Temporary Flight Restrictions

Temporary Flight Restrictions are notices which restrict flight activity due activity on the surface or in the air. TFRs can be issued at any time.

Section 3-5-3 of the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) lists the most common purposes for establishing a TFR are as:

  1. Protect persons and property in the air or on the surface from an existing or imminent hazard associated with an incident on the surface.
  2. Provide a safe environment for the operation of disaster relief aircraft
  3. Prevent unsafe congestion of sightseeing aircraft above an incident or event which may generate a high degree of public interest.
  4. Protect declared national disasters for humanitarian reasons in the State of Hawaii
  5. Protect the President, Vice President or other public figures (aka "Presidential TFR")
  6. Provide a safe environment for space agency operations

A particular TFR may cover multiple areas, and have different restrictions, based on area or altitude for each area. AvnWx.com attempts to display each area (as provided by the FAA) and lists these restrictions in the details for the selected TFR. As a pilot, you are responsible for obtaining current flight restrictions from your weather briefer. This website should be used only for pre-briefing, so that you are better prepared for briefing.

Data is obtained from FAA's Graphic TFRs list. If that site is not available, a warning symbol () is displayed in the menu. The most recent data will be used, but you must be doubly sure to get the latest information from your briefer.

On the map, TFRs are displayed as dark grey boundaries with red dashes. As you move the mouse inside of an area, the boundary will turn red, and the TFR information will be displayed. If you click within a TFR boundary, the details window will display more information about the TFR(s) in the area, and the TFR number (in the window) will link to the FAA's page with full information about the TFR.

Known limitations:

  • Some TFRs are sufficiently general that they don't lend themselves to graphical depictions on the AvnWx.com maps. For example, TFR 6/4375 prohibits Unmanned Aircraft in proximity to selection locations and mobile assets, including "ground vehicle convoys" of the Department of Defense, Energy, and Homeland Security.
  • Stadium TFR (see above) includes information based on published schedules, but these may change without notice. Rain delays happen, baseball/football games can run longer than three hours. Check local listings and ask your Pre-flight Briefer.

For further information, see:

More information is available on the map's Forms and Controls, on the map's icons, and on the data sources.