FAA…! It’s on its way!

In a unanimous motion at their April 4, 2017, meeting, FMAA approved the DRAFT Airport Master Plan Update and associated Airport Layout Plan (ALP) drawing set to be forwarded to the FAA for their review and comment.   

The Board’s approval to move the planning documents along to the FAA marks a major milestone in a long and detailed planning process. The first official kick-off meeting for the master planning process was held December 2, 2014. Since then, numerous elements including forecasts of aviation activity, future facility requirements, future development alternatives, and financial impacts, have been analyzed, considered, and discussed by the Board. The documents heading to the FAA reflects the 20 year plan for the airport as envisioned by the FMAA.

The FAA approval process is expected to take at least 90 days.

Kudos to the Board for their time and effort-and lively discussion-that resulted in the draft documents. An additional thank you to the members of the community for their comment and input. Last but not least, thank you to the consultant team and staff for all their hard work in facilitating and developing the draft documents.  

Copies of the individual draft chapters of the master plan report that have been discussed and accepted by the Board are available on our website.

Why is an Airport Master Plan and ALP Drawing Set Important?

Acceptance and approval of the 20 year plan by FMAA and the FAA does not mean that every item on the plan is set in stone. It tells the FAA that it has been evaluated and considered as possible, therefore could qualify for FAA funding. Think of the airport master plan in the same sense as our community Comprehensive Plan but with a specific airport/aviation spin… In general, the Airport Master Plan is an extremely important planning tool for the FMAA, airport staff, and the FAA helping us all accommodate critical air services in a safe and efficient manner.