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OPBA ratio to yield projected annual general aviation aircraft operations. The <br />OPBA ratios are developed using historical information, as well as FAA projections <br />of GA hours flown and active GA aircraft. <br />Using the historical based aircraft and annual operations data, an historical <br />set of OPBA ratios was developed (see Table II-9). With the exception of South St. <br />Paul and Minneapolis/St. Paul, each of the system airports has experienced a net <br />increase in OPBA since 1984. The range of increases varied. Airlake experienced <br />the smallest net increase of 41 OPBA, while Downtown St. Paul had the largest <br />increase - 181 OPBA. The calculated OPBA ratios are consistent with OPBA ratios <br />cited by MAC in a 1987 study. <br />Projections of annual operations are presented in Table II-10. Based on the <br />FAAs projection that GA activity will recover and begin to grow in the 1990s, the <br />OPBA ratio was increased for all of the reliever airports. The average annual <br />growth rates for those ratios ranged from a low of 0.73 percent for Lake Elmo, to <br />a high of 1.69 percent for South St. Paul. The average annual growth rate for all <br />relievers was 1.29 percent, which compares favorably with the rate at which the FAA <br />projects the growth of general aviation hours flown (FAA Aviation Forecasts. FY <br />1989 to 2000). <br />The local/itinerant operations split presented in Table II-11 (page 1 of 5) is <br />based on FAA Form 5010 data for the nontowered airports in the system. Data for <br />the four towered airports was obtained from the FAAs Air Traffic Activity Report, <br />FY 1984 to 1988. These data were supported by NPIAS data. <br />Projected local/itinerant percentages were based on the current distribution, <br />as well as the role each airport is expected to play in the future. For example, at <br />Minneapolis/St. Paul, general aviation activity can be expected to lessen as the <br />commercial activity continues to dominate the airport. Piston aircraft, which are the <br />primary aircraft conducting local operations, could divert to reliever facilities to avoid <br />II-8 <br />