U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION N 8900.488 NOTICE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Effective Date: National Policy 10/17/18 Cancellation Date: 10/17/19 SUBJ: Policy Updates for Issuing a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization for an Aviation Event 1. Purpose of This Notice. This notice provides a means to make the revised policy in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 8900.1, Volume 3, Chapter 6, Issue a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization for an Aviation Event, Sections 1 and 3, available to the public and the FAA in advance of the effective date and allows the existing policy in Volume 3, Chapter 6, Section 1, Issue a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization for an Aviation Event, to remain in effect until the end of the 2018 aviation event season. This allows for development and conduct of training, revised procedures, and planning in advance of the 2019 aviation event season and policy effective date of January 1, 2019. This notice also provides the following: • The revised policy established in Order 8900.1 Volume 3, Chapter 6, Section 1 is used to determine whether to issue FAA Form 7711-1, Certificate of Waiver or Authorization, to an applicant for an aviation event (see Appendix A). • The new policy section established in Order 8900.1 Volume 3, Chapter 6, Section 3, Issue a Letter of Authorization for General Aviation and Commercial Division Maneuvers Packages Approval/Acceptance Process, is used to determine whether to issue an FAA letter of authorization (LOA) to an applicant who is required to complete the General Aviation and Commercial Division maneuvers packages approval/acceptance process (see Appendix B). 2. Audience. The primary audience for this notice is Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) aviation safety inspectors (ASI) and aviation safety technicians. The secondary audience includes Flight Standards divisions and branches. 3. Where You Can Find This Notice. You can find this notice on the MyFAA employee website at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices. Inspectors can access this notice through the Flight Standards Information Management System (FSIMS) at http://fsims.avs.faa.gov. Operators can find this notice on the FAA’s website at http://fsims.faa.gov. This notice is available to the public at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices. 4. Effective Date. The policy contained in this notice will be effective on January 1, 2019. Distribution: Electronic Only Initiated By: AFS-800 10/17/18 N 8900.488 5. Background. a. The Flight Standards Service has the authority to grant or deny waivers of the regulations listed in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 91, § 91.905; part 107, § 107.205; and part 105 for aviation events in accordance with Order 8900.1. The FSDO that has responsibility for aviation events conducted at the proposed site processes requests for Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (CoW/A). Flight Standards coordinates with appropriate and jurisdictional FAA lines of business (LOB), to include the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST), the Air Traffic Organization (ATO), the Office of Airports (ARP), and the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Integration Office (AUS) associated with an aviation event requiring a Certificate of Authorization (CoA) for a rocket launch or UAS demo, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) or Class D Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and airspace coordination, or for emergency response planning and ground operation plans at an airport. b. An FAA CoW/A issued for an aviation event in the United States allows for temporary access to airspace that is protected and, through risk mitigations specifically addressing the regulations waived or authorized, significantly increases the level of safety for the public attending aviation events and those performers/participants authorized under the CoW/A. 6. Guidance. The revised Order 8900.1 Volume 3, Chapter 6, Sections 1 and 3 state the equivalent (or higher) level of safety that can be achieved using these processes to issue a CoW/A or an FAA LOA for an aviation event (see Appendices A and B). 7. Action. a. CoW/A Issuance. An applicant is eligible to be issued an FAA CoW/A for an aviation event, issued by the FSDO that has responsibility for aviation events conducted at the proposed site, when an FAA Form 7711-2, Application for Certificate of Waiver or Authorization, for an aviation event is submitted in accordance with this notice and the attached policy effective January 1, 2019, established in Order 8900.1 Volume 3, Chapter 6, Section 1. (1) The objective of this task is to determine whether to issue FAA Form 7711-1 to an applicant for an aviation event. (2) Completion of this task results in the issuance of a CoW or CoA, or the disapproval of FAA Form 7711-2. b. LOA Issuance. An applicant who is required to complete the General Aviation and Commercial Division maneuvers packages approval/acceptance process for an aviation event is eligible to be issued an FAA LOA for the maneuvers packages approval/acceptance process, issued by the General Aviation and Commercial Division and the National Aviation Events Specialist (NAES) and supporting Aviation Events Specialist(s) (AES) responsible for conducting this task. This task applies to an applicant who is civil or military and whose aircraft are registered in the United States or a foreign country. The application is submitted in accordance with this notice and the attached policy effective January 1, 2019, established in Order 8900.1 Volume 3, Chapter 6, Section 3. 2 10/17/18 N 8900.488 (1) The objective of this task is to determine whether to issue an FAA LOA for General Aviation and Commercial Division maneuvers packages approval/acceptance to an applicant. (2) Completion of this task results in the issuance of an FAA LOA or the disapproval of the application. 8. Disposition. At the conclusion of the 2018 aviation event season and prior to January 1, 2019, we will incorporate the information in this notice into Order 8900.1 Volume 3, Chapter 6, Sections 1 and 3. Direct questions concerning the information in this notice to the General Aviation Operations Branch (AFS-830) National Aviation Events Specialist (NAES), Sue Gardner, at 202-267-0855 or email [email protected]. Rick Domingo Executive Director, Flight Standards Service 3 10/17/18 N 8900.488 Appendix A Appendix A. Order 8900.1 Volume 3, Chapter 6, Section 1 Revision VOLUME 3 GENERAL TECHNICAL ADMINISTRATION CHAPTER 6 ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF WAIVER OR AUTHORIZATION FOR AN AVIATION EVENT Section 1 Issue a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization for an Aviation Event 3-141 PROGRAM TRACKING AND REPORTING SUBSYSTEM (PTRS) ACTIVITY CODES. A. Issue Certificate of Authorization (CoA). Enter “1220” in the “Activity Code” field of the PTRS record and enter “PA” in the “National Use” field if the CoA was issued for parachute demo and “RL” for rocket launch. B. Issue Certificate of Waiver (CoW). Enter “1230” in the “Activity Code” field, and in the “National Use” field of the PTRS record, enter “BE” for balloon event, “AS” for air show, “AR-XC” for a cross-country air race or “AR-CC” for closed-course air race, “UAS” for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) demonstrations, “FO-M” for Flyover military. NOTE: This chapter does not address or include aerobatic competitions or aerobatic practice areas (APA) (see Volume 3, Chapters 5 and 9). Aerobatic competitions are typically conducted in an exclusive environment; the general public is not invited. C. Complete DD Form 2535, Request for Military Aerial Support. Enter “1231” in the “Activity Code” field and enter “CoW/AI” for Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (CoW/A) issued or “NCoW/A” for no CoW/A issued, entered into the “National Use” field, and note in comments if “unsatisfactory,” “satisfactory,” or “conditional satisfactory,” as appropriate. NOTE: The reference to “military” includes the following U.S. Armed Forces branches: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. D. Complete Aviation Event Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) Checklist. The inspector-in-charge (IIC) must complete the applicable sections of the Aviation Event FSDO Checklist (available on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Aviation Events Program website at https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/airshow/) as you progress through the issuance of a CoW or CoA process. When each portion of the checklist is completed, place in the FSDO file. When you finish conducting the surveillance of the aviation event you will complete the remainder of the checklist and return it to the FSDO file (see Figure 3-205, Sample Aviation Event FSDO Checklist). 3-142 OBJECTIVE. A. Task. This section’s task is to determine whether to issue FAA Form 7711-1, Certificate of Waiver or Authorization, to an applicant for an aviation event. Completion of this task results in the issuance of a CoW or CoA or the disapproval of FAA Form 7711-2, A-1 10/17/18 N 8900.488 Appendix A Application for Certificate of Waiver or Authorization. FAA Form 7711-2 and FAA Form 7711-1 are multipurpose forms. It should be noted that for aviation events a CoW and a CoA (FAA Forms 7711-2 and 7711-1) should be processed independently of one another, not combined. See the flowchart below (Figure 3-23, CoW/A Issuance and Oversight Procedures Flowchart) for the issuance of a CoW/A and oversight procedures. NOTE: Appropriate CoW/As or letters of authorization (LOA) in the Web-based Operations Safety System (WebOPSS) may be used in lieu of FAA Form 7711-1. See subparagraph 3-158G for more information. NOTE: See Figure 3-25, Timelines and Coordination for an Application for Certificate of Waiver or Authorization, for more information.