I was initially going to post this in the main VATSIM forum, but here would be better. I just saw this squawked over at FlightAware:
http://flightaware.com/squawks/view/1/24_hours/popular/56667/FAA_Releases_VOR_Decommissioning_Policyhttp://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2016-07-26/faa-releases-vor-decommissioning-policyFAA Releases VOR Decommissioning Policy
by Kerry Lynch
- July 26, 2016, 11:53 AM
The FAA formally published its policy including the criteria for selecting hundreds of VOR navigation aids that will be decommissioned over the next decade. The policy, released today, further outlines the process for decommissioning. The agency has selected 308 VORs to be decommissioned as the agency moves to a satellite-based navigational system.
It originally proposed the policy in 2011, and initially indicated plans to decommission more than 500 VORs. Industry groups, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, protested, arguing that a larger VOR minimum operational network is necessary to serve as a backup in case there should be a widespread GPS satellite outage.
The FAA then worked with an industry group to refine criteria for VORs that should be saved and established a two-phase timeline for the decommissioning of the VORs. Under the criteria, the FAA has opted to retain VORs to perform ILS, localizer or VOR approaches with 100 nm of locations within the continental U.S.; support international oceanic arrival routes; and provide coverage above 5,000 feet agl. The agency will also retain most in the Western U.S. mountainous area, those required for military use, and those outside the continental U.S. Supplementing that criteria, the FAA considered only agency-owned/operated VORs for discontinuance and decided to retain co-located DME and Tactical Air Navigation systems when VOR service is terminated.
Under the plan, 74 VORs are set for decommissioning through Phase 1, which is ongoing through 2020. Under Phase 2, which is to take place between 2021 and 2025, 234 more VORs will be decommissioned. The FAA last fall received investment plan approval and had announced the list of the first 35 to be decommissioned.
The PDF of the policy is located
here. In looking at these, especially regarding the airways that those VORs are on, that would subsequently mean that those segments of that particular airway may be decommissioned as well.
While it doesn't look as bad for my sector (in fact, only preferred non-RNAV routes to airports outside of ZLA would be impacted), I look at an airport like KOMA, and notice a big issue: Nearly every VOR used as a transition to a STAR into KOMA is impacted:
- ONL: Used on HOWRY1.
- OBH: Used on HOWRY1
- SUX: Used on SUX1.
- PWE: Used on PWE1.
- FOD: Used on LANTK1.
Only GRI, LNK, DSM, LMN, and STJ were spared (required for arrivals into DSM, MCI, LNK, and OFF). While these would be phased out over a period of time, this would require a complete rewrite of all of the STARs into KOMA.
I'm pretty sure other major airports are impacted as well (DEN is going away, ORD is going away, and that includes if they provide DME and/or TACAN services). It's a huge list, so it may be worth looking at, as this appears to be finalized.
BL.
