Welcome to the FAA's National Parks Air Tour Management Program! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working diligently, in cooperation with the National Park Service, to implement the National Park Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (the Act). The FAA has completed the final phase of the rule making action required to implement these provisions of the Act. The FAA has also developed additional guidance for commercial air tour operators that has been published in FAA Advisory Circular 136-1. This web site is provided as an element of the Federal Aviation Administration's public outreach/information effort related to the development of National Park Air Tour Management Plans. Some content referenced within this website is still under development. The referenced documents and content will be included as they become available. This website is subject to change without notice. The National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (The Act) was signed into law on April 5, 2000. The Act applies to any person who conducts a commercial air tour operation over a unit of the National Park System, over tribal lands that are within or abutting a unit of the National Park System, or any area within ½ mile outside a unit of the National Park System. The Act specifically excludes the Grand Canyon National Park, tribal lands within or abutting Grand Canyon National Park, parks or tribal lands located in the state of Alaska, and flights conducted by a commercial air tour operator over or near the Lake Mead National Recreation Area solely as a transportation route to conduct an air tour over Grand Canyon National Park. The Act expressly prohibits commercial air tour operations over the Rocky Mountain National Park, regardless of altitude. The regulations codifying the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 can be found in Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 136 (hereafter Part 136). The Act requires all persons operating or intending to operate a commercial air tour operation to apply to the FAA for authority to conduct such activity. The Act further requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), to develop an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) for each unit of the National Park System or tribal land that does not have a plan in effect at the time a person applies for authority to conduct such an operation. The ATMP will provide acceptable and effective measures to mitigate or prevent the significant adverse impacts, if any, of commercial air tour operations upon natural and cultural resources, visitor experiences, and tribal lands.

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