Violations of Temporary Flight Restrictions and Air Defense Identification Zones: An Analysis of Airspace Violations and Pilot Report Data

The purpose of this study is to determine the apparent factors and causes of violations of restricted airspace, particularly temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and air defense identification zones (ADIZs). After the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has greatly expanded the use of TFRs and ADIZs to more securely control the airspace around potential terrorist targets. Since then, there have been a substantial number of accidental violations of restricted airspace with over 2900 violations in the two years between June 2002 and June 2004 alone. This frequency of violations incurs security and safety risks plus economic costs. By illuminating the reasons for these violations, this study aims to take the first step towards reducing them. To provide an initial assessment of the basic characteristics of restricted airspace violations, the records for all 2910 violations from a two-year period were obtained from the FAA Flight Service Operations Support Center (FSOSC). These data indicated that most violations of restricted airspace are associated with relatively static or re-occurring restricted airspace, with half of all violations concerning just the ADIZ around Washington DC or restricted airspaces within it. This implies that most violations are not due to a TFR “popping up” in unpredictable locations.

• Record URL:
  • https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/50000/50500/50537/20050223553_2005220558.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142

  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Langley Research Center
  Hampton, VA  United States  23681
• Authors:
  • Zuschlag, Michael
• Publication Date: 2005-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 74p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pilots; Airspace (Aeronautics); Safety and security
• Uncontrolled Terms: Flight restrictions
• Geographic Terms: Washington (District of Columbia)
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Operations and Traffic Management; Security and Emergencies; I70: Traffic and Transport;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01516552
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NASA/CR—2005-213923
• Contract Numbers: NNL04AA72I
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 2014 1:32PM