FAA To Host Community Sessions On Upcoming Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Departure Procedures Update

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to host two community engagement sessions this week to present and discuss updates on departure procedures at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). According to the City of Minneapolis, the virtual meetings will take place on Wednesday, August 14, and Thursday, August 15 respectively. The FAA seeks to unveil its plans for the transition to Area Navigation (RNAV) departure procedures at the MSP and talk about its environmental study process.

During the sessions, the FAA will also seek input from the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and the Noise Oversight Committee (NOC), the future of the MSP airspace management will be discussed, along with potential future opportunities for public comment on the revamped departure strategies. There's a clear trend toward modernizing air traffic systems, with GPS-based guidance stepping forward to replace older, ground-based equipment. This transition is necessary for enhanced safety and operational efficiency. The webinar slated for Wednesday is from 1-3 pm and the Thursday follow-up from 6-8 pm, and pre-registration is not required for later viewing on the FAA's YouTube channel, as detailed by the City of Minneapolis.

Dive into the background on the matter, the MSP Very High-Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) is ticking towards decommission by mid-to-late 2025. This sunset is part of a broader FAA initiative to modernize the national airspace, phasing out approximately one-third of the nation's VOR network. Of the remaining 600 VORs, the FAA explains they will hold strategic positions across the nation to act as backups in the case of a satellite outage—a critical step in safeguarding against potential technology failures.

For those who wish to participate in the conversation or seek more information on the proposed changes, the FAA has set up registration for both the Wednesday and Thursday webinar sessions. Details for attending the virtual events can be found on the designated web pages for the August 14 Workshop Registration and the August 15 Workshop Registration.

SOURCE: hoodline