FAA Gears Up for Super Bowl Traffic

With the slate of National Football League playoff matchups now whittled to four teams, the eyes of the business aviation industry are turning to the San Francisco Bay area, which will be the host of Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8. The final game is once again expected to be a magnet for private aviation for the week leading up to it.

Due to the high volume of anticipated traffic, the FAA has established a slot-reservation system for most general aviation arrivals and departures (including drop and goes) from Wednesday, February 4 through Monday, February 9 at 17 airports in the area. According to NBAA’s air traffic services, there will be exceptions for regularly scheduled carriers and air-taxi operations.

Specified airports include San Francisco International (KSFO), Oakland San Francisco Bay (KOAK); Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International (KSJC), Monterey Regional (KMRY); Salinas Municipal (KSNS); Hayward Executive (KHWD); San Carlos (KSQL); Palo Alto (KPAO); Moffett Federal (KNUQ); Reid-Hillview (KRHV); Stockton Metro (KSCK); Watsonville Municipal (KWVI); Napa County (KAPC); Buchanan Field (KCCR); Livermore Municipal (KLVK); Hollister Municipal (KCVH); and Half Moon Bay (KHAF).

At those airports, each FBO will be given an allocation of slots based on the FAA’s estimated hourly arrival and departure rates, and service providers such as Signature Aviation—which has facilities at four of the affected airports—are advising customers to make their reservations as soon as possible. Due to parking availability, some airports may have only drop-and-go options available once their overnight parking reaches capacity. Those operations will still require reservations for both their inbound and outbound legs.

In addition, the FAA warned that volume in the airspace could place a strain on air traffic control, leading to implementation of other measures such as ground-delay programs, airspace-flow programs, ground stops, airborne holding, and miles-in-trail/minutes-in-trail restrictions.

As usual, the agency will impose TFRs on the day of the big game, with a notam published five to seven days beforehand. A 10-nm exclusion zone, centered on Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, will last from several hours before the start of the contest until one hour after its scheduled conclusion.