Flights Over National Parks

AIM ¶ 7-5-6 — Flights Over National Parks

AIM 7-5-6: 2,000 ft minimum altitude over National Parks, wildlife refuges, and Forest Service wilderness areas. Landing and airdrop rules for pilots.

In Plain English

AIM 7-5-6 covers operations over charted U.S. wildlife refuges, parks, and Forest Service areas. Two main points to remember:

Landing is prohibited on lands or waters managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or U.S. Forest Service without agency authorization. Exceptions: emergencies beyond your control, officially designated landing sites, or approved Federal Government business.
Pilots are requested to maintain at least 2,000 feet AGL over National Parks, Monuments, Seashores, Lakeshores, Recreation Areas, Scenic Riverways, National Wildlife Refuges, Big Game Refuges, Game/Wildlife Ranges, and Forest Service Wilderness and Primitive areas.

Per AC 91-36, "surface" means the highest terrain within 2,000 feet laterally of your route, or the uppermost rim of a canyon or valley — important when flying near places like the Grand Canyon or Yosemite.

Airdrops of persons, cargo, or objects over these lands are also prohibited without agency authorization, except for emergencies involving safety of human life or serious property loss.

Note that the 2,000-foot altitude is a recommended practice (advisory), but federal statutes impose mandatory altitude and flight restrictions over specific charted areas (Boundary Waters, Haleakala, Yosemite, Grand Canyon). Always check the Sectional Chart for these designated areas before flight.

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AIM Source Text

FAA AIM ¶ 7-5-6

7-5-6. 7-5-6. Flights Over Charted U.S. Wildlife Refuges, Parks, and Forest Service Areas The landing of aircraft is prohibited on lands or waters administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or U.S. Forest Service without authorization from the respective agency. Exceptions include: When forced to land due to an emergency beyond the control of the operator; At officially designated landing sites; or An approved official business of the Federal Government. Pilots are requested to maintain a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet above the surface of the following: National Parks, Monuments, Seashores, Lakeshores, Recreation Areas and Scenic Riverways administered by the National Park Service, National Wildlife Refuges, Big Game Refuges, Game Ranges and Wildlife Ranges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wilderness and Primitive areas administered by the U.S. Forest Service. NOTE- FAA Advisory Circular AC 91-36, Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Flight Near Noise‐Sensitive Areas, defines the surface of a national park area (including parks, forests, primitive areas, wilderness areas, recreational areas, national seashores, national monuments, national lakeshores, and national wildlife refuge and range areas) as: the highest terrain within 2,000 feet laterally of the route of flight, or the upper‐most rim of a canyon or valley. Federal statutes prohibit certain types of flight activity and/or provide altitude restrictions over designated U.S. Wildlife Refuges, Parks, and Forest Service Areas. These designated areas, for example: Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Areas, Minnesota; Haleakala National Park, Hawaii; Yosemite National Park, California; and Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, are charted on Sectional Charts. Federal regulations also prohibit airdrops by parachute or other means of persons, cargo, or objects from aircraft on lands administered by the three agencies without authorization from the respective agency. Exceptions include: Emergencies involving the safety of human life; or Threat of serious property loss. Previous | Top | Next AIM | ATPUBS | FAA | Send your comments regarding this website.

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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask

Q1What minimum altitude is requested when flying over National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and Forest Service Wilderness areas?

Per AIM 7-5-6, pilots are requested to maintain a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet above the surface of these areas. This is a recommended practice, not a regulation, though some specific areas have statutory altitude restrictions charted on Sectional Charts.

Q2How is 'surface' defined when applying the 2,000-foot recommendation over a national park?

Per AIM 7-5-6 and AC 91-36, the surface is defined as the highest terrain within 2,000 feet laterally of the route of flight, or the uppermost rim of a canyon or valley — not simply the elevation directly below the aircraft.

Q3Under what conditions may you land on lands administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or U.S. Forest Service?

Per AIM 7-5-6, landing is prohibited without authorization from the respective agency, with three exceptions: an emergency beyond the operator's control, an officially designated landing site, or approved official Federal Government business.

Related Paragraphs in AIM Chapter 7

¶ 7-5-1

Migratory Bird Activity

¶ 7-5-2

Bird Strike Risk Reduction

¶ 7-5-3

Reporting Bird Strikes

¶ 7-5-4

Bird Strike Reporting

¶ 7-5-5

Wildlife Hazard Advisories