Commercial Routes for the Grand Canyon National Park

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On April 4, 2000, the FAA issued a Notice of Availability of commercial routes in the Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) setting forth new routes available for GCNP. Additionally, on that same day, the FAA published a final rule modifying the airspace of the SFRA. The new routes and the Airspace final rule are interrelated. On July 31, 2000, the United States Air Tour Association and seven air tour operators in GCNP requested a stay of the compliance date for the airspace final rule from the FAA. On October 11, 2000, the FAA published a denial of the stay request. On October 25, 2000, the Air Tour Providers filed with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals a Motion for Stay and Emergency Relief Pending Review of an Agency Order. On November 2, 2000, the FAA filed with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals its Opposition to Petitioners' Motion for Stay Pending Review and Notification of Administrative Stay of Route and Airspace Rules. This document delays the effective date of the Route system until December 28, 2000 so that the FAA may investigate some new safety issues just raised by the Air Tour Providers.