U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

Section 2. Criteria

26-2-1. GENERAL

a. Alert areas should be designated only at those locations where it is determined that either the volume of training operations, or the unusual aeronautical activity, is so unique that dissemination of the information would be of operational value to the flying public, and would significantly enhance aviation safety.

NOTE-
Before proposing an alert area, consider whether the publication of an advisory note on aeronautical charts near the affected location would provide satisfactory notice of the activity to nonparticipating pilots.

b. Alert areas may be designated for either military or civil aviation activities.

c. Since pilots should normally expect to encounter concentrated air traffic near major military and civil airports, the establishment of alert areas at such locations is not recommended in order to avoid diminishing the effectiveness of the alert area designation.

d. Alert areas should not be designated for activities where other approved charting symbology is more appropriate (e.g., Parachute Jumping Areas, Glider Operating Areas).

e. Establishment of an alert area is not a prerequisite to conduct any type of flight activity.

f. Other than the basic requirement to comply with applicable sections of 14 CFR, alert areas do not impose any flight restrictions or communications or ATC clearance requirements on pilots either operating within, or transiting the area.

26-2-2. TYPES OF OPERATIONS

Limit the establishment of alert areas to the following types of operations:

a. Concentrated Student Training.

1. A high volume of flight training operations at one or more airports in a given area. The volume of activity should exceed 250,000 local operations (as defined in FAAO JO 7210.3, chapter 12, Facility Statistical Data, Reports, and Forms) annually and be generated primarily by student training in fixed-wing and/or rotary-wing aircraft.

2. A pilot training area beyond a 20 NM radius of the airport that contains unusually intensive training operations.

b. Unusual Aeronautical Activity. There are no specific criteria established for this category. Each proposal will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine its significance to the flying public and aviation safety.

NOTE-
One example of an alert area fitting this category is A-381, designated to identify the unusual concentration and volume of aviation activity in the U.S. Gulf Coast/Gulf of Mexico area.