FAA Adds 11 Airports To Those Served By Fuel-Saving OPD Procedures

The FAA announced on Monday (Jan. 30) it has added 11 airports to the list of destinations that offer Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs). The procedure enables landing aircraft to maintain a constant descent profile, rather than the traditional “stair-step” format. By eliminating the need to repeatedly descend, then power up to level off (frequently several times per landing approach), OPDs are expected to save 90,000 gallons of fuel annually on average. That’s the equivalent of the fuel used by 62 Boeing 737s flying between New York and Cleveland, according to the FAA. The new procedures will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 27,000 tons annually.

The newly added air traffic control procedures serve Orlando, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Reno, Nevada; and six airports in South Florida. The procedures serving the 11 new cities join 53 existing cities, including Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and more for a total of 64 locations.

Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolan said, “We are investing across the entire system to provide passengers with the best travel experience.  The era of choppy descents is coming to an end, providing a smoother landing and saving fuel in the process.”