Among the clouds there are many invisible boundaries that pilots must adhere to. Established for security concerns, special events, or even defining the rules of flight for airspace surrounding an airport, these boundaries are important to know about before each flight. One of the most widely known types of airspace is the Special Flight Rules Area, or SFRA, around the nation’s capital of Washington D.C.
The D.C. Special Flight Rules Area was developed in response to the attacks on September 11th and envelops the area surrounding Washington DC and extends outward and includes major airports such as Baltimore and Washington Dulles. In order to fly within this region, special training of SFRA procedures is required first.
Recently, our friend and customer over at Art’s Aviation Website discovered the FAA made some changes to the SFRA required course and the majority of the pilot population has yet to discover this update.
When arriving at the old FAA Safety course location online the following notice is posted:
NOTICE: Effective June 15, 2014, this course no longer fulfills the regulatory requirement for special awareness training on the Washington DC Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) for pilots flying under VFR within 60 nm of the DCA VOR/DME. The current on-line course that meets the special awareness training requirements on the Washing DC Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) is ALC-405: DC Special Flight Rules Area Revised 06-05-2014
There is now a new course published that contains NOTAM’d (notice to airman) changes to include the Leesburg Maneuvering area updates. The updated course can be completed here: http://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/CourseLanding.aspx?cID=405.
All graphics and a helpful kneeboard checklist included in this updated course can be downloaded on Art’s Aviation Website in his SFRA section.
No worries, if you have completed the FAA Safety SFRA course previously, you do not need to re-take it. However, it is always beneficial to brush up on the regulations of a very stringent area.
As noted on the updated course website:
“Most of what you already know about operating in the DC ADIZ and DC FRZ applies to the DC SFRA. If you completed an earlier version of this course, you do not need to take it again. Even so, it is a good idea to review this material periodically to refresh your understanding. In addition, always check Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) before every flight for possible changes.”
The agents at Aviation Insurance Resources (AIR) are also pilots that fly often in and in the vicinity of the Washington DC airspace. We believe it is our duty to notify our customers and pilot friends about important changes to the airspace in our area to reduce their chances of an unintentional infraction.
To contact Aviation Insurance Resources to receive an aircraft insurance quote at the best rate and broadest coverage available call 877-247-7767. You can also visit AIR-PROS.com today to fill out an online application. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.
