The FAA is using
satellite-based procedures
that will improve the efficiency
of the airspace in the Columbus area,
including the predictability
of air traffic flows
and the separation
of arrivals and departures.
This includes the use of optimized
profile descents,
which enable aircraft
to have a more direct approach.
The FAA wants to improve flexibility
when it comes to transitioning
traffic between air
traffic control facilities.
These improvements
include an increased
number of entry points
to the Columbus airspace,
including more available
air traffic transitions and the overall
number of paths leading into the airport.
These changes will allow pilots
and air traffic controllers
to take full advantage
of modern technology.
Current procedures
do not have precise guidance
to and from each runway,
requiring controllers to use techniques
such as vectoring and speed control
to ensure safe vertical
and lateral separation between arriving
and departing aircraft.
Constraints associated
with nearby military airspace
and other airports,
result in complexity and congestion
in the Columbus area,
requiring controllers
to carefully observe
aircraft activity along the nearby
or crossing flight routes,
ensuring standard
separation is maintained.
Flexibility in the management
of the Columbus airspace
has been affected
by a limited number of entry points,
which constrains
efficiency in the airspace
and requires multiple
traffic flows to merge
before aircraft arrive or depart
the Columbus area.
The National Environmental Policy Act
requires the FAA
to evaluate the environmental
and related social
and economic effects
of a proposed action.
The FAA conducted an environmental review
of these procedures
in December 2020
and found that the airport's
overall noise footprint would not change.
The procedures are scheduled
to go into effect in the fall of 2021.
Changes include adapting
the existing GAILL
Three RNAV arrival
for more predictable traffic patterns,
which simplifies
complexity for pilots
and controllers.
The ground track for GAILL
Three is adjusted to provide additional
lateral separation
for aircraft landing and departing
from Rickenbacker International Airport.
The existing BREMN Five arrival
was redesigned to minimize complexity
for pilots and controllers.
The CLIPPR,
arrival will improve
arrivals from the east.
SCRLT will bring in
arrivals from the west.
The proposed design
allows Columbus sufficient time to blend
and sequence the two arrival streams.
The existing arrival routes over BREMN
and the new procedure
reflect the shortcuts currently used
by air traffic control.
The existing GUNNE
Four arrival ends near MELZZ,
and aircraft are currently
vectored to Columbus.
Improvements mirror shortcuts used today.
By connecting the arrival procedures
to the approaches, optimized profile
descent can be used to reduce
aircraft emissions.
The CBUSS procedure
will bring arrivals in
from the northeast,
separating them from arriving
and departing traffic
at Cleveland Hopkins, as well as traffic
to and from Canadian airspace.
Traffic from this corner
is much lower in volume.
Data shows less than
3,600 flights per year,
or less than 10 flights per day.
The JAKTZ One
arrival procedure
provides a more direct route
to Columbus and published
runway transitions for east flow
operations will allow
idle descents to be flown.
Depending upon traffic conditions,
aircraft entering Columbus airspace
will be flying at between
5,000 and 8,000 feet mean sea level.
Air traffic control will then vector
aircraft to the appropriate
satellite airport.