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The Regional System Reliever Airports Study was undertaken as part of a comprehensive strategy to meet the long-term air transportation needs of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Region through 2008. Reliever airports, as so designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are typically general aviation airports in a metropolitan area. General aviation airports accommodate civil aviation activity typically ranging from single-engine piston to business jet aircraft. Reliever airports are intended to reduce congestion at large commercial service airports by providing general aviation pilots with alternative landing areas. Reliever airports, by definition, also provide increased aviation access to the communities they serve. To adequately fulfill their role within a metropolitan area, reliever airports must provide facilities and services of the same general level as the commercial airport they relieve. Planning efforts for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport have shown that demand management strategies must play a vital role in ensuring adequate commercial service facilities over the next 20 yeazs. Reliever airports are an integral part of the demand management strategy for Minneapolis-St. Paul International. While reliever airports do not actually increase operational capacity, they "free up" additional operating capacity for commercial airports. The benefit of the reliever airports to lengthening the useful life of the Minneapolis-St. Paul facility is obvious. A dual-track strategy has been adopted to resolve the long-term scheduled air service needs of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The Track "A" strategy optimizes the long-term viability of Minneapolis-St. Paul International, while Track "B" pursues development of an air carrier airport at a new site in the region. The process to resolve the region's commercial air service needs is underway, but a decision regazding future development -2- METROPOLITAN COUNCIL