New ATC Management Scheme In Effect

From the NBAA...

The 2005 Presidential Inauguration on Thursday is expected to bring a significant increase in air traffic operations through the airports serving the Washington DC metropolitan area, particularly Washington-Dulles (IAD) and Baltimore-Washington (BWI). The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Air Traffic Control Traffic Management System has developed plans to address arrival delays during the days leading up to the Inauguration, to address parking capacities at impacted airports, and to facilitate departures on the day following the Inauguration.

During the days leading up to the last Inauguration in January 2001, the three major airports, IAD, BWI, and Reagan-Washington-National (DCA), experienced approximately a 20% increase in general aviation operations over their daily averages. Since 2001, general aviation traffic at BWI and IAD has increased by more than 60% and 35% respectively. Also, most general aviation traffic that operated out of DCA in 2001 will this year be restricted to other airports by increased security measures.

The combination of overall increases in traffic volumes and concentration of operations into IAD and BWI may greatly challenge the capacities of those airports and the air traffic control system serving them. Both IAD and BWI expect to reach capacity for general aviation long-term parking before the Inauguration. As parking reaches capacity, if not properly managed, general aviation traffic could significantly impact scheduled carrier access to and from terminal gates. Most general aviation traffic is expected to depart on the Friday morning after the Inauguration. This unusual increase in departure volume will require the use of alternative departure routes and altitudes to avoid enroute congestion and airport delays.

Traffic Management Initiatives: General Aviation Airport Program (GAAP)

The significant difference between a typical Ground Delay Program (GDP) and a GAAP GDP is the way delays are assigned to flights that are unknown at the time of program implementation. GAAP is an automated initiative specifically designed to manage situations in which demand does not exceed airport capacity, but is expected to due to an increase in unknown or "pop-up" traffic.

GAAP is applicable to all IFR traffic operating into the controlled airport. The Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) initiates a GAAP and sets the airport arrival rate (AAR) at an agreed number. When the hourly AAR exceeds the known demand, GAAP will create "Unassigned Slots" to fully utilize capacity. These slots are held for future flights that are unknown to the HOST computer at the time of implementation. All IFR flight plans that enter the system after implementation of the program will be assigned the first available Unassigned Slot at or after their requested time of arrival.

The maximum GAAP delay a flight may receive is 360 minutes. If airport demand eventually exceeds capacity the program may be revised, resulting in new controlled times for all known demand, scheduled or unscheduled.

GAAP has proven successful in effectively managing arrival demand at airports serving high volumes of unscheduled general aviation traffic. As with any GDP, flights must depart within a five- minute window either side of their Controlled Time of Departure (CDT). If this time cannot be adhered to, a new time must be obtained from the ATCSCC. GAAP is compatible with all existing processes including Substitution and Slot Credit Substitution (SCS).

The ATCSCC in Herndon, VA, will implement GAAP's for both IAD and BWI. GAAP's will be implemented on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday prior to the Inauguration to manage the expected increase in arrival volume. The GAAP's will be implemented by 0800 EST (1300 UTC) and will likely run until approximately 2300 EST (0400 UTC) each day. GAAP's will again be implemented for both IAD and BWI on Friday to balance the arrival volume with the expected high departure demand.

Potomac TRACON (PCT) Traffic Management Unit (TMU) in coordination with IAD and BWI, and the ATCSCC will determine hourly arrival rates (AAR's) for application in the GAAP's. Modeling of IAD traffic indicates that if weather conditions do not permit an airport/arrival configuration with at least an AAR of 90, then delays into IAD will exceed the 6-hour maximum allowed by the GAAP. In such case, the GAAP may be transitioned to a standard GDP. If weather conditions are other than VFR with calm or South winds, then IAD Users should anticipate significant arrival delays on Tuesday and Wednesday, at times exceeding 120 minutes, particularly for arrivals after 1400 EST (1900 UTC).

Airborne Pick-Ups/Destination Changes

Arriving aircraft that request airborne IFR clearances into IAD or BWI, and arriving IFR aircraft filed into other airports that request to change destination to IAD or BWI will be required to accept the same delays being encountered by other aircraft already in the applicable program. While a GAAP is in place, this will be the next available unassigned slot, which may result in up to a 360- minute delay.

While a standard GDP is in place, this will be the average delay under the program for the estimated time of arrival. PCT controllers will be instructed not to issue clearances into IAD or BWI until coordination with the ATCSCC and/or Washington ARTCC has been accomplished.

Recommendation: Non-scheduled IAD Users should plan to arrive early in the week, Monday or Tuesday, and to arrive between the hours of 0800 EST (1300 UTC) and 1400 EST (1900 UTC) to minimize the likelihood of encountering significant delays.

Recommendation: Users can check availability of GAAP Unassigned Slots and the average delay of all flights by accessing the "Products" page on the ATCSCC's website.

At BWI, arrival capacity and demand are such that significant arrival delays are not anticipated under the GAAP planned for the days leading up to the Inauguration.

Departure Routes

BWI and IAD share many common departure fixes on routes out of the Washington DC-Baltimore metropolitan airspace. To manage enroute air traffic control sector volume, departure restrictions are often required over these exit fixes during periods of peak departure demand.

In addition to the expected large increase of non-scheduled departures on the Friday morning after the inauguration, there may also be compacted demand for departure route altitudes below FL290 as this will be the second day of Domestic Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) implementation. Aircraft operators that have not been authorized to operate under RVSM will be restricted to routes at or below FL280. A large number of scheduled-carrier operations out of IAD and BWI are expected to be unauthorized for RVSM and will so be sharing departure routes with non-scheduled flights below FL290.

Several traffic management initiatives are planned to accommodate this unusually high volume and compacted departure demand on Friday morning.

GAAP's will be in place for both BWI and IAD on Friday. The AAR's for both airports will be set to the maximum level practical to provide appropriate arrival demand while accommodating and favoring the high departure demand. The resulting terminal capacity available for departures is expected to be adequate to meet demand off IAD and BWI between the hours 0800 EST (1300 UTC) and 1400 EST (1900 UTC).

After 1400 EST, the normal, scheduled carrier demand in and out of IAD routinely exceeds the terminal capacity and there will be little unused capacity available for unscheduled departures. The FBO's at IAD and BWI have been asked to request the departure plans of their customers as they arrive to include their ETD, destination, and RVSM capability. The FBO's will forward this collected information to the PCT TMU. By Wednesday evening, it is hoped that a relatively complete view of Friday morning's departure demand will have been collected.

On Thursday, at 1100 EST (1600 UTC), a special planning telcon will be conducted by the ATCSCC with the concerned enroute and terminal facilities, to determine what departure routes may require relief from excess demand and what alternative routes will be implemented. It is planned to use established alternative routes developed for severe weather avoidance to accommodate departure demands.

Following the Thursday FAA Telcon, at 1200 EST (1700 UTC) a special telcon will be held with FAA and Users to discuss Friday departures and brief alternative route plans. A Planning Telcon will also be schedule for 0515 EST (1015 UTC) on Friday morning, January 21 to coordinate any changes from weather, demand, etc.

These plans and routes will also be shared with Users through the ATCSCC's regularly conducted Planning Telcons. Users may also access information about reroutes on Friday morning at the ATCSCC website.

The Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZDC) will be responsible for coordinating the rerouting of filed flight plans. Attached are preferred departure routes for most popular destinations that non-scheduled Users should file. Users that file incorrect, non-preferential routes may experience significant delays while they await re-clearance. Expected departure volume will prohibit airborne rerouting.

The ATCSCC, ZDC, and PCT will be staffing dedicated Departure Directors, Area Coordinators, and other positions throughout the week specifically to coordinate the expected increased traffic volume. These positions will coordinate with the BWI and IAD Towers via the DC Metropolitan Hotline used for Severe Weather events. Users who have been previously issued the listen-only passcode will be able to access the Hotline with their regular number. Other Users, FBO's, etc., may listen-only to the Hotline by calling the ATCSCC line, 703-925-5387 and entering the passcode 2444# (the pound sign is entered after the passcode)

Recommendation: Non-scheduled Users should provide their FBO's no later than Wednesday evening with their planned ETD's and destinations to ensure that adequate departure routes are available.

Recommendation: Non-scheduled Users planning to depart on Friday should plan to make their departures between the hours of 0800 EST (1300 UTC) and 1400 EST (1900 UTC), particularly out of IAD, to minimize the likelihood of encountering significant delays.

Recommendation: All non-scheduled users should ensure they file only via preferred departure routes, even if alternative routes have been proposed for their specific destination. ZDC TMU Departure Directors will ensure coordination is accomplished for specific flights that require reclearance off preferred routes to an alternative route. Aircraft requiring route corrections resulting from incorrect flight crew filing can expect significant delay.

Recommendation: IAD, JYO and HEF Departures: Aircraft which use a N or TN call sign departing these airports are prohibited by security procedures from routings via SWANN, PALEO, or DAILY intersections. N and TN aircraft departing these airports whose attached, applicable preferred departure routes show:

• SWANN as a first fix, should file WOOLY V214 SWANN, then via preferred route;
• PALEO as a first fix, should file WOOLY V44 SIE, then via preferred route;
• DAILY as a first fix, should file HAFNR GVE, then via departure route shown on
  attached routes for "N and TN Departures off IAD, JYO, and HEF over DAILY"
• Traffic to the Caribbean should file via GVE, then offshore or via WOOLY V44 SIE B24

Airport Surface Movement And Parking: Both IAD and BWI airports expect to fill all available aircraft parking capacity before Thursday's Inauguration. In similar past
events, as unscheduled landing traffic exceeded parking capacity, taxiways became blocked and airports experienced gridlock resulting in significant delays.

Ground Movement Coordinators: At both IAD and BWI, the FBO's will have representatives in the Airport Traffic Control Towers to coordinate arrival aircraft parking.

These coordinators will maintain contact with the ATCSCC and facility TMU's to provide realtime status of remaining parking capacity and airport ground movement constraints.

BWI Prior Permission Required (PPR)

BWI Airport management will issue a PPR NOTAM on Monday, January 17, 2005 advising general aviation aircraft planning to use BWI during Inauguration week that prior permission to land is necessary. This is to ensure BWI has available ramp space for an arriving aircraft before the aircraft arrives and is on the ground at the airport. Signature Flight will be the entity who is contacted and who will grant the PPR approval.

Note: BWI Signature Flight Support: Phone: 410-859-8393; Fax: 410-850-9042

BWI Temporary Parking Areas: (see attached airport diagram) The entire length of
BWI Taxiway Q will be closed during Inauguration week. The portion between Taxiway K and the approach end of Runway 15L will be used for aircraft parking and the remaining portion will be used to queue aircraft waiting to enter the GA Ramp. This will require all departing aircraft who utilize Runway 15L/33R to taxi across Runway 15L/33R and then use Taxiway S to reach either Runway 15L/33R.

BWI Drop-And-Go Areas

BWI North Cargo spot F-17 will be reserved as a Drop-and-Go spot in the event the GA Complex becomes congested or otherwise unavailable, and it is necessary for an itinerate aircraft to drop its passengers and immediately depart. Signature Flight Support personnel and passenger vehicle must be at spot F-17 when/if this situation occurs. IAD TEMPORARY PARKING AREAS: (see attached airport diagram) Two FBO's at IAD provide services to general aviation traffic, Signature Flight Support and Piedmont Hawthorne. Both FBO's have been delegated additional areas on the airport to provide temporary parking for the expected increased demand.

Note: IAD Signature Flight Support: Phone: 703-572-0001; Fax: 703-572-0011

AIRINC: 131.87

FMI: www.bba-aviation.com/flightsupport/locations/iad

IAD Piedmont Hawthorne: Phone: 800-926-0150; Fax: 703-661-0152
AIRINC/UNICOM: 129.77

FMI: www.flypiedmont.com/iad

General aviation arrivals should contact their respective FBO's approximately 20 minutes before landing for their parking assignments. Upon landing, arriving flights should inform IAD Ground Control of their parking assignments. IAD Ground will provide taxi instructions the correct area. Arriving flights should expect to taxi directly to their assigned remote parking, where their FBO will provide shuttle service to their facility. Arrivals will not be able to drop-off passengers in front of their FBO's before parking.

As at BWI, demand for IAD parking is expected to exceed capacity. IAD is now one of the busiest airports in the nation for scheduled carrier operations. The combination of high-volume scheduled traffic and restricted airport movement area, as run- up blocks and taxiways are released for parking, will make IAD particularly prone to gridlock.

IAD will not be administering a PPR program as at BWI. Instead the FBO's will coordinate closely with FAA Traffic Management through their Tower Coordinator to monitor remaining parking capacity. When full parking capacity has been reached, or if Drop-and-Go traffic begins to impact access of scheduled carrier traffic to the midfield gates, the ATCSCC may be required to implement a Ground Stop for all arriving General Aviation traffic until additional parking or ramp space becomes available. While parking reservations are not being conducted at IAD, operators are strongly encouraged to advise their preferred FBO of their intentions for planning
IAD may also implement Ground Metering/Gate Hold (IADT frequency 121.75) procedures for midfield, scheduled operations to manage departure traffic access to airport movement areas.

Special Security Flight Restrictions

IAD, BWI, and their satellite airports are all within the Washington DC Metropolitan Area Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and many routes to/from these airports pass near the Washington DC Metropolitan Area Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ). Several NOTAM's prescribe special restrictions and prohibitions affecting flights within this airspace, including FDC NOTAM 3/2126, effective March 31, 2004.

Recommendation: All flight crews planning to operate in this area should ensure that
they are thoroughly briefed on special procedures and restrictions.

FMI: http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr/jsp/list.jsp

There will be special flight restrictions, in addition to established ADIZ and FRZ flight
procedures, in place for the Inauguration on Thursday, January 20. 2005. No general aviationlights will be authorized within the DC ADIZ between the hours of 1000 EST (1500 UTC) and 1800 EST (2300 UTC) except for IFR flights landing/departing only IAD or BWI.

FMI: http://faa.gov/newsroom/inaugaration/flight_advisory.pdf

Alternate Airports

The following airports serve as alternates for IAD and BWI and will have parking and services available:

NOTE: PCT has remote frequency capability at FDK and ESN on 126.9 and at GAI on 121.6. Pilots are encouraged to use this capability to cancel their IFR clearances on arrival and to receive the IFR departure clearances.

Manassas (HEF)

HEF is served by an FAA Airport Traffic Control Tower. Airport management has delegated Taxi-Lane Delta between Taxiways Echo and Foxtrot for additional transient parking. Approximately 57 transient spaces were still available for reservations as of January 5, 2005. For reservations, contact either Dulles Aviation at 703-361-2171; or Jet Services at 703 361-7267. Specific airport information for the week of the Inauguration may be viewed at

FMI: www.manassasregionalairport.com

Leesburg (JYO)

Approximately 30 transient spaces were still available for reservation as of January 5, 2005. For reservations contact Piedmont-Hawthorne Aviation at 800-336-0219.

Martin State (MTN)

Approximately 30 transient spaces were still available for reservation as of January 9, 2005. For reservations contact Avitat at 410-682-8810. Pilots landing MTN are advised to contact UNICOM 122.95 approximately 3 miles out and to advise FBO of their ETA and need for Inauguration parking.

Frederick (FDK)

Approximately 20 transient spaces were still available for reservation as of January 5, 2005. For reservations, contact Frederick Aviation at 301-662-8156. Pilots landing FDK are advised to contact UNICOM at 122.725 on approach to advise ETA and receive Inauguration parking instructions.

FMI: http://web.nbaa.org/public/ops/airspace/2005/2005inauguration.pdf