Pilots flying in the Minneapolis Class B area will need to pay extra attention to the airspace dimensions starting February 16. The redesigned airspace will go into effect at 3:01 a.m. Central Time.
AOPA is continuing to work with the FAA to create VFR flyways so that pilots will be able to fly through the airspace without having to talk to Minneapolis Approach.
The lateral limits of the Minneapolis Class B airspace will expand, and the ceiling will be raised from 8,000 feet msl to 10,000 feet msl to contain procedures to and from the airport's new runway. The FAA had incorrectly defined the dimensions of the airspace in its final rule, which would have shifted the airspace boundaries a few miles. The FAA has since corrected the problem so that the airspace redesign will match the proposals that the ad hoc committee (which included AOPA) and airspace users had used to provide comments.
February 1, 2006