"There Is No Logic..."

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association believes the Federal Aviation Administration is being shortsighted as the agency decides whether or not to decommission two heavily used VOR radio navigation aids (navaids) in southern New England.

The agency is considering decommissioning the Providence (PVD) Vortac at T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island and Bradley (BDL) Vortac at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. In both cases, the VORs have to be shut down because of airport construction.

The FAA believes it can save money by not relocating and reactivating the navaids.

"There is no logic to decommissioning two VORs that define heavily-traveled airways and instrument approaches into busy airports with little notice and comment from the user community," said Andy Cebula, AOPA senior vice president of Government and Technical Affairs. "In fact, the two VORs support 10 Victor airways and 16 instrument approach procedures into several airports in the region – not just Bradley and T.F. Green."

In a letter to the FAA opposing the proposal, AOPA said that it is "seriously concerned that isolated local studies to decommission traditional ground-based navigation aids based simply on the local need to relocate the VOR on the airfield could have significant negative effects on the National Airspace System … The proposal provides no indication of how the FAA intends to replace existing en route and instrument approach services to users, or how users would continue to access Bradley, T.F. Green, and surrounding airports without the use of these navigation aids."

AOPA asked the FAA to extend the comment period to allow "impacted pilots and airport users the opportunity to provide the FAA with important information regarding the impact that these possible decommissionings will have on air traffic safety and efficiency."

In AOPA's opinion, the FAA did not provide enough notice or time for public comment.

"There have been other cases in which the FAA has looked at the cost savings from decommissioning a ground-based navaid without considering the larger impacts on the system," said Cebula. "AOPA is the leading advocate for transitioning to satellite-based navigation, but it must be done in a systematic, logical way. You can't just turn off VORs when circumstances present an opportunity.

"The VOR decommissioning should not be confused with the FAA's effort to identify no-longer-needed NDB approaches – something that AOPA has not opposed," he continued. "Canceling some redundant, little-used NDB approaches – after a careful review and considered comments from users – makes sense. It will save money without jeopardizing pilot safety. "

The more-than-404,000 members of AOPA make up the world's largest civil aviation association. AOPA is committed to ensuring the continued viability, growth, and development of aviation and airports in the United States. These airports are a vital and critical component of a national transportation system.

FMI: www.aopa.org