FAA announces flight changes during Super Bowl 50
The Federal Aviation Administration says it is expecting 1,000-1,200 more aircraft to fly into the Bay Area for Super Bowl 50. The FAA has been preparing for it for over a year, and some of their plans include airports on the Central Coast.
Temporary flight restrictions will be in place on Feb. 7 from 2 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. The restricted airspace is from the ground up to 18,000 feet with a 10-mile radius centered on Levi’s Stadium. General aviation aircraft, media, blimps and drones are prohibited from flying in that radius. Commercial airlines as well as approved law enforcement and air ambulance operators are exempt.
Between 10 and 32 nautical miles of the stadium, general aviation aircraft can be operated, but with restrictions. Pilots must file flight plans, use transponders and be in two-way communication with air traffic controllers.
“The FAA has a responsibility to take care of the safety of air travel,” said Chris Gularte, owner and director of operations for Specialized Helicopters. “And it’s a tough one when the Super Bowl comes to town.”
Specialized Helicopters will be affected by the restrictions. It is based out of Watsonville Municipal Airport, which is within the second ring of security.
The FAA is also instituting a reservation system to stagger arrivals and departures. Since Jan. 11, pilots have been able to book the time and airport they want to fly into. The reservation system is in effect from Feb. 4-8.
“There’s 15 airports that are part of the reservation system,” said Ian Gregor with the FAA. “We think Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose are able to accommodate a total of about 700 aircraft, and the balance will be spread among other airports.”
Those other airports include Monterey, Watsonville and Salinas. Brett Godown, the airport manager at Salinas Municipal Airport, says they are expecting anywhere between 30 and 50 jets for Super Bowl 50.
“This is a great boost for the airport,” said Godown. “Bring business in to our local operator, Jet West, who handles this type of traffic. It’s also a great boost for the economy, because everyone coming to this event will wind up getting a hotel or rental car and those tax dollars go straight back into the community.”
And while not everyone may be excited about crowded airports, it’s only temporary.
“You just have to look at it from the bigger picture standpoint — it really is just one day, or one weekend and it’s kind of a positive overall,” Gularte said.
