FAA FINALIZES CANCELLATION OF SOME STANDARD INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES
On October 17, 2016, the FAA issued a final rule on Cancellation of Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) as Part of the National Procedures Assessment (NPA) Initiative. This rule removes certain redundant or underutilized ground-based non-directional radio beacon (NDB) and VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and will become effective at 0901 UTC on November 10, 2016.
Background. This rule follows from a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that was published by the FAA on April 13, 2015 proposing to remove certain SIAPs. In that NPRM, a list of 736 procedures were identified for cancellation. The FAA received comments on 198 procedures, 125 of which are being addressed in this final rule.
Comments. The FAA received multiple comments regarding the need for a VOR or NDB procedure as a “backup” in case a localizer-based procedure became unusable for any reason. The FAA retained 25 procedures after a determination that a VOR or NDB procedure would be retained at an airport having a single instrument approach procedure using a localizer NavAid, or multiple instrument approach procedures using a single localizer NavAid, in case that airport’s localizer NavAid became unusable. Comments were also received concerning the need for a VOR and/or NDB procedures for IFR training and/or proficiency. Pursuant to these comments, the FAA determined that for each procedure receiving a comment(s) on IFR training and/or proficiency, that procedure would be retained if there was not a similar type (i.e., VOR, NDB) procedure at an airport within 20NM of the airport containing the procedure in question. Based on that level of review, 11 procedures remain in effect. The FAA also cancelled 59 procedures from the National Airspace System IFP inventory for which comments were not substantive enough to warrant retention.
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Shelley Ewalt.
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