FAA Notice of Preliminary Findings (NPF)

What is a Notice of Preliminary Findings (NPF)?

NPF is a determination made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stating that the proposed construction reported on FAA Form 7460-1 (Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration) is presumed to be an object that will affect navigable airspace.

The NPF outlines the reason for the determination, offers a resolution, and provides response time limits.

Some of the reasons cited by the FAA for the issuance of an NPF are that the structure height exceeds a FAR Part 77 obstruction standard and will penetrate an airport’s imaginary surfaces, that the structure interferes with a terminal flight procedure, or that the design interferes with a navigational aid, surveillance system, communications facility or has RF energy interference issues.

Suppose the offered resolution for the NPF is not tenable for the sponsor. In that case, options available may include; terminating the Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration and to re-file with different structure data such as height and location or attempting to mitigate the offered resolution with the FAA.

The difficulty for the FAA specialist issuing the NPF is that often the existing database is incomplete and they have not considered mitigating factors such as the effects of existing structures, terrain, or other pertinent issues. 

Once a sponsor has received an NPF, it would be prudent to engage an aviation consultant who has extensive expertise in developing innovative and workable solutions that will either allow them to construct their structure as planned or will mitigate the FAA’s issues resulting in a favorable determination.

Williams Aviation Consultants Inc. has been very successful in receiving a favorable determination from the FAA for our clients that had previously received a Notice of Preliminary Findings.