Laserfiche WebLink
1 <br />providing reasonable alternatives for general aviation aircraft that might otherwise <br />choose MSP for basing or operations. <br />There are a number of reasons that general aviation operators continue to <br />choose MSP for their operations in Metropolitan Minneapolis -St. Paul. These <br />include MSP's: <br />. Available runway length <br />. Instrumentation/Control Tower <br />. FBO services and fuel <br />. Ground transportation <br />. Avionics and repair services <br />. Connections with commercial carriers <br />. Convenience to ground destination <br />To varying degrees, the seven reliever airports provide reasonable alternatives <br />for general aviationaircraft in Metropolitan Minneapolis -St. Paul. In some <br />instances, however, it is not realistic to expect (from a cost/benefit perspective) <br />that the reliever airports can duplicate facilities and services provided by MSP. It <br />is valid, however, to assess the system's ability to provide adequate operational <br />capacity to accept general aviation operations that might otherwise be destined for <br />MSP. <br />The FAA established its criteria for reliever airports as part of the National <br />Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). 1/ According to the criteria, an <br />existing or proposed airport may be designated as a reliever airport if it relieves <br />airport congestion in a metropolitan area by providing the general aviation user <br />with an attractive alternative or if it provides increased overall access to the <br />general aviation system. 2/ The relieved airport must possess the following <br />characteristics: <br />Serve a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) with a population of 250,000 <br />or a minimum level of 250,000 annual enplanements <br />1/ National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) 1986-1995, United States <br />Department of Transportation, November 1987. <br />2/ These revised criteria are presented as a change to FAA Order 5090.3A <br />-3- <br />