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Unless deficiencies are resolved for the existing reliever system, <br />increasing delays will be experienced at the reliever system airports. <br />Without enhancement to its operational capacity, annual delay in the <br />reliever system will exceed 6.2 million minutes by 2008. The effects of <br />this delay include the degradation of safety at overburdened facilities as <br />well as an estimated annual cost of $3.6 million to reliever system users. <br />If adequate operational capacity is unavailable in the reliever system, it <br />will be difficult for the relievers to attract general aviation demand away <br />from Minneapolis-St. Paul International. It is important that the relievers <br />have adequate capacity to serve as a viable alternative for this general <br />aviation traffic. When general aviation aircraft are mixed with larger <br />commercial aircraft in the same arrival and departure streams, a given <br />runway configuration's ability to effectively process demand is reduced due <br />to the increased spacing required to safely mix lazge and small aircraft. <br />When the operational mix is predominantly homogeneous (i.e., all large <br />aircraft), a greater number of commercial aircraft can be processed within <br />a given period. <br />Minneapolis-St. Paul International may have limited opportunity to <br />increase its operational capacity by providing additional runways, pending <br />the results of its long-term comprehensive plan. As a result, demand <br />management strategies must be emphasized to best utilize existing capacity. <br />Reliever airports aze an important part of the comprehensive demand <br />management approach for Minneapolis-St. Paul International. Without an <br />effective reliever system, the useful life of Minneapolis-St. Paul <br />International to serve the region's commercial air service needs will be <br />shortened <br />METROPOLITAN COUNCIL -9 <br />