Analysis of operational shortfalls at non-towered airports

Abstract

This paper describes the infrastructural deficiencies at some non-towered airports, identifies the resulting operational impacts, and briefly explores the use of Integrated Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (ICNS) capabilities as an improvement mechanism. The purpose is to inform the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) decisions regarding the creation of a more efficient and streamlined National Airspace System (NAS).The inefficiencies at non-towered airports can be attributed to the coverage gaps in surveillance and communication in the vicinity of the airport that limit the type and number of services that can be provided by Air Traffic Control (ATC). The result is adverse impacts to operations, framed as shortfalls, in the following categories: flight delay, extended flight paths, and safety. A rough order of magnitude estimate is provided in operational terms (e.g., delay minutes, minutes of excess flying time, fatalities) for each shortfall, leveraging current flight data, surveillance data, and safety data. In conclusion, this paper describes the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the analysis and discusses the application of this analysis to non-towered airports throughout the NAS.