Post by TCU 2U2 on Mar 13, 2013 6:21:11 GMT -5
LOS ANGELES: Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic
AIRPORT: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
CURRENT ARRIVAL RATE: 92 aircraft per hour.
ESTIMATED DROP IN AIRPORT CAPACITY EXPECTED DUE TO
SEQUESTRATION: There are several scenarios possible with the loss of staffing due to furloughs caused by sequestration. Depending on departure restrictions given by Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) due to destination
airports unable to maintain their normal rate of traffic due to furloughs, LAX controllers may need to further restrict their arrival rate. As a result, the total arrival rate could drop by as much as 30 percent during peak hours.
Additionally, if staffing shortages mean that the tower cannot staff its helicopter control position, they will have to close off many of the routes that cross the airspace near the airport. That will have far-reaching consequences for the very heavy helicopter traffic
that uses the airspace currently.
At Southern California TRACON (SCT), which handles not only traffic around LAX but all airports in the region, furloughs will reduce staffing, meaning arrivals into LAX will definitely be delayed. When SCT runs simultaneous approaches (most days at various periods due to the coastal marine layer) additional controllers are needed in the facility to monitor both final approach courses, allowing arriving aircraft to land side by side.
Current staffing today at SCT is at bare minimums already, although it does allow for this operation. If SCT were to lose staffing due to furloughs then the it would be left with one option: single runway arrival rate. This would cause major delays nationally.
MIAMI: Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic
AIRPORT: Miami International Airport (MIA).
CURRENT ARRIVAL RATE: The arrival rate for MIA under ideal conditions is 72 and the departure rate is 60. The heavy arrival periods recently have ranged from 50-60 arrivals on most evening shifts with four approach controllers just for MIA arrivals and
ideal weather. Those numbers are lower in poor weather.
At Fort Lauderdale (FLL), whose terminal airspace is controlled by Miami Terminal Radar Approach Control at MIA, the arrival rate under ideal conditions is 28. Additionally, Miami TRACON handles the airspace around Opa-locka, HWO and BCT airports. Each of those is on the list of towers that the FAA could close due to sequestration. The separation standards for an airport without an airport traffic control tower increases greatly.
ESTIMATED DROP IN AIRPORT CAPACITY EXPECTED DUE TO
SEQUESTRATION: Fort Lauderdale (FLL) will be reduced to a one-runway operation from May 2 through the rest of the year. Additionally, Miami will be losing a runway in May for a re-paving project. Combine these two developments with staffing shortages
due to furlough and the arrival rate at FLL could likely decrease from 26 to 18 aircraft per hour. Miami’s arrival rate could decrease from 72 to 32.
QUOTE FROM JIM MARINITTI, MIAMI NATCA FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE:
“Normally, we use 10 radar scopes on an average day in our TRACON radar facility. We believe we’ll only have the personnel to staff seven radar scopes if sequestration becomes a reality.”
OTHER KEY INFORMATION: Miami is the top international freight airport in the country. Fort Lauderdale is the main airport in South Florida for cruise passengers. Both of those industries may suffer if the efficiency of the airports is decreased due to sequestration.
AIRPORT: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
CURRENT ARRIVAL RATE: 92 aircraft per hour.
ESTIMATED DROP IN AIRPORT CAPACITY EXPECTED DUE TO
SEQUESTRATION: There are several scenarios possible with the loss of staffing due to furloughs caused by sequestration. Depending on departure restrictions given by Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) due to destination
airports unable to maintain their normal rate of traffic due to furloughs, LAX controllers may need to further restrict their arrival rate. As a result, the total arrival rate could drop by as much as 30 percent during peak hours.
Additionally, if staffing shortages mean that the tower cannot staff its helicopter control position, they will have to close off many of the routes that cross the airspace near the airport. That will have far-reaching consequences for the very heavy helicopter traffic
that uses the airspace currently.
At Southern California TRACON (SCT), which handles not only traffic around LAX but all airports in the region, furloughs will reduce staffing, meaning arrivals into LAX will definitely be delayed. When SCT runs simultaneous approaches (most days at various periods due to the coastal marine layer) additional controllers are needed in the facility to monitor both final approach courses, allowing arriving aircraft to land side by side.
Current staffing today at SCT is at bare minimums already, although it does allow for this operation. If SCT were to lose staffing due to furloughs then the it would be left with one option: single runway arrival rate. This would cause major delays nationally.
MIAMI: Estimated Effects of Sequestration on Air Traffic
AIRPORT: Miami International Airport (MIA).
CURRENT ARRIVAL RATE: The arrival rate for MIA under ideal conditions is 72 and the departure rate is 60. The heavy arrival periods recently have ranged from 50-60 arrivals on most evening shifts with four approach controllers just for MIA arrivals and
ideal weather. Those numbers are lower in poor weather.
At Fort Lauderdale (FLL), whose terminal airspace is controlled by Miami Terminal Radar Approach Control at MIA, the arrival rate under ideal conditions is 28. Additionally, Miami TRACON handles the airspace around Opa-locka, HWO and BCT airports. Each of those is on the list of towers that the FAA could close due to sequestration. The separation standards for an airport without an airport traffic control tower increases greatly.
ESTIMATED DROP IN AIRPORT CAPACITY EXPECTED DUE TO
SEQUESTRATION: Fort Lauderdale (FLL) will be reduced to a one-runway operation from May 2 through the rest of the year. Additionally, Miami will be losing a runway in May for a re-paving project. Combine these two developments with staffing shortages
due to furlough and the arrival rate at FLL could likely decrease from 26 to 18 aircraft per hour. Miami’s arrival rate could decrease from 72 to 32.
QUOTE FROM JIM MARINITTI, MIAMI NATCA FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE:
“Normally, we use 10 radar scopes on an average day in our TRACON radar facility. We believe we’ll only have the personnel to staff seven radar scopes if sequestration becomes a reality.”
OTHER KEY INFORMATION: Miami is the top international freight airport in the country. Fort Lauderdale is the main airport in South Florida for cruise passengers. Both of those industries may suffer if the efficiency of the airports is decreased due to sequestration.