The FAA today published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing that VFR pilots operating within 100 nautical miles of the Washington, DC VHF omni-directional range/ distance measuring equipment (DCA VOR/DME) be required to obtain special awareness training. According to the FAA, the NPRM is intended “to reduce the number of unauthorized flights into the airspace of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area ADIZ and FRZ through education of the pilot community.”
Under the NPRM, a new FAR Section 91.161 would be added requiring that any person who flies an aircraft under VFR within a radius of 100 nautical miles of the DCA VOR/DME receive the special awareness training before operating in that area. This requirement would apply to any person operating an aircraft under VFR within a 100-nautical mile radius of the DCA VOR/DME regardless of the type of operation (e.g. Part 91, 125, 135 etc.), the type of pilot certificate held (e.g., sport, recreational, student, private, commercial or foreign) or where the flight originated. This requirement would not apply to IFR operations in that area, or if an emergency is declared by a pilot, as described under FAR 91.3(b), or if a failure of two-way radio communications is experienced when operating under IFR as described under FAR 91.185. Additionally, persons flying an aircraft in a U.S. Department of Defense/U.S. military or law enforcement operation, or for an approved aeromedical operation would be exempt from this requirement while engaged in those operations.
The NPRM also discusses procedures for completing the training, which is already available on the FAA’s web site and is free. The special awareness training would be a “one time only” requirement. The training focuses on the procedures for flying in and around the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ).
Comments on this NPRM must be received by September 5, 2006.
