FAA officials says they expect more than 2,500 additional takeoffs and landings — and nearly 1,300 additional aircraft — at South Florida airports this weekend for Super Bowl LIV, slated for Feb. 2, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Special procedures, including Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) and a No Drone Zone will limit flights around Hard Rock Stadium before, during, and after the game.
The game day TFR will go into effect at approximately 5:30 p.m. EST. It will cover a 30-nautical mile ring, centered over the stadium and from the ground up to 18,000′ in altitude, before expiring at approximately 11:59 p.m. EST. Drones are also prohibited inside the TFR.
The FAA has established additional TFRs to restrict drone flights for roughly one nautical mile around the Miami Beach Convention Center and Bayfront Park up to an altitude of 2,000′ from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1 during daytime hours.
Pilots must be aware of the latest TFRs and check Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) before flying, FAA officials caution. Pilots and drone operators who enter the TFRs without permission could face civil penalties that exceed $30,000 and potential criminal prosecution for flying drones in the TFR. The FAA encourages drone operators to check all notices to determine where drones may fly.
The TFR will not affect regularly scheduled commercial flights at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL). Emergency, medical, public safety and military operations may fly in the TFR while it is in place, in coordination with air traffic control, FAA officials note.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) enforces TFRs in real time, but the FAA may also take enforcement action against drone or aircraft pilots who violate the TFR, agency officials warn.