Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum in Domestic United States Airspace

This final rule permits the initiation of Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) flights in the airspace over the contiguous 48 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, Alaska, that portion of the Gulf of Mexico where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides air traffic services, the San Juan Flight Information Region (FIR), and the airspace between Florida and the San Juan FIR. The RVSM program allows the use of 1,000-foot vertical separation at certain altitudes between aircraft that meet stringent altimeter and autopilot performance requirements. This rule also requires any aircraft that is equipped with Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System version II (TCAS II) and flown in RVSM airspace to incorporate a version of TCAS II software that is compatible with RVSM operations. The FAA is taking this action to assist aircraft operators to save fuel and time, to enhance air traffic control flexibility, and to enhance airspace capacity.