Summertime in South Florida means more to business aviation operators than sunny skies and warm sea breezes, and this season may be the most challenging ever for traveling to the Sunshine State.
“We can expect 2024 to potentially be the busiest year ever for Jacksonville Center (ZJX),” said Heidi Williams, NBAA senior director for air traffic services and infrastructure. “Business aviation activity has remained steady post-COVID, but now we’re seeing airline activity return as well.”
That creates a “funnel effect” on even the best days, she continued, when flying through the northern and central portions of the state. Convective weather, military flight activity and a four-fold increase in commercial space activity along the Space Coast may constrain available airspace even further.
Dean Snell, manager of NBAA Air Traffic Services at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), encourages operators to utilize available tools to determine the best route to their destination.
“You can think of Florida in terms of knowing which ‘highways’ will take you in or out of the state,” Snell said. “Find the right highway and you can drastically reduce the heaviest of delays by avoiding the bulk of traffic.”
WATRS Routes
For example, business aviation operators along the Eastern Seaboard may file for WATRS routes that move traffic to and from South Florida away from land and deep over the Atlantic. These routes may be the difference between a relatively uneventful trip to your destination versus re-routes, holds and diversions.
Similar routes over the Gulf of Mexico may take flights arriving from the west a bit out of the way but still save time overall, though Snell noted options are limited due to lack of radar coverage the farther south you go.
“We expect 2024 to potentially be the busiest year ever for Jacksonville Center (ZJX). ”
HEIDI WILLIAMS, NBAA Senior Director for Air Traffic Services and Infrastructure
Walter Williams, national operations manager at FAA ATCSCC, also recommends that business aviation flight crews utilize the resources available at www.fly.faa.gov when planning trips to Florida.
“From this website, you can see the complete picture of all the airspace flow programs (AFPs) and ground delays or stops in effect,” he said, “along with the TMIs (traffic management initiatives) we’re using to get planes through Central and South Florida.”
Traffic Flow Management Convective Forecast
Pilots may also utilize the Traffic Flow Management Convective Forecast, or TCF. Published by the National Weather Service’s Aviation Weather Center, the TCF displays the areas and tops for probable thunderstorm activity at four-, six- and eight-hour intervals.
“Knowing where the convection is, and where it’s likely to be, is so important,” Snell explained. “It provides a heads-up on which routes will probably be cut off, potentially saving you a lot of time in avoiding re-routes.”
Future initiatives will include airspace modifications in several terminal environments in Florida. “Our industry is also working actively to develop a Florida playbook with a database for coded departure routes (CDRs) that are ready to use to keep traffic moving,” NBAA’s Williams added.
“We’re always striving at the ATCSCC for an even safer and more efficient national airspace system,” concluded Williams at the FAA. “We hold our roles as public servants to the flying community close to our hearts.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.