Section 7. Management of Aircraft Operations in the Vicinity of Aerial Demonstrations and Major Sporting Events (14 CFR Section 91.145)

  1. PURPOSE

This section prescribes guidelines and procedures in accordance with 14 CFR section 91.145, Management of Aircraft Operations in the Vicinity of Aerial Demonstrations and Major Sporting Events. Additionally, this section provides guidance on the processing of sponsor requests for these types of operations.

  1. DEGREE OF RESTRICTIONS

When a NOTAM has been issued in accordance with this section, no person may operate any aircraft or device, or engage in any activity within the designated airspace area except in accordance with the authorizations, terms, and conditions of the TFR published in the NOTAM, unless otherwise authorized by: (1) Air Traffic Control; or (2) a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization FAA Form 7711-1 issued for the aerial demonstration by Flight Standards.

NOTE-

Process applications for Waiver of Authorization in accordance with Chapter 19 of this order. Coordination with affected ATC facilities and Flight Standards, as applicable, is required.

  1. REQUESTING AUTHORITIES
  1. An aerial demonstration/airshow or major sporting event organizer may request a TFR under this section.
  2. For an aerial demonstration/airshow, the event organizer must submit the TFR request to the appropriate ATO Service Center Operations Support Group (OSG) Manager at least 45 days prior to the event. In addition, the event organizer must contact the appropriate Flight Standards District Office regarding requirements for a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization.
  3. For a major sporting event, the event organizer must submit the TFR request to the appropriate ATO Service Center OSG Manager at least 45 days prior to the event.
  1. AERIAL DEMONSTRATION/AIRSHOW TFRs
  1. ATO Service Center Operations Support Groups (OSG) are responsible for aerial demonstration/airshow TFRs within their geographic area. The OSGs are delegated the authority to approve and issue TFRs for aerial demonstrations/airshows listed as Qualifying Events (QE) below:
  1. Military aircraft conducting aerobatic demonstrations;
  2. Civilian aircraft that operate in excess of 200 knots while conducting aerobatic demonstrations;
  3. Military or civilian parachute team performances.

NOTE-

Demonstrations involving only “fly‐bys” or air race events are not QEs and should be handled with existing operational procedures. A 14 CFR section 91.145 TFR is not authorized.

  1. TFRs may be issued to cover practice sessions for a QE aerial demonstration/airshow. Practice sessions may include the terms aerial survey, arrival show, circling maneuvers, etc. Practice sessions are required to determine aerobatic maneuver timing and visual references for the airshow.
  2. Duration of aerial demonstration/airshow TFRs is determined by the following:
  1. The TFR time period must terminate when there is a gap of two hours or more between QEs.
  2. Should additional QEs occur beyond the two‐hour gap, another TFR time period is authorized.
  3. If there is only one QE scheduled for an aerial demonstration/airshow, the TFR will be established for that performance only.
  4. TFR time periods must fall within the times indicated in the Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (FAA Form 7711-1) issued by the Flight Standards District Office, but the TFR times are not required to cover the entire waiver times or periods when an airport is closed by a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
  1. The dimensions of the TFR should conform to the following:
  1. The TFR area will normally be a 5 nautical mile (NM) radius around the show center for the demonstration.
  2. A 7 NM radius may be approved for the Canadian Snowbirds Team if requested and supported by local air traffic operations.
  3. When the field elevation at the demonstration site is 5,000 feet or greater, other military jet teams may require a 7 NM radius, subject to ATC approval.
  4. TFR altitude should be no greater than the minimum airspace necessary for the aerial demonstration and management of aircraft operations in the vicinity of the airshow.
  5. The maximum altitude for an aerial demonstration TFR is 17,999 feet MSL.
  6. TFR areas must be defined in published NOTAMs using nautical miles and feet MSL.
  1. The following processing procedures apply to TFR requests for aerial demonstrations/airshows that meet the Qualifying Event criteria:
  1. The OSG Manager (or designee) reviews the request package to determine if it meets TFR criteria in accordance with FAA regulations, directives, and policies.
  2. If the request does not meet the criteria, it must be disapproved by the OSG Manager (or designee).
  3. If the request meets the criteria for an aerial demonstration TFR, the OSG Manager (or designee) approves and processes the TFR for publication.
  4. The OSG Manager (or designee) should publish a NOTAM via the TFR Builder application at least 7 days prior to the first requested practice or demonstration time period. The NOTAM Entry System (NES) may be used as a backup to publish the TFR.
  5. Changes to published 14 CFR section 91.145 TFR NOTAMs should not be made within 48 hours of the event, except in an emergency.
  1. TFR REQUESTS FOR MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS
  1. The ATO Mission Support, Rules and Regulations Group Manager is responsible for approving all TFR requests for major sporting events.
  2. The following procedures apply:
  1. Event organizers must submit requests for TFRs to support major sporting events to the jurisdictional ATO OSG Manager at least 45 days prior to the event.
  2. The OSG Manager (or designee) will:
  1. Review the request based on the factors listed in 14 CFR 91.145(b) (1) through (12).
  2. Evaluate the proposed restriction's impact on airspace and ATC operations.
  3. Prepare a recommendation for approval or disapproval.
  4. Forward all applicable information (original request from originator, OSG recommendation, and supporting documents) to the ATO Mission Support, Rules and Regulations Group Manager, at least 30 days prior to the event.
  1. The dimensions of the TFR will vary depending on the size of the event. The TFR will normally be limited to a 3 NM radius from the center of the event, up to 2,500 feet above the surface (converted to MSL), but will not be greater than the minimum airspace necessary for the management of aircraft operations in the vicinity of the specified area.
  2. The Rules and Regulations Group Manager will determine if a TFR is warranted.
  1. If the TFR is approved, the Rules and Regulations Group Manager will advise the OSG Manager to issue the TFR.
  2. If the TFR is disapproved, the Rules and Regulations Group Manager will advise the OSG and provide the basis for the disapproval. The OSG Manager (or designee) will inform the requestor of the disapproval, and any available alternatives.

NOTE-

  1. The U.S. Congress has mandated flight restrictions over specific major sporting events. In response, the FAA issued a standing “Select Sporting Events” FDC NOTAM listing the following covered events and restrictions:
    1. Regular or post‐season Major League Baseball, National Football League, or NCAA Division One Football games;
    2. NASCAR Cup, Indy Car, or Champ Series races, excluding qualifying and pre‐race events.
    3. Restrictions are in effect within a 3 NM radius of the stadium or venue hosting the covered event, up to and including 3,000 feet AGL, from one hour before the scheduled start until one hour after the end of the covered event. For more details, refer to the current FDC NOTAM.
  2. A 14 CFR section 91.145 TFR is not issued for the above events.
  1. TFR REVISIONS AND CANCELLATIONS
  1. When restrictions are necessary beyond the published 91.145 TFR termination date/time, the Service Center OSG Manager (or designee) must ensure that a new NOTAM and a cancellation of the previous NOTAM are issued.
  2. When it becomes apparent restrictions are no longer required but information to that effect has not been received, prior to cancelling the 91.145 TFR, the Service Center OSG Manager (or designee) must confirm the status of the activity from the agency/person that requested the restrictions.