FAA Imposes Sudden Operational Restrictions at Centennial Airport Near Denver

Flight operations at Centennial Airport (KAPA) in Englewood, Colorado, have faced sudden limitations after air traffic controllers received orders from the Federal Aviation Administration to immediately halt simultaneous parallel departure operations. The agency wants to establish approved mitigations to lower safety risks to an acceptable level. Alongside parallel departures, the rules prohibit touch-and-goes and restrict pattern work at the facility.

According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the changes were implemented abruptly without advance notification to pilots. AOPA Northwest Mountain Regional Manager Brad Schuster stated that the sudden ban on touch-and-goes and pattern work without alerting pilots is concerning and appears unprecedented. Nearly a week after the edict, the agency had not issued a notice to air missions or updated the airport automatic terminal information service with the critical operational information.

Federal aviation officials explained that departing instrument flight rules traffic was conflicting with visual flight rules traffic leaving the parallel runway. Furthermore, existing agency guidance cautions aviators about drifting into neighboring departure corridors. The parallel runways at Centennial are separated by a distance of about 700 feet. The airport previously encountered safety issues related to these parallel runways, notably a 2021 midair collision involving two aircraft that were approaching separate runways.

Schuster pointed out that federal grant standards require airports to quickly notify pilots regarding conditions affecting aeronautical use. He noted that since the directive originated from the agency itself, the administration should adhere to those same standards. The Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority communicated to airport tenants that flight schools, instructors, aviators, and businesses are impacted by the limits, acknowledging the resulting frustration and uncertainty. The airport authority stated its objective is to establish a workable path forward quickly while addressing safety concerns and maintaining proper operating procedures.

With more than 300,000 annual operations, Centennial ranks among the busiest general aviation facilities in the nation. AOPA warned that the restrictions will likely push training traffic to other airports along the Colorado Front Range, which could increase community tensions and noise concerns in neighboring areas. Schuster emphasized a desire to collaborate with the agency, the airport authority, local pilots, and businesses to resolve the issues and mitigate the impact on operators.

Sources: General Aviation News, AVweb