal Correctional Institution Williamsburg in Salters, South Carolina
  • Federal Medical Center Devens in Devens, Massachusetts
  • Federal Medical Center Butner in Butner, North Carolina
  • Federal Medical Center Lexington in Lexington, Kentucky
  • Federal Transfer Center Oklahoma City in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • United States Penitentiary Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia
  • United States Penitentiary Leavenworth in Leavenworth, Kansas
  • Martindale AHP in San Antonio, Texas
  • Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania
  • Tobyhanna Army Complex in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania
  • Military Ocean Terminal Concord in Concord, California
  • Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point in Sunny Point, North Carolina

News and Updates – Take Me-Not My Drone-Out to the Ballgame!

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WASHINGTON For the safety of baseball fans attending the World Series, the Federal Aviation Administration has established a No Drone Zone for all games played at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

The airspace above Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., is already off limits to drones since it is within the Flight-Restricted Zone, which has been in place since Sept. 11, 2001.

The No Drone Zone in Houston is a three-nautical-mile ring with the stadium in the center, rising from the ground up to 1,000 feet. It will be in effect from one hour before to one hour after all games at Minute Maid Park.

The FAA, in partnership with local, state and federal law enforcement, will actively look for illegal drone operators at and around both stadiums. Violators could face civil penalties exceeding $30,000 and potential criminal prosecution.

Drone pilots should check the FAAs B4UFLY appto determine when and where they can safely fly.

Learn more at the FAAs Unmanned Aircraft Systems website.

News and Updates – Deadlines for Panel Nominations Approaching

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Nominations for appointments to the Women in Aviation Advisory Board must be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by October 29 and Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force nominations must be submitted to the agency by October 30. The panels were announced by Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao on October 9.

The womens advisory board will be responsible for developing and providing a comprehensive plan for strategies that FAA Administrator Stephen M. Dickson can use to:

  • Identify industry trends that directly or indirectly encourage or discourage women from pursuing careers in aviation;
  • Coordinate the efforts of airline companies, nonprofit organizations, and aviation and engineering associations to facilitate support for women pursuing careers in aviation;
  • Create opportunities to expand existing scholarship opportunities for women in the aviation industry; and,
  • Enhance aviation training, mentorship, education, and outreach programs that are exclusive to women.

The youth task force will develop and recommend initiatives to the FAA to encourage high school students towards an aviation career. Its mandate is to develop and provide independent recommendations and strategies to:

  • Facilitate and encourage high school students beginning in their junior year, to enroll in and complete career and technical education courses, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), that would prepare them to enroll in a course of study related to an aviation career at an institution of higher education, a community college, or trade school;
  • Facilitate and encourage the students described above to enroll in a course of study related to an aviation career, including aviation manufacturing, engineering and maintenance, at an institution of higher education, including a community college or trade school; and,
  • Identify and develop pathways for students who complete a course of study described above to secure registered apprenticeships, workforce development programs, or careers in the aviation industry of the United States.

Further details on the panels and information required to be submitted on the nominations can be found at the Federal Register at Women in Aviation Advisory Board and Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force.