New Grand Canyon Rules Choke Operations

NEW GRAND CANYON RULES CHOKE OPERATIONS

RESTRICT BUSINESS

April 17, 2000

What’s at Issue

New regulations pushed by President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore limiting air tour operations at the Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) were recently issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The regulations are part of continuing, and highly controversial, FAA and National Park Service (NPS) efforts to restore “natural quiet” to the Park as mandated by Congress in 1987.

Why It’s Important

The regulations substantially limit commercial air tour operations at GCNP, make changes to commercial tour flight routes, and alter what airspace is included in the Grand Canyon Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA).

Major Provisions

Allocation System

The FAA is limiting the number of commercial air tours that each operator may conduct each year via a system of flight allocations. The FAA will notify each air tour operator of the number of flight allocations the Agency is authorizing for the year. Each air tour flight requires one allocation. Effective Date: May 4, 2000

Key Elements:

• The total number of allocations issued to an operator is based upon the number of air tour flights conducted by that operator between May 1997 and April 1998. This represents a reduction in the number of flights currently conducted.
• To ensure no operator exceeds their allocations for the year, a VFR flight plan (noting purpose of flight) must be filed for each commercial flight (other than IFR flights) conducted by the operator within the SFRA.
• Operators are required to submit quarterly reports that provide detailed information on each commercial operation conducted within the SFRA.
• Limited provisions exist for transferring allocations between operators or to a new air tour operator should an existing operator cease operations.
• The FAA will review the allocation system every two years and may increase or decrease the number of allocations at that time.
• These regulations are contained in Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 93: Special Air Traffic Rules and Airport Traffic Patterns.

SFRA and Flight Free Zone (FFZ) Modifications

The SFRA is the airspace over GCNP subject to special flight regulations. FFZs are airspace areas where all aircraft flights, both commercial and private, are prohibited except in emergencies. Effective Date: December 1, 2000

OVER…

(Major Provisions Continued)

Key Elements:

• The lateral boundaries of the GCNP SFRA are expanded eastward by five miles. (The SFRA continues to extend vertically from the surface to 18,000 feet MSL).
• The FAA has established an “incentive” air tour route through the Bright Angel FFZ. This route is reserved for future quiet technology aircraft; no such aircraft currently exist however.
• Maps: Updated maps depicting the GCNP SFRA, FFZs and air tour routes are available from the National Ocean Service (NOS) for $3.35. Call 800-638-8972 to order.
• These regulations will be in FAR Part 91 and replace Special FAR (SFAR) 50-2, which will be deleted on the effective date.

NATA Position

The Association strongly opposes this outrageous rule. The restrictions on air tour operators put them in peril of serious financial losses and the closure of businesses.

Status

The regulations appeared in the Federal Register on April 4, 2000. Electronic versions of the Final Rules are available from the FAA at the following web site:

Staff Contact:Jacqueline Rosser

Specialist, Flight Operations