April 15, 2015
With the Next Generation Air Transportation System’s satellite-based instrument approach procedures (IAPs) more than doubling the number of procedures the FAA must maintain, the agency last year proposed eliminating 736 ground-based non-directional beacon (NDB) and very high frequency, omnidirectional radio range (VOR) IAPs from the National Airspace System.
“NBAA supports the FAA’s efforts to eliminate legacy procedures that no longer add value to operators as we move toward full performance-based navigation procedures,” said Bob Lamond, NBAA director of air traffic services and infrastructure.
“That said, if any of the procedures proposed for deletion by the FAA have a unique reason for being retained, we encourage Members to comment on the proposal and provide that information,” he added.
The FAA classified redundant or underused NDB and VOR approaches using the criteria and process proposed by the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF). Working under an FAA grant, the FSF conducted surveys and research, followed by meetings with aviation organizations, including NBAA.
These meetings helped confirm survey data about approach preferences and uses, and the percentage of aircraft with approach-capable GPS equipment.
The FAA then identified the IAPs to be deleted, and requested comments from associated ATC facilities and the Department of Defense, before publishing the final list for public comment. The proposal affects 549 airports in 47 states, Washington, DC and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The affected business aviation airports include Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR), Laurence G. Hanscom Field (BED), Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) and Teterboro Airport (TEB).
No airports in Delaware, Hawaii and Rhode Island are on the list, which is posted online, along with the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). Members may submit their comments, by May 28, from this same page.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.