HomeMy WebLinkAboutClassification of Galesburg (GBG) Airport as a Regional AirportFrom: Hussain, Azra (FAA) <azra.hussain@faa.gov>
Sent: Monday, May 6, 2024 2:43 PM
To: MIchael Doi (mdoi@ci.galesburg.il.us) <mdoi@ci.galesburg.il.us>
Cc: Esquivel, Rob (FAA) <Rob.Esquivel@faa.gov>; Wilson, Gary D (FAA)
<Gary.D.Wilson@faa.gov>; Aaron Repp <aaron.repp@gmail.com>; Oliver, Chad (FAA)
<Chad.Oliver@faa.gov>; Phillip Wolford <phillipw@jetairinc.com>; Jeffrey Olson
<JOlson@hanson-inc.com>; Scott, Martin A (FAA) <Martin.A.Scott@faa.gov>
Subject: FW: Classification of Galesburg (GBG) Airport as a Regional Airport
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Hi Michael,
Please see the following responses to your questions:
//All data we use in the NPIAS is publicly available. Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) flights are
captured in the FAA TFMSC (https://aspm.faa.gov) . IFR flights are counted as follows:
1. The system only counts flights that actually operate (i.e., excluding flight plans that are filed
but never executed); and
2. Flight plans that are cancelled after take-off are still tallied as a departure in the IFR
operations database;
The FAA does not count military operations, as the data cannot be used in for FAA
planning or AIP eligibility determinations.
1. What defines an IFR Operation for the purposes of meeting the criteria of a
Regional Airport?
Response:
A civil aircraft operation (arrival or departure) conducted under Instrument Flight
Rules with a flight plan.
2. Are the number of IFR Operations based off of the number of aircraft departing
GBG on a filed IFR flight plan OR arriving on a filed IFR flight plan OR both
arrivals and departures filed on an IFR flight plan?
Response:
All of the above. See also #1 and #3.
3. Does an aircraft arriving at GBG on a filed IFR flight plan count as 1 operation
and the subsequent departure of the same aircraft on a filed IFR flight plan count
as a second operation?.
Response:
Yes, that is two IFR operations
4. If an aircraft files an IFR flight plan to GBG, departs under IFR, but cancels the
IFR flight plan mid flight due to improving weather, does that operation count as
an IFR operation to GBG?
Response:
It depends on how far out the cancellation occurs. However, the arrival to the
airport would be as a VFR operation.
5. Are the number of IFR Operations based on the number of completed instrument
approaches?
Response:
No, just the final arrival/landing to the airport by that aircraft.
6. If the number IFR Operations are based on the number of instrument
approaches; would Visual Approaches count towards that total?
Response:
A visual approach on an IFR flight plan is counted, as its still conducted under an
IFR clearance.
Would Practice Approaches completed under VFR conditions with the guidance
of Air Traffic Control count towards that total?
Response:
No, as its not conducted under an IFR flight plan.
7. How are the number of IFR Operations counted? Are they being counted by
computer software or by Air Traffic Control?
Response:
Computer software.
Regards,
Azra
Azra Hussain, PE
Program Manager CHI-605
FAA Airports
Chicago Airports District Office
2300 E Devon Ave, Ste 312
Des Plaines, IL 60018
T 847 294 7340
C 317 238 9745
F 847 294 7046
E azra.hussain@faa.gov
Advancing the safest, most efficient airport system in the world
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law FAQs | Federal Aviation Administration (faa.gov)
Instrument Flight Procedures Information Gateway (faa.gov)
From: Jeffrey Olson <JOlson@hanson-inc.com>
Date: Mon, May 6, 2024 at 3:16 PM
Subject: RE: Classification of Galesburg (GBG) Airport as a Regional Airport
To: Hussain, Azra (FAA) <azra.hussain@faa.gov>, MIchael Doi
(mdoi@ci.galesburg.il.us) <mdoi@ci.galesburg.il.us>
Cc: Esquivel, Rob (FAA) <Rob.Esquivel@faa.gov>, Wilson, Gary D (FAA)
<Gary.D.Wilson@faa.gov>, Aaron Repp <aaron.repp@gmail.com>, Oliver, Chad (FAA)
<Chad.Oliver@faa.gov>, Phillip Wolford <phillipw@jetairinc.com>, Scott, Martin A
(FAA) <Martin.A.Scott@faa.gov>
Azra, thank you so much for tracking these responses down. I’m sure it was a collective
effort to assemble, but very important for Galesburg and airports like them.
In the case of Galesburg, they certainly have all of the activity to be a regional airport, but
something seemed to not add up. They have much more corporate and instrument activity
than some of their near neighbors who have been classified as regional in the NPIAS.
I suspect is item number 4. You have very clearly answered these questions, but I think we
need to drill down on item 4 because I think that is the problem.
How far out does a cancelled flight plan not get counted? Or asked another way, what
radius from the airport does the flight plan need to be active for it to count as an approach?
GBG has one airport who is very close that cancellations could be getting sent somewhere
else in another’s airspace.
Can you please help us quantify this ask? With a little education we can talk to the
corporate and instrument pilots who are based here at GBG and provide large number of
ops and can capture this correctly.
Thank you!!
Jeff