FAA limits takeoffs at Centennial Airport over safety concerns, prompting questions from pilots
The Federal Aviation Administration is pausing simultaneous departures from parallel runways at Centennial Airport while it reviews safety concerns, a decision that has some pilots questioning how the changes will affect flight training and other airports along the Front Range.
In a statement to CBS Colorado, the FAA said that a safety risk assessment identified incidents in which aircraft drifted toward other planes departing at the same time on parallel runways. The airport saif the changes went into effect when its tower was first notified on October 1st.
The FAA said that it is conducting a Safety Risk Management panel and working with the airport and local stakeholders to address the safety concerns.
In response, the airport confirmed its control tower is blocking touch-and-go maneuvers, which involve pilots repeatedly landing and taking off as part of training exercises.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, or AOPA, is raising concerns about communication surrounding the decision and its potential effects on surrounding communities.
Brad Schuster, AOPA's Northwest Mountain Region manager, said he wants the aviation community and nearby residents to have more opportunities to weigh in on changes that could affect air traffic across the region.
"What is most important to me is the engagement of the aviating community and the surrounding community prior to implementing something that's going to impact both the aviating community and the surrounding communities, not just at Centennial, but at the other Front Range general aviation airports that frequently are exposed to training traffic," Schuster said.
Pilot associations are also concerned that restricting training at Centennial could shift touch-and-go traffic to other already-busy general aviation airports along the Front Range.
In a letter to flight school operators, Centennial Airport CEO Mike Fronapfel said in part, "While we understand that these findings are intended to address a specific operational safety concern, the resulting restrictions have had an immediate and significant effect on flight training, general aviation activity, and the businesses and pilots who rely on Centennial for their daily operations. At this time, we do not have a specific timeframe for when normal or semi-normal operations will resume." He went on to say, "We recognize the significant impact these restrictions are having on your businesses and operations, as well as the broader implications for everyone who uses Centennial Airport. Flight schools, instructors, pilots, airport businesses, and other airport users are all being affected by the limitations, and we understand the frustration and uncertainty this creates. Our goal is to find a workable path forward as quickly as possible while also addressing the FAA's identified safety concerns and ensuring that any future operating procedures provide an appropriate level of safety."
The airport said that the restrictions are an FAA decision.
The FAA said the changes will remain in place as it conducts its safety review of simultaneous departures from parallel runways.
CBS Colorado has asked the FAA how they communicated these changes to airport stakeholders and if they expect nearby airports to be impacted by this in the future.
