FAA makes special flight rules around Washington, D.C. permanent
In order to keep Washington,D.C. safe from 9/11-like aerial attacks by terrorists while reducing the economic impact on the general aviation community, the FAA reduces the protective air envelope around the U.S. capital by 1,800 square miles of airspace
Airspace restrictions and procedures implemented around Washington, D.C., after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in order to make the region safer and more secure are now permanent under a final rule issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The secure airspace comprises two concentric rings. The interior ring, called the Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ), describes a 15-nautical-mile radius around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The outer ring, called the Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA), describes a 30-nautical-mile radius around DCA. Flight operations within the FRZ are restricted to flights authorized by the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Within the SFRA, pilots must file a flight plan, establish two-way radio communications with air traffic control, and operate the aircraft transponder on the transponder code assigned by air traffic.
The permanent SFRA is smaller than the Air Defense Identification Zone that initially went into effect in February 2003. At that time it comprised airspace that extended twenty-three miles out from each of the three major Washington metropolitan area airports — DCA, Dulles, and Baltimore/Washington International. The FAA reduced the dimensions of the ADIZ in August 2007, freeing up approximately 1,800 square miles of airspace that included thirty-three airports and helipads. This significantly reduced the economic impact to the general aviation community. This area formed the foundation of the FAA’s proposal for a permanent SFRA.
The move to a smaller, more uniform SFRA area addressed many of the issues identified in the more than 22,000 public comments on the agency’s proposal to make the airspace and operating procedures permanent. The changes were coordinated with DHS and the Department of Defense, which are responsible for ensuring security in the Washington area. FAA says this rule will help air traffic controllers and security agencies monitor air traffic by identifying, distinguishing, and responding appropriately if an aircraft deviates from its expected flight path or is not complying with instructions from controllers.
