Restoration of the Aviation System

All NAS facilities remained fully operational throughout period of September 11, 2001 to present.

WEEK ONE

September 11, 2001 The Air Traffic System Control Command Center stops all departures nationwide,

regardless of destination. A Notice to Airmen issued closing all operations at all airports. Temporary Flight Restrictions put in over New York City, the Pentagon, and Somerset,

PA, crash sites.

September 12, 2001 All airports remain closed. National Ground Stop still in effect. Beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT, limited reopening of airports being coordinated to allow

diverted flights to return from Canada and Mexico.

Restoration of the Aviation System

September 13, 2001 Airports being approved for operation upon certification that new security requirements

have been implemented. Domestic commercial passenger and cargo flights are being approved pending security

certification of departure and destination airports. International flights remain restricted. National ground stop remains in effect for all U.S. airspace for General Aviation.

September 14, 2001 Part 91 general aviation limited to IFR operations in the “Lower 48” for US registered

aircraft except for New York, Washington, DC and Boston areas National ground stop remains in effect for all U.S. airspace for Part 91 VFR General

Aviation aircraft. Temporary flight restrictions issued for a 25-mile nautical radius of JFK and DCA.

Restoration of the Aviation System

WEEK TWO

September 15, 2001 Part 91 general aviation VFR and IFR flight operations in Alaska are approved for US

registered aircraft.

September 16, 2001 DCA opened for six hours to allow air carriers and GA to ferry aircraft to other locations.

September 17, 2001 Repositioning flights (IFR only) were scheduled for airports in the TFRs.

September 18, 2001 Overflights of US airspace restricted to U.S. and Canadian carriers only.

Restoration of the Aviation System

September 19, 2001 DCA, IAD, TEB, JFK, LGA, EWR, FRG, and LDJ opened for General Aviation

(private/corporate) repositioning (IFR only) flights.

September 20, 2001 Enhanced Class B Airspace established. Flight restrictions have been lifted within the territorial airspace of the U.S. for

U.S. registered aircraft outside Enhanced Class B with the following types of operations not authorized:

Civil aircraft VFR flight training operations Banner towing operations Sight seeing flight operations conducted for compensation or hire under Part 91 Traffic watch flight operations Airship/blimp operations News reporting operations Foreign registry flights are approved for only IFR flights departing the U.S. with no intermediate stops inside

the U.S.

Restoration of the Aviation System

WEEK THREE

September 23, 2001 Part 91 international humanitarian flights are individually approved for operations in the

U.S. All Part 137 (agriculture/crop duster) operations are prohibited until 12:05 AM local

September 24, 2001, in each time zone.

September 24, 2001 VFR Flight training, Part 91 sightseeing operations, and manufacturer flight test

operations are now authorized. Part 137 (agriculture/ crop duster) operations are not authorized except for fire-fighting

tankers flying under Public Use and Emergency Authorization.

Restoration of the Aviation System

September 25, 2001 Part 137 operations authorized outside Enhanced Class B.

September 26, 2001 Flight restrictions and authorizations are as follows: Except for the operations listed

below, Part 91 VFR operations are permitted within the territorial airspace of the US, for US registered aircraft, provided that those operations are conducted outside Enhanced Class B airspace and the DCA/NY/BOS TFR’s.

The following operations are authorized IFR only (point to point) except in TFR’s: News reporting operations Civil aircraft banner towing operations Sight seeing flight operations (in rotorcraft and airplanes) conducted for compensation or hire

under Part 91 Traffic watch flight operations Airship/blimp operations

Restoration of the Aviation System

September 26, 2001 (continued) The following Part 91 IFR operations are authorized within the territorial airspace

of the US: Foreign registered aircraft departing the US with no intermediate stops within the US. Foreign registered aircraft overflying the US with a maximum certificated takeoff gross weight

less than 95,000 pounds. VFR-on-top operations.

Other authorized operations: All part 91 IFR/VFR operations in Alaskan airspace. All part 91 IFR/VFR operations in Hawaiian airspace outside Enhanced Class B airspace. Within enhanced Class B airspace, all military, medi-vac, rescue/recovery, fire fighting, law

enforcement, and emergency evacuation aircraft can conduct IFR or VFR operations using an ATC-assigned discrete beacon code.

Commercial space operations are authorized and must be approved in accordance with established procedures.

Restoration of the Aviation System

September 28, 2001

Special exemptions:• Electronic News Gathering operations requesting exemptions to conduct VFR operations and

expand IFR operations in enhanced Class B airspace are being reviewed and coordinated with the FBI, DOD, and FAA Air Traffic and Security Officials prior to approval.

• US Government-contracted aircraft operations (e.g. USDA-contracted Medfly spray operations in S. California and Miami) have been approved and clearance granted to USDA.

Restoration of the Aviation System

WEEK FOUR

September 30, 2001 The requests from Electronic News Gathering organizations to conduct VFR operations and expand

IFR operations within enhanced Class B airspace has been denied.

October 1, 2001 The following Part 91 operations may NOT fly in enhanced Class B airspace, IFR or VFR:

News Reporting operations Traffic Watch flight operations Civil aircraft banner towing operations Sightseeing (in rotorcraft and airplanes) conducted for compensation or hire Airship/blimp operations

The NOTAM 1/0617 covering VFR operations DOES ALLOW the operations listed above to fly VFR OUTSIDE the enhanced Class B airspace. All rules about TFRs still apply.

There are 34 TFRs currently active within the NAS. DCA is the only major US airport still closed. FAA, Coast Guard, and other government aircraft

authorized with prior approval.

Restoration of the Aviation System

October 3, 2001 The following types of operations are not authorized:

Civil aircraft VFR flight training operations for turbojet powered aircraft within Enhanced Class B.

Sight seeing flight operations conducted for compensation or hire within enhanced Class B airspace and TFRs of NY and Washington, DC areas.

A special working group has been convened to develop a “Permit Process” for the granting of waivers for the operation of foreign registry Part 91 aircraft within U.S. territorial airspace.

October 4, 2001 DCA reopened on a limited basis. All 455 of Part 107 US airports have now been certified as complying with the

emergency security directives.

Restoration of the Aviation System

October 5, 2001 NSC and FAA Security and Air Traffic officials continue to coordinate numerous

requests for waivers to the current flight restrictions. These include but are not limited to: US Government contracted-aircraft operation (i.e., USDA operations) Operations of foreign-registered Part 91 aircraft within US territorial airspace

WEEK FIVE

October 7, 2001

• Operation Enduring Freedom began.

Restoration of the Aviation System

October 9, 2001 NOTAM issued that allows additional Part 91 IFR and training operations between

18 and 25 miles of the Washington, DC and New York City TFR’s and outside of the 15 mile Boston TFR.

NOTAM issued authorizing Part 91 aircraft using instrument flight rules and visual flight rules within the TFR areas of New York and Washington, DC to relocate outside the TFRs. Certain security requirements must be met before any flights were authorized. This “flush” allowed private planes that had been unable to leave New York and Washington airports to return to their home airports or to relocate outside the TFR during this period.

October 12, 2001

• A 3 nautical mile TFR (at or below 3000 feet) established around the NBC studios in Burbank, CA when 30 people were taken to the hospital after the discovery of an unidentified white powder.

Restoration of the Aviation System

October 13, 2001 Press Release and NOTAM’s issued reducing restrictions within 15 Enhanced Class B’s

across the Nation.

WEEK SIX

October 15, 2001 VFR operations released in the Enhanced Class B’s at 5 locations

October 16, 2001

• VFR operations released in the Enhanced Class B’s at 5 locations

Restoration of the Aviation System

October 17, 2001 VFR operations released in the Enhanced Class B’s at 5 locations

WEEK SEVEN

October 22, 2001 VFR operations released in the Enhanced Class B’s at 5 locations Pilots are strongly urged not to circle or loiter over nuclear and power plants or stations,

dams, reservoirs, refineries or military installations, unless authorized by ATC.

October 23, 2001 VFR operations released in the Enhanced Class B’s at 5 locations.

October 24, 2001

• VFR operations released in the Enhanced Class B’s at 2 locations.

Restoration of the Aviation System

WEEK EIGHT

October 29, 2001 TFR issued over the Sears Tower Building in Chicago.

October 30, 2001 TFRs issued for the World Series locations.

November 2, 2001

• TFRs issued for nuclear sites.

Restoration of the Aviation System

WEEK NINE

November 7, 2001

• Nuclear site TFRs cancelled.

Incremental Next Steps

Restore the remaining Enhanced Class B airspace to Class B airspace.

Restore special operations in all Class B airspace for the following types of operations.

News Reporting/Traffic Watch Part 91 aircraft Blimp/Airship Part 91 aircraft Sight Seeing Part 91 operations Banner Towing Part 91 operations

Note: This will not relieve VFR pilots operating in Enhanced Class B Airspace from avoiding aerobatics, loitering or circling, and unpredictable flight paths.

Incremental Next Steps

Restore Part 91 and Part 135 Operations within the Washington, DC and New York, New York TFR’s.

Approve foreign registry Part 91 aircraft access into the CONUS from Japan, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, then from other countries as well.

Approve all manufacturer and production test flights including entry into the United

States for the same purpose.

Incremental Next Steps

Approve point-to-point operations on foreign registry aircraft within the CONUS.

Eliminate weight restrictions for all Part 91 operations.

Strategy to Restore Washington National Airport

Phase I operational at this time.

In coordination with the Secretary of Transportation begin implementation of Phase II operations.

Develop Phase III strategies in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation. Phase III may include consideration for FAR Part 135 (Charter) and FAR Part 91 (General Aviation) operations with a level of security equivalent to the FAR Part 121 (Air Carrier) operating in Phase I and Phase II.

Short and Long Term Considerations

Short term:

Surface Security: On site law enforcement for access and regular patrol of the airport.

Local law enforcement to inspect photo ID from all incoming and outgoing flight crews against FBI watch-list.

Inspect cabin and baggage areas as necessary to exclude presence of threat prior to ATC clearance to enter or depart.

Limited operational hours.

During non-operational hours, a roving security patrol or disablement of the runway (example: parked vehicles on the runway).

Short and Long Term Considerations

Long term:

Surface Security: Continue ID checks.

Require use of a visible anti-theft device for each aircraft.

Add airport perimeter fence and other coded access controls.

During non-operational hours, a roving security patrol or disablement of the runway.