b'MSP operated with higher-than-average levels of delay betweenRunway 17-35 with lead-in/off centerline lighting on the endthat allows traditional voice transmissions to be sent to aircraftPrecision Instrument Approaches Table A-3January-April 2018 and in November 2018, above the nationalconnector taxiways.as text. The technology is most beneficial when air traffic average, largely due to adverse weather conditions. The highestThe project, which will conclude in 2019, includes installationcontrollers modify the routing of aircraft flight plans. These longMSPCAT 1CAT 2CAT 3level of delay at MSP in 2018 occurred in January 2018 with anof taxiway edge and centerline lights and cabling. This willverbal instructions can now be sent in seconds, reducing radioRunways30R30L12Laverage of 7.5 minutes of delay per operation.provide the FAA air traffic control tower the ability to convertcongestion, decreasing the potential for error, and increasing the12RDuring the months of May-October 2018, MSP operated belowrunway 4-22 into a fully functional taxiway and back to a runwayaccuracy of communications. 35the national average. The lowest average of delay per operation atconfiguration, as necessary. The lighting system will allowOngoing Precision Instrument Approach Capabilities Notes: The term decision height is defined as the height at which aMSP occurred in October 2018 with 5.3 minutes of delay.for safe aircraft taxi operations on Runway 4-22 during peakIn addition to runway separation and configuration, airfielddecision must be made during a precision approach to either continue the When compared to other large hub U.S. airports as shown inoperational periods without the risk of a possible pilot-causedcapacity can be affected greatly by how the runways arelanding maneuver or execute a missed approach. Table A-2, MSP ranked 16th with an overall average delay of 6.2runway incursion due to confusion of current lighting systems.equipped for inclement weather. A number of precisionPrecision approaches are categorized based on decision height and the minutes in 2018; in 2017 MSP ranked 19th with an overall averageThis will make this unique operation conversion fully compliantinstrument approaches continue to be available at MSP horizontal visibility that a pilot has along the runway. Visibility values are of 5.4 minutes of delay. with the FAA design requirements for a taxiway operation. Theas summarized in Table A-3.expressed in statute miles or in terms of runway visual range (RVR) if RVR flexibility allows the tower to better utilize existing infrastructuremeasuring equipment is installed at an airport. The different classes of TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND precision instrument approaches are:CAPACITY ENHANCEMENTS AT MSP and allow for more efficient ground handling of aircraft.i. Category I (CAT I)provides approaches to a decision height down to The FAA continuously explores potential capacity-enhancingFAAS NEXTGEN INITIATIVE 200 feet and a basic visibility ofstatute miles or as low as 1,800 feet development/technology to increase airport efficiency andIn 2011, as part of the FAAs NextGen initiative to modernizerunway visual range (RVR).reduce delay. When advances are identified, efforts are made tothe national airspace system, the agency began to pursueii. Category II (CAT II)provides approaches to a decision height down to implement the technology at the busiest airports. This sectionadvanced aircraft navigation technology at MSP in the form of100 feet and an RVR down to 1,200 feet. iii. Category IIIa (CAT IIIa)provides approaches without a decision height describes these efforts as they apply to MSP. performance-based navigation/area navigation (PBN/RNAV)(down to the ground) or a decision height below 100 feet and an RVR Installation of ASDE-X at MSP was completed in 2009flight procedures. After extensive review and communitydown to 700 feet. input, the FAA chose to implement new arrival proceduresiv. Category IIIb (CAT IIIb)provides approaches without a decision height and provides seamless coverage for complete aircraftincorporating optimized profile descents (OPD) at MSP.or a decision height below 50 feet and an RVR down to 150 feet. identification information. This equipment also allows for futurePublication of the arrival flight procedures and air traffic controlv. Category IIIc (CAT IIIc)provides approaches without a decision height implementation and upgrade to Next Generation (NextGen)and RVR. This will permit landings in 0/0 conditions, that is, weather navigation technology (Automatic Dependence Surveillance implementation began in March 2015 and was fully implementedconditions with no ceiling and visibility as during periods of heavy fog. Broadcast, ADS-B); ADS-B uses a Global Navigation Satelliteby April 2015. OPDs occur when pilots keep the throttle pulledSource: MSP Airfield Operations, FAASystem to broadcast critical information.back for a continuous descent into the airport, rather than using more traditional procedures that involve descending in Federal policy requires aircraft operating in capacity-constrainedsteps, reducing fuel and carbon emissions. In 2017, MAC staff airspace, at capacity-constrained airports or in any othercompleted an evaluation to quantify the benefits of OPDs. The airspace deemed appropriate by the FAA, to be equipped withfindings were endorsed by the FAA and showed the OPDs ADS-B/Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (ADS-B/CDTI)provide the largest carbon emission reduction in documented technology by 2020. This includes MSP. history at MSP with a savings of approximately 2.9 million Runway 4-22 Taxiway Lighting System gallons of fuel per year, resulting in 28,465 fewer metric tons of In 2018, the MAC began a project as part of the Capitalcarbon dioxide.Improvement Program for the construction of taxiway lightingAlso, in April 2017, the FAA introduced Data Communications systems for Runway 4-22 between Runway 12L-30R andat MSP. Data Comm, as it is known, is a NextGen technology ix x'