AIM Text
- 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.
- 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.
Source: FAA Aeronautical Information Manual · current edition · paragraph 7-5-6.
Research Notes
AIM 7-5-6 covers Avoid Flight Beneath Unmanned Balloons — operational guidance for staying clear of weather balloons and other unmanned balloons.
The hazard: Weather balloons (radiosondes) released by NWS twice daily ascend to 100,000+ feet. Sounding rockets and amateur high-altitude balloons also operate in the airspace. While most are small and rarely encountered, they can damage aircraft on direct contact.
Operational impact: Generally not a significant concern for GA — weather balloons are launched from specific NWS sites at predictable times. Pilots can avoid the immediate ascent column.
Reference: AIM 7-5-6.