Obtaining an Airspace Determination from the FAA

A wind turbine or other tall tower sponsor may need to file a notice with the FAA so that they can conduct an airspace study. This notice can be completed by filing FAA Form 7460-1, which can be submitted electronically. The site provides a Notice Criteria Tool to assist the user in determining whether they will need to file a notice. The filing requirements are set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14, Part 77. The basic requirements are as follows:

Any construction or alteration that is more than 200 ft. AGL at its site.
Any construction or alteration that exceeds an imaginary surface extending outward and upward at any of the following slopes:
- 100 to 1 for a horizontal distance of 20,000 ft. from the nearest point of the nearest runway of each airport described in paragraph (d) of this section with its longest runway more than 3,200 ft. in actual length, excluding heliports.
- 50 to 1 for a horizontal distance of 10,000 ft. from the nearest point of the nearest runway of each airport described in paragraph (d) of this section with its longest runway no more than 3,200 ft. in actual length, excluding heliports.
- 25 to 1 for a horizontal distance of 5,000 ft. from the nearest point of the nearest landing and takeoff area of each heliport described in paragraph (d) of this section.
Any highway, railroad, or other traverse way for mobile objects, of a height which, if adjusted upward 17 feet for an Interstate Highway that is part of the National System of Military and Interstate Highways where overcrossings are designed for a minimum of 17 feet vertical distance, 15 feet for any other public roadway, 10 feet or the height of the highest mobile object that would normally traverse the road, whichever is greater, for a private road, 23 feet for a railroad, and for a waterway or any other traverse way not previously mentioned, an amount equal to the height of the highest mobile object that would normally traverse it, would exceed a standard of paragraph (a) or (b) of this section.
Any construction or alteration on any of the following airports and heliports:
- A public use airport listed in the Airport/Facility Directory, Alaska Supplement, or Pacific Chart Supplement of the U.S. Government Flight Information Publications;
- A military airport under construction, or an airport under construction that will be available for public use;
- An airport operated by a Federal agency or the DOD.
- An airport or heliport with at least one FAA-approved instrument approach procedure.
You do not need to file notice for construction or alteration of:
- Any object that will be shielded by existing structures of a permanent and substantial nature or by natural terrain or topographic features of equal or greater height, and will be located in the congested area of a city, town, or settlement where the shielded structure will not adversely affect safety in air navigation;
- Any air navigation facility, airport visual approach or landing aid, aircraft arresting device, or meteorological device meeting FAA-approved siting criteria or an appropriate military service siting criteria on military airports, the location and height of which are fixed by its functional purpose;
- Any construction or alteration for which notice is required by any other FAA regulation.
- Any antenna structure of 20 feet or less in height, except one that would increase the height of another antenna structure