Least Busy Class B Airport?

FM_Weasel said:
Anyone can play around with air traffic counts at this link: https://aspm.faa.gov/opsnet/sys/Main.asp
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So this had the answer to my question! Looks like ADW is the least busy, with 60k ops.

For civilian airports, poor CLE took the least busy spot, with 113k ops using 2015 data. STL, PIT, CVG, MCI, MSY were pretty close behind.

Rounding out the top 5 were ATL, ORD, LAX, DFW, DEN.

HNL was actually middle of pack, with almost triple the amount of ops as CLE.
 
Considering I live there. I'lll put money on CLE. Ever since United and CA left it's very slow.
 
Stinger said:
CPR is Casper, WY.
CRP is Corpus Christi.
So you're technically wrong, but if you meant CRP, then you'd be correct.


Nope, you're wrong. The Corpus controllers work Valley Approach from the same room.
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Yep i meant CRP just cant type for crap :)
 
CFI A&P said:
During Oshkosh, there is about 2,000-3,000 operations per hour when the field is open.

Not bad for a class D.

http://www.wired.com/2009/07/airventure-control-tower/

http://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/about-eaa...eaa-airventure-oshkosh-2015-facts-and-figures


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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2-3000 an hour sounds hugely exaggerated. That's between 30-50 ops per minute. The opening paragraph of your Wired link says 3000 flights in 10 hours. Still a big number, but its realistic.
 
Stinger said:
2-3000 an hour sounds hugely exaggerated. That's between 30-50 ops per minute. The opening paragraph of your Wired link says 3000 flights in 10 hours. Still a big number, but its realistic.
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You're right, I was thinking per day but typed per hour.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
For those interested in exactly WHY certain airspace areas are established, the order governing all of that is the 7400.2, found here.

15−2−1. CRITERIA
a.
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The criteria for considering a given airport as a
candidate for a Class B airspace designation must be
based on factors that include the volume of aircraft,
the number of enplaned passengers, and the
type/nature of operations being conducted in the area.

b. For a site to be considered as a new Class B
airspace candidate, the following criteria must be
met:

1. The primary airport serves at least 5 million
passengers enplaned annually;

2. The primary airport has a total airport
operations count of 300,000 (of which at least
240,000 are air carriers and air taxi); and

3. The Class B designation will contribute to the
efficiency and safety of operations, and is necessary
to correct a current situation or problem that can not
be solved without a Class B designation.

NOTE−
The above is the minimum criteria. It should be noted that
when the criteria for the establishment of a Class B
airspace area is met, it is merely an indication that the
facility is a candidate for further study.

c. Although an airport meets the minimum
passenger and air traffic operations criteria for a
Class B designation, other factors must be considered,
such as: would a Class B designation
contribute to the efficiency and safety of operations
in the area: and is there a current situation or problem
that cannot be solved without the designation of
Class B airspace.
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It's a real thrilling read. Even I can't stick with it.
 
Last edited:
I know they did a big system change in the 90s to comply with the new ICAO class layout. Did these airports that we have today already meet the cut with the big TCA, or were they designated Class B in increments? Does anybody know when the last airport was designated as Class B?
 
fiveninerzero said:
So this had the answer to my question! Looks like ADW is the least busy, with 60k ops.

For civilian airports, poor CLE took the least busy spot, with 113k ops using 2015 data. STL, PIT, CVG, MCI, MSY were pretty close behind.

Rounding out the top 5 were ATL, ORD, LAX, DFW, DEN.

HNL was actually middle of pack, with almost triple the amount of ops as CLE.
Click to expand...


NY Class B not in the top 5? Is that cause they break it into 3 rather than just the one big one that it actually is?
 
NovemberEcho said:
NY Class B not in the top 5? Is that cause they break it into 3 rather than just the one big one that it actually is?
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The stats I found were by airport, so technically I haven't found the exact stats that I'm looking for (by airspace) but this was good enough for me. I know the NYC area is pretty busy, but I haven't been able to find data that breaks it down by airspace. Maybe if I could search by TRACON, since they are the ones that own the Class Bs?
 
USMCmech said:
You can't just count HRL by itself. "Valley approach" also takes care of BRO and MFE as well as all the small GA fields in south TX. Add in all the crop duster and law enforcement aviation in the area, and there is a lot more traffic than you might realize.


As several others have noted, some class B airports are VERY busy at night despite being comparative ghost towns during the day.
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Not to nit pick but the Valley Approach guys are in the same building as the IAH guys, ie on the KIAH airport property
 
Skåning said:
Not to nit pick but the Valley Approach guys are in the same building as the IAH guys, ie on the KIAH airport property
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I'm afraid that's incorrect as well. They're in the combined Tower/TRACON at Corpus Christi (CRP)

fiveninerzero said:
The stats I found were by airport, so technically I haven't found the exact stats that I'm looking for (by airspace) but this was good enough for me. I know the NYC area is pretty busy, but I haven't been able to find data that breaks it down by airspace. Maybe if I could search by TRACON, since they are the ones that own the Class Bs?
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The link I posted earlier has options for reports by Approach Control facility, that would get you more complete numbers regarding area operations.
 
fiveninerzero said:
I know they did a big system change in the 90s to comply with the new ICAO class layout. Did these airports that we have today already meet the cut with the big TCA, or were they designated Class B in increments? Does anybody know when the last airport was designated as Class B?
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If I recall, some TRSAs were upgraded to Class C airspace, but TCAs to Bs was 1 for 1, best I can recall.

Don't know about new Class B areas, but there has been a steady elimination of uncontrolled airspace out west. A lot of places out there were uncontrolled below 14,500 up until just a few years ago, but have recently been lowered to 1,200 AGL.

Richman
 
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