Whether your airport needs to determine the feasibility of a new approach or determine the impact of airfield changes to a flight procedure, Flight Tech Engineering can assist. We combine advanced design tools with our experience as a flight procedure developer to provide the most insight to your airport’s specific project.

Are new structures going up around the airport or in the extended flight path? Just because it doesn’t affect the FAR 77 surfaces or receives an OE/AAA FAA determination of no hazard doesn’t mean it won’t have an effect on instrument flight procedures or aircraft takeoff weights. Flight Tech has the ability to see how each new obstacle affects all types of flight procedures, for both approach and departure.

While airports are required to protect surfaces as described in 14 CFR Part 77 and Part 139, the true impact of an obstruction might not be fully evident until the TERPS and air carrier protection (AC 120-91) surfaces are applied. Newly proposed or even existing obstacles could have a drastic effect on approach and departure minimums. If your airport has air carrier service or caters to all-weather operations, this impact is quantifiable in terms of reduced takeoff payload as operators have to account for clearing the obstacle with one engine inoperative. On the approach portion of the equation, controlling obstacles limit the descent height of aircraft on an instrument approach. These TERPS and air carrier planning surfaces often do not coincide with airport protection surfaces.

As an instrument flight procedure developer with an air carrier operations background, Flight Tech is keenly aware of the impacts to both airports and air carriers and has the necessary tools to perform the following services:

1. Evaluate new obstacles for impacts to the Part 77, TERPS, Part 121, 139, and AC120-91 surfaces.
2. Obstacle Oversight & Management Services – Any area with a lot of growth around the airport? Let us handle this for you.
3. Evaluation, deconfliction, and reporting of all available obstacle sources that may be affecting the airport, including the cost to the airport of penalties incurred by air carriers.
4. Evaluate various obstruction data sources.
5. Procedure build and charted obstacles.
6. Digital Obstacle File (FAA DOF).
7. FAA’s AVNIS.
8. Airport Survey – Universal Data Delivery Format (UDDF).
9. Obstacle Evaluation Program (OE/AAA).
10. NOTAMs.
11. IFR Takeoff Min obstacles.
12. Temporary obstacles such as ships, cranes, and vehicles.

In certain cases, the FAA is not able to implement new flight procedures at an airport. This could be due to time or budget constraints, or because standard design criteria are not possible due to obstacles, terrain, or airspace challenges. This is where Flight Tech specializes.

We have built approach procedures into temporary taxiways for airport rehabilitation projects and host flight procedures at challenging mountain airports requiring highly custom development. No project is too complex for us. Contact us today to determine if there is a way we can assist your airport’s unique needs.

Image 1: Design of a new RNAV Approach procedure into a runway currently not served by a straight-in approach.

Approach Procedures

• RNAV (GPS)
  • LNAV
  • LNAV/VNAV
  • LP
  • LPV
• RNAV(RNP)
  • RNP .1 to 1.0
• Conventional Navigation
  • VOR
  • NDB
  • LDA
  • LOC
  • ILS
  • Radar

Departure Procedures

• Conventional Navigation
• RNAV

Flight Tech Engineering understands the essential role of the airport operator in supporting air carrier, cargo, general and business aviation, and military operations in the national airspace system. In support of the airport and runway enhancement projects, Flight Tech’s unique approach to airport planning and construction projects includes engaging with the civil engineers, airport stakeholders, and governing authorities from the beginning of the project to ensure a clear and expected outcome is achieved. Flight Tech, together with its partners, has termed this strategy the “Flight Operations Engineering” approach to aviation consulting.

We have worked both directly for the airport and the airport’s designated engineering firm. Our team has participated in projects ranging from small regional airports to international hub airports. Contact us today to discuss your airport’s unique needs.

The FAA 5010 datasheet provides important details for aircraft operators and should be updated when changes to the airport environment occur. Airport 5010 inspections will examine runway conditions, airport markings, airport lighting, runway approach angles, and controlling runway obstructions. Flight Tech can assist state transportation authorities or airport operators with updates to the information and submit revised data to the FAA.

In addition to standard 5010 inspection services, an analysis of FAA TERPS surfaces can be performed to determine possible impacts on Instrument Flight Procedures.

When a project involves changes to runway length, threshold locations, lighting, or navigational aids, timely planning and coordination prior to and during the project is critical to ensure a functional airport environment. Flight Tech has experience working with the various divisions of the FAA that will need to be involved throughout the project such as Airports District Office (ADO), Flight Standards, Flight Inspection, Air Traffic Control (ATO), All Weather Operations (AWO), US NOTAM office, and others. We also work on behalf of the airport authority to coordinate with air carriers and airport stakeholders to ensure essential details and impacts of the different construction phases are appropriately communicated.