Federal Aviation Administration to Issue New Rules Governing Airspace Over the Hudson River

The FAA said it will divide the airspace above the Hudson into clear corridors that will separate aircraft flying over the river from those operating to and from local heliports or seaplane bases.

For the first time, the agency will enforce a consistent standard that aircraft operating above 1,300 feet will be under the direction of air-traffic controllers. In the past, the altitude at which aircraft came under air-traffic control varied from place to place along the river between roughly the George Washington Bridge at the northern end of Manhattan and Governors Island at the southern end.

By Nov. 19, the FAA said, aircraft operating below 1,300 feet in this area will have to use a common radio frequency and announce their presence and intended flight path to other pilots. Previously, use of a common frequency was voluntary.