Curv Aero Do Construction Cranes Need FAA Notice?
Often, yes, even when the building they're putting up doesn't. A crane works well above the finished roofline, so it can break an FAA notice surface the completed building clears with room to spare. This guide covers when a crane needs a 7460-1, how to file it, what crane determinations typically require, and the marking and lighting rules in the FAA's current advisory circular.
Updated November 7, 2026 · Based on 14 CFR 77.9 and AC 70/7460-1N (August 2026)
Notice criteria
When a crane needs a 7460-1
Cranes are tested against the same 14 CFR 77.9 criteria as permanent structures. Part 77's definitions and obstruction standards explicitly cover temporary construction, equipment and apparatus. A crane needs notice if, at its highest point during the work, it:
Tops 200 ft
Stands more than 200 ft above ground, anywhere.
Breaks a notice surface
Exceeds the 100:1 surface within 20,000 ft of a qualifying airport with a runway over 3,200 ft, the 50:1 surface within 10,000 ft of an airport with shorter runways, or the 25:1 surface within 5,000 ft of a heliport.
Works on an airport
Operates on a qualifying airport, regardless of height.
Qualifying airports include public-use airports in the Chart Supplement, military and federal airports, and any airport or heliport with an FAA instrument approach, which includes many hospital helipads. In dense cities, rooftop helipads are often what pushes a crane into notice.
Example: the building is fine, the crane isn't
A 55 ft, four-story building is going up 6,000 ft from the nearest runway end of an airport with a 9,000 ft runway. Ground and runway elevations are the same.
- At 100:1, the notice surface is 6,000 ÷ 100 = 60 ft above ground at the site.
- The finished building, at 55 ft, is 5 ft under. No notice required for the building.
- The tower crane building it has a hook height of 120 ft and a top of about 150 ft. That's 90 ft over the surface. The crane needs a 7460-1.
- A mobile crane brought in to set rooftop units, with a 140 ft boom, needs its own notice too, for the days it's on site.
- Notice surface at the site
- 60 ft
- Finished building
- 55 ft · no notice
- Tower crane
- 150 ft · files
This pattern is the most common way projects get caught out: the design team checks the building, and nobody checks the equipment until the crane permit application asks for an FAA study number.
How to file a crane
Cranes are filed through OE/AAA like any other structure, with a few crane-specific details:
Item 3 · Notice of
New Construction.
Item 4 · Duration
Temporary, with the months and days the crane will stand. Be realistic, since determinations for temporary structures are tied to the dates filed.
Item 5 · Work schedule
Erection and removal dates.
Item 6 · Type
Crane.
Coordinates
For a tower crane, the mast location. Describe the jib radius in Item 21, since the FAA needs to know the area the jib sweeps.
Item 17 · Height
The maximum height the crane will reach, rounded up, including the boom tip, jib, pendants and lights.
Item 21 · Description
Crane type and model, maximum working height, jib or boom length and swing radius, whether it will be lowered when not in use, and the associated building's study number if there is one.
For a mobile crane that will work at several spots on a site, describe the work area and the highest point any position will reach; ask the FAA specialist whether separate points are needed. If you're putting up several tower cranes, each needs its own case.
See our step-by-step 7460-1 guide for every item on the form.
What crane determinations usually say
Most cranes end with a Determination of No Hazard for a temporary structure, sometimes worded as the crane exceeding obstruction standards but not having a substantial adverse effect because it's temporary. Typical conditions include:
Marking and lighting to AC 70/7460-1, usually red obstruction lights at night and flags or orange-and-white marking by day.
Notifying the airport manager a set number of business days before erection and again at removal.
NOTAM coordination for cranes close to runways or approach paths, so pilots are warned while it's up.
Lowering the boom when not in use, or below a stated height at night, for mobile cranes near approaches.
Dates: the determination covers the period filed. If the job runs long, ask for an extension before it lapses rather than after.
A determination for a crane does not cover the permanent building. If the finished structure also meets a 77.9 criterion, it needs its own notice and determination.
For determinations issued after October 28, 2026, the marking and lighting conditions are mandatory, not advisory. The FAA's new AC 70/7460-1N aligns with the rule change that made this explicit.
Crane marking and lighting (AC 70/7460-1N)
Chapter 14 of the advisory circular covers temporary structures. The determination always controls, but these are the baseline standards it draws from:
Day marking
- Ideally aviation orange, or alternating orange and white. With flags or lights, bright contrasting colors are acceptable; avoid colors that blend into the sky or terrain.
- Flag markers at the highest point: at least 2 ft per side, solid orange, orange-and-white triangles, or a checkerboard on flags 3 ft or larger.
- Medium-intensity white lights can supplement or replace marking by day on cranes over 200 ft AGL. High-intensity lights are not recommended on temporary structures.
Night lighting
- Steady red L-810 lights at the boom or jib ends and along the top to show the crane's outline.
- On angled booms, mount lights on a pivot so they stay level as the boom moves.
- Architectural floodlights can be used in addition to, but never instead of, obstruction lights.
- If the crane is lowered below the no-effect height or removed at night, night lighting may not be required.
| Crane height (AGL) | Top | Intermediate levels |
|---|---|---|
| 150 ft or less | Two or more red L-810 (steady) or L-810 F (flashing) | None |
| Over 150 ft to 350 ft | At least one flashing red L-864 | Flashing red L-810 F, synchronized with the top light at 30 flashes per minute |
| Over 350 ft | At least one flashing red L-864 | Flashing red L-864 |
If a flashing light or a top light fails for more than 30 minutes, report it to the FAA's outage line so a NOTAM can be issued, and report again when it's fixed.
Practical tips for contractors
- 01
Check the crane during preconstruction, when the crane plan is drawn, not when the crane is booked.
- 02
Use the tallest configuration you might need. A determination for 150 ft doesn't cover 170 ft.
- 03
Check local rules. Several cities and airports near busy airspace have their own crane policies and won't issue a crane permit without an FAA determination.
- 04
Keep the determination on site. Airport staff, inspectors and the FAA may ask for it.
- 05
Call the airport before erection if the determination requires it. It usually does near a runway.
Check the crane, not just the building
The CurvAero Part 77 Report checks a coordinate at any height you enter, so you can run the finished building and each crane configuration side by side and see which ones need notice and by how many feet. If they do, we can prepare and file the crane 7460-1.
Frequently asked questions
Does the building's 7460-1 cover the crane?
No. File each crane as its own temporary structure.
My crane is only up for two days. Do I still need to file?
Yes, if it meets a criterion. Duration doesn't change the notice requirement, though it often makes a no-hazard finding easier.
What if the crane schedule changes?
Contact the FAA through OE/AAA before the determination's dates lapse. A taller crane or a different location generally needs a new filing.
Do I need to file Form 7460-2 for a crane?
Only if the determination requires supplemental notice. Read the conditions section of the determination.