General Aviation Security - Airspace Restrictions

National Capital Region (NCR)

The National Capital Region (NCR) that surrounds Washington D.C., is protected by a special temporary Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and an associated smaller Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) that overlay strategically sensitive locations. Pilots who enter these areas without authorization will be illuminated by a flashing Visual Warming System laser beam, intercepted by law enforcement or military aircraft, escorted to a landing at the nearest airport, and thoroughly interrogated and potentially fined and prosecuted by security officials.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) proudly sponsors this website. The Association has developed a position paper on the subject of the Washington, D.C., ADIZ. Please click here to read AOPA’s views on this important subject.

NCR Outer Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)
This 3,000-square-mile area surrounds Washington, D.C.’s three major airports. The handling of flights heading toward or entering the ADIZ varies depending on the existing threat level, but generally aircraft operating within the ADIZ are required to file a flight plan, be in continuous communication with air traffic control, and have a functioning transponder that transmits a uniquely identifiable code.

NCR Inner Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ)
Within the approximate center of the NCR ADIZ and extending for approximately 15 miles around the Washington Monument is the Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ). Additional operating requirements apply to General Aviation aircraft operating within the FRZ, including applying for and receiving special TSA and FAA waivers which are granted only after the pilot passes a significant background check and undergoes specialized training.

Watch the video:
NCR Visual Warning System in use

NCR Visual Warning System (VWS)
The NCR’s Visual Warning System (VWS) uses eye-safe red and green laser beams to warn pilots that they are flying without approval in the ADIZ or FRZ. These conspicuous lights provide a clear warning to pilots that they must take immediate action to contact air traffic control and exit the ADIZ or FRZ in a direction headed away from the NCR. Only aircraft that are unauthorized or unidentified and that are unresponsive to radio communications from air traffic control are illuminated by the VWS.

NCR Coordination Center
A special National Capital Region Coordination Center (NCRCC) operates in the Washington, D.C., area to enhance airspace security for the National Capital Region. Participants in the NCRCC include U.S. Customs, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration, Secret Service, Department of Defense, U.S. Park Police, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Capitol Police, and local law enforcement agencies.

National Special Security Events

Events of national interest are sometimes designated as a National Special Security Event (NSSE) by the president. A number of factors are taken into consideration when designating an event as a NSSE, including anticipated attendance by dignitaries, the size of the event, and the significance of the event. During an NSSE, the Secret Service assumes its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan and federal resources are deployed to maintain the level of security needed for the event and the area. This may include the implementation of a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR). Examples of past NSSEs include the Republican and Democratic national conventions, presidential inaugurations, the United Nations General Assembly, the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and the Super Bowl.

Border Crossing Flights

All border crossing flights, either into or out of the United States, must first be identified before they can transit U.S. airspace or the Contiguous U.S. ADIZ. They must file a special flight plan with the FAA and strictly comply with the terms of that flight plan, including such factors as the timing and route of their flight within very narrow tolerances. For the majority of operations, two-way radio communication is required, as is a radar beacon transponder with altitude-reporting capability that must be transmitting a unique assigned code. Even then, aircraft entering or leaving the United States may be intercepted by military fighters or U.S. Customs aircraft for positive visual identification.

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