GA may be impacted by FAA airspace throttling

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced plans on November 5 to reduce flights in 40 “high-volume markets,” with traffic limits to begin on November 7, ramping up to 10 percent of previously scheduled flights in the following week if the government shutdown continues. The move is intended to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay since the shutdown began October 1.

“When we see pressures building in these 40 markets, we just can’t ignore it,” said Bedford. “And we’re not going to wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself when the early indicators are telling us that we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating. The system is extremely safe today and will be extremely safe tomorrow. If the pressures continue to build even after we take these measures, we’ll come back and take additional measures.”

While most of the focus has been on the impact on airline traffic, Duffy and Bedford said airlines would not be the only operators affected.

“It’s going to include restrictions on space launches, restrictions on VFR traffic in certain markets that have continued FAA controller staffing triggers and a host of other countermeasures... that will give us the highest level of comfort that we’re maintaining the safest aviation space in the world,” said Bedford.

Bedford added the throttling will “apply to all IFR users and, if there are staffing triggers in selected markets, it will apply to VFR traffic as well.”

The FAA order, released on the evening of November 6, says general aviation operations may also be reduced by as much as 10 percent at affected airports, though it is unclear how this reduction would be measured and implemented.

In addition, when any FAA-run air traffic control facility does not have adequate staffing, the order authorizes controllers to suspend certain services, including:

• Radar traffic information (flight following).
• Radar assistance and terminal radar services for VFR aircraft.
• VFR traffic pattern operations and practice approaches.
• Flight checks services to restore inoperable equipment and approaches.
• ATC services to parachute and other special operations.

“While there may be some impact to VFR traffic, they will not be across the board and instead will likely be more sporadic and dependent on facility-specific ATC workload,” said AOPA Director of Airspace, Air Traffic, and Security Jim McClay. “Fortunately, due to the nature of general and business aviation, many operators have the flexibility to adjust and utilize other airports as appropriate.”

The order applies to the following 40 airports:

• Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
• Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS)
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
• Dallas Love Field (DAL)
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
• Denver International Airport (DEN)
• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
• Daniel K Inouye International Airport (HNL)
• William P Hobby Airport (HOU)
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
• George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport (IAH)
• Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
• Orlando International Airport (MCO)
• Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
• Memphis International Airport (MEM)
• Miami International Airport (MIA)
• Minneapolis/St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain Airport (MSP)
• Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
• Ontario International Airport (ONT)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
• Portland International Airport (PDX)
• Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• San Diego International Airport (SAN)
• Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF)
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
• Teterboro Airport (TEB)
• Tampa International Airport (TPA)

This article will be updated when additional information becomes available.