Section 1. General

  1. PURPOSE
  1. Class B airspace areas are designed to improve aviation safety by reducing the risk of midair collisions in the airspace surrounding airports with high-density air traffic operations. Aircraft operating in these airspace areas are subject to certain operating rules and equipment requirements.
  2. Additionally, Class B airspace areas are designed to enhance the management of air traffic operations to and from the airports therein, and through the airspace area.
  1. NONRULEMAKING ALTERNATIVES

Before initiating a Class B airspace proposal, determine if there are nonrulemaking alternatives that could resolve the issue(s). If nonrulemaking alternatives resolve the issue(s), no Class B rulemaking action is required.

  1. RESPONSIBILITIES
  1. The Rules and Regulations Group is responsible for oversight of the Class B airspace designation/modification/revocation process and issuance of all informal airspace meeting notices, NPRMs, and final rules. The Rules and Regulations Group will provide assistance, as needed, to the Service Centers in developing Class B airspace proposals.
  2. The Service Center is responsible for coordination to determine Class B airspace candidacy or the need for modifications or revocation of an existing area. As part of this responsibility, the Service Center must request a staff study be conducted by the appropriate office and perform an analysis of the staff study. All Class B airspace establishment, modification, or revocation plans must be coordinated with the Rules and Regulations Group before any public announcement.
  1. SERVICE CENTER EVALUATION
  1. Service centers must biennially evaluate existing Class B airspace areas to determine if the area continues to meet the purpose of Class B airspace and if airspace modifications are required. The evaluation should consider, but is not limited to, the following:
  1. The Class B airspace guidance in this chapter;
  2. Review the current configuration to determine if:
  1. It ensures the containment of instrument approach procedures once their track enters the Class B airspace and departure procedures until their track exits the Class B airspace.
  1. Surface areas encompass all final approach fixes, to the extent practicable.
  2. Sub area floor altitudes are based on instrument procedure climb/descent gradients.
  1. Any lateral or vertical gaps exist between adjacent airspace areas where VFR flight could increase hazards for Class B operations; or if the configuration contains any “traps” or “dead-end” corridors for VFR aircraft.
  2. There is a record of Class B excursions.
  1. Airspace modeling results (PDARS, TARGETS, etc.);
  2. Controller input and user feedback;
  3. Applicable safety data; for example:
  1. Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) events;
  2. Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP);
  3. Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS);
  4. Mandatory Occurrence Reports (MOR);
  5. Near Midair Collision (NMAC) reports;
  6. FAA Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) System; and
  7. Other sources as appropriate.
  1. Significant changes in primary airport traffic flows, runway utilization, or instrument procedures that affect the Class B configuration;
  2. Secondary/satellite airport operations affecting Class B operations or controller workload;
  3. Planning activities such as construction of new runways, changes to existing runways (for example, decommissioned, lengthened, etc.), development of new instrument procedures, or cancellation of existing procedures, resectorization plans (determine whether planned changes require Class B airspace modifications);
  4. Need for charting enhancements: Sectional Aeronautical Chart, Terminal Area Chart (TAC), VFR Flyway Planning Chart; and

REFERENCE-

FAA Order JO 7210.3, Para 10-1-4, Sectional Aeronautical and Terminal Area Charts.

  1. Any other factors deemed relevant to the Class B airspace area being evaluated.
  1. The Service Center must document the biennial evaluation to the file, with an information copy of the evaluation sent to the Rules and Regulations Group (AJV-P21). If the evaluation indicates that airspace modifications or revocation should be made, Service Centers must follow the applicable procedures in this Order.
  2. In addition to the biennial evaluation, airspace specialists should maintain coordination with planners (such as Metroplex, NextGen, Performance-Based Navigation, FPT, etc.) for awareness of instrument flight procedures under development to determine if they will be contained within the existing Class B airspace configuration. If the planned procedures would exit the existing Class B airspace, initiate a corresponding Class B modification project.