Transportation Policy - Aeronautics

1. Transportation Policy - Aeronautics Ensuring cost-effective and generally safe travel for a variety of aircraft flown by individuals with varying degrees of ability in all kinds of weather over a land surface with variable topographic relief used for a variety of purposes – some of which may be incompatible with flying

2. Congressional study finds high risk of catastrophic runway collision in United States • The Pentagon will open unused military airspace from Florida to Maine to create "a Thanksgiving express lane" for commercial airliners • Pinnacle Airlines pilots vote to authorize strike • NWA weighs timing, partner for a merger • Keep bag sizes under airlines' restrictions • FAA OKs $126 million airport noise settlement

4. Some Statistics • 635,472 individuals possess a license to fly – 262,000 commercial licenses • 225,675 aircraft – 19,145 commercial – 7,270 jets (204,000 general) • 19,281 airports – 5,371 public – 651 certified • 55 million departures and arrivals at airports with control towers • 802 million passengers • 20.6 billion gallons of fuel (the U.S. consumes about 146 billion gallons)

5. Geographies of Aviation • Air Traffic Control • Airport Configuration • Airspace Classification • Navigation • Communication

6. On September 11, 2001 • Air traffic in the airspace of the United States has been disrupted • Airline and airport safety is being evaluated – TSA established • Airline companies are facing bankruptcy

7. Airspace • Uncontrolled Airspace in which Air Traffic Control (ATC) service is not deemed necessary or cannot be provided for practical reasons • ATC does not exercise any executive authority in uncontrolled airspace but provides basic information services to aircraft in radio contact • Flight under both Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) is permitted in uncontrolled airspace • Aircraft operating under IFR should not expect separation from other traffic: however in certain uncontrolled airspace this might be provided on an 'as far as is practical' advisory basis • Controlled Airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic is controlled • Operation are subject to pilot qualifications, operating rules, and equipment requirements

8. United States Airspace

9. Prohibited Airspace • A Special Use Airspace in which all flights are prohibited • Prohibited areas contain airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the earth over which the flight of aircraft is prohibited. • Usually established for security or other reasons associated with the national welfare • Areas are published in the Federal Register and are depicted on aeronautical charts • Prohibited Airspace over Crawford Texas • White House • P-56 Prohibited Airspace • Violations • Bangor Prohibited Area

10. Pentagon Airspace – P-56

11. Special Flight Rules – Grand Canyon

13. Minnesota Aeronautical Chart

14. Federal Statutory Law • 49 USC Transportation - Aviation Programs • Air commerce and safety • General Provisions • Economic Regulation • Safety • Enforcement and Penalties • Airport Development and Noise • Financing • Metropolitan Washington Airports • Buy American Preferences

15. Minnesota Statutes Chapter 360 • To further the public interest and aeronautical progress • by establishing uniform rules, consistent with federal regulations and those of other states, in order that those engaged in aeronautics of every character may so engage with the least possible restriction, consistent with the safety and the rights of others • by providing for cooperation with the federal authorities in the development of a national system of civil aviation and for coordination of the aeronautical activities of those authorities and the authorities of this state by assisting in accomplishing the purposes of federal legislation and eliminating costly and unnecessary duplication  of functions properly in the province of federal agencies

16. Federal Administrative Law • 14 CFR Aeronautics and Space • 49 CFR Transportation Security Administration

17. Federal Judiciary • Air Law • CataLaw. Aviation and Space Law • Journal of Air Law and Commerce

18. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)

19. Current Statutory Law • The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration • shall develop plans and policy to use navigable airspace and to regulate its use to ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficient use of airspace • shall prescribe air traffic regulations for • navigating, protecting, and identifying aircraft • protecting individuals and property on the ground • preventing collision between aircraft, between aircraft and land or water vehicles, and between aircraft and airborne objects • using the navigable airspace efficiently • shall establish security provisions that will encourage and allow maximum use of the navigable airspace by civil aircraft consistent with national security (in consultation with the Secretary of Defense) • Aircraft of the armed forces of a foreign country may be navigated in the United States only when authorized by the Secretary of State • Other foreign aircraft may be navigated in the United States as provided

20. Safety • Airman Certificates • Revocations of airman certificates for controlled substance violations • Type certificates, production certificates, and airworthiness certificates • Air carrier operating certificates • Airport operating certificates • Examining and rating air agencies • Inspecting and rating air navigation facilities • Emergency locator transmitters • Inspection and maintenance • Aviation fuel standards • Controlling aircraft noise and sonic boom • Collision avoidance systems • Aging aircraft • Structures interfering with air commerce • Standards for navigational aids • Meteorological services • Aeronautical maps and charts • Aircraft operations in winter conditions

21. Current Administrative Law • Airworthiness standards • Passenger and transport airplane • Rotorcraft • Manned free balloons • Aircraft engines • Venting and exhaust emissions • Propellers • Noise standards • Certification • Air carriers • Pilots and instructors • Crewmembers other than pilots • Airmen other than flight crewmembers

22.  Medical standards and certification • Airspace Operating rules • Moored balloons, kites, unmanned rockets, unmanned free balloons • Ultralight vehicles • Parachute jumping • Agricultural aircraft operations • Security • Air traffic • Airport • Airplane operator

24. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

25. Air Traffic Control - Terminal Control Tower (on ground) • Departures • Ground controller • Issues clearance for airplanes to push back from gates • Manages movement from gates • Local area controller (departure) • Manages departing traffic • Hands off departing planes to TRACON

26. Air Traffic Control - Terminal Control Tower (on ground) • Arrivals • Local area controller (arrival) • Accepts arriving planes from TRACON • Manages landing • Ground controller - Manages movement to gates

27. Air Traffic Control - Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) • Controls air traffic in a wide space around the airport • Accepts traffic from departure control and hands off to ARTCC • Accepts traffic from ARTCC and hands of to arrival control • "These sectors are sometimes oddly shaped … volumes, which include not only the standardized arrival and departure routes, but also features like terrain, structures, special use … airspace, and missed approach paths"

28. Air Traffic Control - Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) • Manages air traffic along linear routes at different flight levels • Linear routes defined by navigational aids • Divided into irregularly shaped airspace with lateral and vertical limits

29. Commercial Airspace • Controlled • Class A  18,000 ft. MSL to 60,000 ft. MSL -- Jet routes – Instrument Flight Rules • Class B  Surface to 10,000 ft. MSL Airspace around high capacity commercial services airports – all need ATC clearance to enter • Class C  Surface to 4,000 ft. MSL Airspace around lower activity commercial and some military airports  - two-way communication required             • Class D  Surface to 2,500 ft. MSL Airspace around other airports with a control tower

30. Commercial Airspace • Class E  • Above 60,000 ft. MSL • Airspace used for Instrument Approach procedures • Low altitude federal airways  - 1,200 ft. AGL up to, but not including, 18,000 ft. MSL • Uncontrolled  -  Class G Used for General Aviation • Military Airspace

32. Other Areas • While flying over National Park Service areas, U.S. Fish and Wildlife areas, and U.S. Forest, Wilderness, and Primitive areas pilots are requested to maintain a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet above ground level

33. Minimum Safe Altitudes: General • An altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 2,000 feet over a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons • An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In such cases, the pilot  may not fly closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure

34. Special Use Airspace • Alert Area - Airspace in which a high volume of pilot training activities occur • Controlled Firing Area - Airspace in which activities hazardous to aircraft are carried out but can be suspended • Military Operations Area - Airspace in which military operations are carried out • Restricted Area - Airspace in which flights are restricted • Warning Area - Airspace in international airspace in which activities hazardous to aircraft are carried out • Prohibited Area - Airspace in which all flights are prohibited

35. Particular Flight Rules • Temporary Flight Restrictiontemporarily closing segments of navigable airspace, are imposed by the FAA and other agencies • to protect persons and property in the air or on the surface from an existing or imminent hazard associated with an incident on the surface when the presence of low flying aircraft would magnify or spread the hazard • toxic gas leaks, volcanic eruptions, nuclear accidents, highjacking incidents • to provide a safe environment in which disaster relief aircraft can operate • hurricanes, wildfires • to prevent an unsafe congestion of sightseeing aircraft above an incident or event which may generate  large crowds - superbowl • to help in national disaster relief in Hawaii • to protect the President and Vice President • to provide a safe environment for space agency operations

36. Special Flight Rules (SFAR) • Special Flight Rules in the Vicinity of Grand Canyon National Park, AZ • Special Flight Rules in the Vicinity of Los Angeles International Airport • SFAR No. 61-2. Prohibition Against Certain Flights Between the United States and Iraq • SFAR No. 59--Temporary Prohibited Areas; 1990 Goodwill Games in the State of Washington

37. Web Resources • Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Aeronautics Rules and Statutes • Federal Aviation Administration • Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association • Air Force • Airline Pilot's Association

38. Noise • Minneapolis St Paul Airport Noise

39. Other “Air” Issues • Visibility • Scenery • Odor • Sunlight • Wind • Air Quality