FAA Airspace and OE/AAA Consulting for Commercial Development

Maximum defensible height. Minimum airspace risk.

Airspace Strategy Advisors tells developers, industrial REITs, land-use attorneys and energy companies how tall they can build on a site before they commit capital, then manages the FAA filing through to a determination.

How airspace sets a building's maximum height A cross-section showing a runway, a Part 77 airspace surface sloping upward from the runway end, and a building whose height stays just below that surface. A taller version of the building, shown dashed, would penetrate the surface. Runway Part 77 surface Taller design penetrates the surface Maximum defensible height
Illustrative cross-section, not to scale.

Airspace belongs in due diligence

Any structure taller than 200 feet, and many shorter ones near airports and heliports, must be reported to the FAA under 14 CFR Part 77. The FAA reviews them through its Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA) process. The outcome can cap a building's height, add marking and lighting requirements, or delay construction.

Most project teams learn this late, after the land is under contract or the design is set. Airspace Strategy Advisors brings the answer to the front of the deal, while it can still shape price, design and schedule.

Airspace services

Maximum Building Height Analysis

Find out how tall you can build under 14 CFR Part 77 before you acquire or design a site.

FAA Form 7460-1 Filing

Accurate filings for buildings, cranes, towers and energy structures, managed through the OE/AAA system to a determination.

Notice of Preliminary Findings Response

A path toward a Determination of No Hazard when the FAA's initial study raises concerns.

See how the FAA obstruction evaluation (OE/AAA) process works

Who we serve

Commercial developers
Confirm buildable height early, and keep cranes and construction on schedule.
Industrial REITs
Add airspace to the pre-acquisition due diligence checklist, alongside environmental, title and survey.
Land-use attorneys
An experienced resource on the FAA process for zoning and development matters.
Energy companies
Airspace siting support for wind, solar, transmission and battery storage projects.

Experience from inside the process

Airspace Strategy Advisors is led by William Wills, a former FAA Obstruction Evaluation Specialist with 32 years in federal aviation. Before evaluating proposed structures for the FAA, he spent 28 years as a military, DoD and FAA air traffic controller, including service as a Traffic Management Coordinator overseeing 2.3 million annual operations.

Veteran-owned.

About William Wills

  • 32 yearsin federal aviation
  • 4 yearsas an FAA Obstruction Evaluation Specialist
  • 2.3 millionannual operations overseen as a Traffic Management Coordinator

Know your height before you commit

Share the site address and a few project details, and we'll talk through what the FAA review is likely to involve.