Airspace Research StudyPhoenix, Arizona

2004

Objective

Goal: To advocate improved operational safety through enhanced

understanding of surrounding practice area usage Valley-wide distribution of study results and recommendations Continued annual to bi-annual research for continued

improvement

Airports Studied: CHD, FFZ, IWA, SDL, DVT, & P19

General Focus: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, & Southwest

practice areas

Research Development

Surveys distributed to various FBO/ Flight schools Valley-wide

contained questions involving:

Primary practice area usage Altitude utilization Transitions Collision Avoidance

Data received from surveys implemented into presentation

**All information, charts, and graphs are based only on submitted surveys, accuracy varies

Surveys Answered

Facility Home Base

UND Aerospace IWA

Silver State Helicopters IWA

Mesa Pilot Development IWA

Professional Flight Inst. Service FFZ

Falcon Executive Aviation FFZ

Chandler Air Service CHD

Westwind School of Aeronautics DVT

Pan Am International Flight Academy

DVT

Sabena Airline Training Center SDL

ATCA GYR

Surveys Received Broken Down by Airport

Airport Survey’s Answered Total # of FBO/Rental Facility/School on field

IWA 3 7

CHD 1 3

FFZ 2 4

SDL 1 4

DVT 2 2

P19 0 1

Current Maximum and Average Aircraft within Practice Area

05

10152025303540455055

MaximumAircraft

AverageAircraft

IWA

CHD

FFZ

SDL

DVT

P19

Average Aircraft Average Aircraft

within Practice Areaswithin Practice Areas

Maximum Aircraft Maximum Aircraft

within Practice Areaswithin Practice Areas

Primary Practice Areas by Airport IWA: Southeast & Southwest

CHD: Southeast & Southwest

FFZ: East, Northeast, Southeast, & Southwest

SDL: Northeast, Southeast, & Southwest

DVT: Northwest (primary), Northeast (secondary), Southeast, Southwest (occasionally)

IWA: Transitioning To & From Helicopter (1 school’s info):

Direct into SE practice area and direct to return to IWA at 500’ AGL

Fixed Wing (2 school’s info): SE and SW practice area average daily transitions (2 schools): From IWA-practice area transition points:

Over Pegasus Between ‘Mr. Volcano’ & Santan Mountains “Gap” of the Santan Mountains Rittenhouse to Renaissance Festival

From practice area-IWA Same positions as transitioning outbound

Altitudes: Outbound altitudes: 4,000 MSL and above Inbound altitudes: 3,500 MSL

CHD: Transitioning To & From Fixed Wing (1 school/FBO info):

From CHD to Practice area: Headings between 100-220 degrees

Practice area to CHD: 4 NM directly south of field 4 NM directly east of field

Altitudes: Inbound altitudes: 2,500-3,500 MSL Outbound altitudes 2,500-3,500 MSL

FFZ: Transitioning To & From Fixed wing: (2 school’s info):

From FFZ- NE practice area: Direct to practice area Either side of Red Mt. to practice area Direct Fountain Hills Return over same points

From FFZ-SE practice area (Apache Junction) Directly east from FFZ to canal and U.S. 60 at 3,000 MS

Altitudes: Outbound altitudes: 3,500 MSL and above/ 4,500 MSL Inbound altitudes: 3,000 MSL/ 4,500 MSL

SDL: Transitioning To & From Fixed wing (1 school’s info):

From SDL-NE/SE practice areas: NE and SE via usary Pass/ Apache Junction

From SDL-SW practice area: Via Class Bravo transition or SE practice area

Inbound and Outbound altitudes: 3,500 MSL- 6,500 MSL

DVT: Transitioning To & From Fixed wing (2 schools):

From DVT-all practice areas: All directions from DVT 25L/R: west of I-17, then NW or W to shooting range,

orchards, or towards Luke AFB Aux. Fields 7L/R: N-NW over Cave Creek dam, bend in Carefree HWY, or

NE-E toward Pinnacle Peak Inbound from practice area- DVT:

Same as outbound reference points Outbound and Inbound altitudes:

3,000- 5,500 MSL

Altitudes Used within Practice AreasPractice Area Primary Altitudes of

Training (MSL)Transition within Using VFR Recommended Altitude

Northeast 4,000-6,500 Yes

Northwest 4,000-6,500 Yes

Southeast 4,000-6,500 Yes

Southwest 2,000-higher Yes

Collision Avoidance

Airport TCAS Monitor and Report on Frequency

Company Traffic Coordination

IWA <10% of aircraft Yes Yes

CHD None No No

FFZ None Yes Yes

SDL None Yes Yes

DVT None Yes Yes

P19 Unknown Unknown Unknown

GYR 100% of aircraft Yes Yes

Projected Growth of Aircraft in 5 Years Goodyear: Remain the same

Scottsdale: 50% increase

Gateway: 10%-50% increase fixed wing/ 50% increase rotor

Deer Valley: 50% increase

Chandler: 10% increase

Falcon: 30% increase

Extended Collision Avoidance Suggestions Utilization of higher altitudes

Operate further out in each practice area

Communication on proper frequencies

Coordination of company aircraft

Possibility of VFR flight following from ABQ center or PHX approach

Additional TCAS equipped aircraft

Spreading awareness of operations to all flight schools/FBO Valley wide

Getting Involved

Develop awareness of the AFTW

Distribute discovered research

Hand out additional surveys to other facilities

Questions?