Special Use Airport

[s3jetman]

Our airline operates into a "Special Use" airport. (KEYW) Key West is considered special use by the FAA or ICAO. I am looking for documantation as to why it is special use. I have a few leads but it is all just someone giving my their explanation. I would like offical document reference if someone out there can help that would be great

 

[Andy Neill]

Most of the airports I have seen in this category are special because of "Mountainous Terrain". That is obviously not the case for KEYW. SFO is special because of "Unique Arrival and Departure Procedures".

If you have the airport pictorial from Jeppesen, check the Airport Qualification block in the top left of the front page. That should give the reason.

 

[pilotdiscretion]

http://www.opspecs.com/ops/SpecialPICAirports/

KEYW is not listed as special use here. The FAA may rule that your air carrier must treat as such do to the short runway, tethered radar ballon and local military. They may also place this restriction on your air carrier based on your operation or history with the airport.

 

[AdamKooper]

Our airline operates into a "Special Use" airport. (KEYW) Key West is considered special use by the FAA or ICAO. I am looking for documantation as to why it is special use. I have a few leads but it is all just someone giving my their explanation. I would like offical document reference if someone out there can help that would be great

Let me guess GIA?

 

[The_Russian]

Swamp monsters!

 

[paddlehigh]

It means that there is a special detailed airport diagram, usually in color, which details special airport runways, terrain, etc.

 

[Poahi]

Our airline operates into a "Special Use" airport. (KEYW) Key West is considered special use by the FAA or ICAO. I am looking for documantation as to why it is special use. I have a few leads but it is all just someone giving my their explanation. I would like offical document reference if someone out there can help that would be great

Key West is not a special use airport. A special use airport is one whose use is restricted for some specific reason(s). Key West is a special airport however, and airline PIC's must meet the requirement of Sec 121.445 and be familiar with specific issues unique to the airport. I don't know where to look for exact information as to why it's a special airport, but I was told that it had to do with the ponds near the airport which can reflect sunlight and that it could be harmful or confusing. Don't hold me to that, but I am sure it's not the runway length. If airlines want to make it a Captains only airport, that is their perogative and Key West being a special airport may only be coincidental.

Why don't you call the tower or ask the airport manager?

http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/Pages/MonroeCoFL_Airport/keywest

Hope that helps.

By the way, for the NBD approach, at 150KIAS, you have 29 seconds after crossing the FAF to descend 900' to the MAP. That may be reason enough.

 

[paddlehigh]

poahi read jeps and it will expain special use airports, I guess you are not familiar with such airports under part 121 regulations, but it is regulatory.

 

[Poahi]

poahi read jeps and it will expain special use airports, I guess you are not familiar with such airports under part 121 regulations, but it is regulatory.

paddlehigh,

Re-read your Jepps and tell me where it says "Special Use Airport".

 

[s3jetman]

first want to thank you for the responses

I have read and know what the jeppesen plate says

"Thermals due to lake effect and approach to 4,800 ft runway"

Its just when I am trying to explain it to the Pilots in my class I want to be able to justify what it is I am saying. Our comapany policy is that it is a captains only landing and I have some pictoral training aids provided by jeppesen but i think they are little old and just wanted an update. I do not completely understand why we define it as a "special use" airport when I have researched and found nothing on Key West as per the FAA. Thank you for any help you can provide and thank you for the responses already posted.

I think the main reason we define it as "special Use" is because of a captain, "The Russian", we have who has difficulty landing on anything less than 10,000 long without flatspotting the tire!!!

 

[Andy Neill]

It means that there is a special detailed airport diagram, usually in color, which details special airport runways, terrain, etc.

Not necessarily. For instance, both Atlanta and Medford, OR have pictorials but neither is a Special Airport.

s3jetman,
Did you take a look at your OPSPECS C-050? At one time all these were in C-067 and later most were moved to another OPSPEC which I cannot now find.

 

[John Pennekamp]

At ASA we fly CRJ-700s into EYW. It's special due to our Op Specs. Captains must make all takeoffs and landings and must be route qualified. A check airman takes each captain there during IOE.

As to why its special, let's think about it for a minute:

Very short runway by airline standards (4900ft).
Military base and restricted airspace within two miles of the approach.
Extremely heavy traffic conjestion, mostly VFR.
Tethered balloon to 15,000' within two miles.
Strict noise abatement.
Lack of a good instrument approach.
Surrounded by water.
Tight taxiways.
Etc...

What's funny is that ASA flies CRJ-200s into APF (Naples, FL) which has a 5000 foot runway. If you don't know, the takeoff and landing performance of the -200 is about half that of the -700 due to the -200 not having slats. There are no restrictions except to power back to 79% for noise abatement. I don't see how 100 of runway can make all the difference, so EYW must be restricted due to the other stuff.

 

[Smacktard]

At ASA we fly CRJ-700s into EYW. It's special due to our Op Specs. Captains must make all takeoffs and landings and must be route qualified.

Where have you been? FOs have been doing the t/o's and landings into EYW for a few months now.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Where have you been? FOs have been doing the t/o's and landings into EYW for a few months now.

Really? News to me. Makes sense, really. It was a slap in the face to tell our FOs that they were qualified on the plane, but not good ehough to handle it in EYW. Also a black eye for the training department, IMO.

 

[shuttlepilot]

People land on Phillys 5000 foot runway all day long without flatspotting the tires. Landing charts for our plane have us stopped in 3000ft or less at max gross. It ain't special, it's called basic flying skills...