Facility Downgrades / Upgrades

May 2017
Upgrades
CPS 5 > 6

Downgrades
ARR 5 > 4
CMH 9 > 8
IAH 12 > 11 !
LVK 6 > 5
STP 5 > 4
 
Anyone have any more information about the review process? Like why some facilities get downgraded after a year or so and some facilities are below the buffer for 7 years straight without a downgrade.
 
Anyone have any more information about the review process? Like why some facilities get downgraded after a year or so and some facilities are below the buffer for 7 years straight without a downgrade.
There's a subjective review. If a facility is going to be downgraded they will submit a request to the facility for them to justify why they shouldn't be downgraded. Projected traffic is also taken into consideration.
 
Seems like shedding light on this issue would only result in more downgrades. Because there are really a lot of facilities below the buffer. So I understand why there's not a ton of outrage I guess. But if you take a look at CIs, the way they're doing it currently couldn't be less fair. I mean it's bananas.
 
How often does a facility get an evaluation?
If you drop into the buffer (downgrade) for six months, you get a traffic count audit to determine whether you're going to be downgraded or not. If you get into a buffer (upgrade), you get a traffic count audit after three months to determine if you get upgraded or not. So downgrades take six months and upgrades take three months... Any discrepancies result in a more thorough traffic count audit. If neither one of these occur, you don't get an audit and you stay at your current facility level.
 
If you drop into the buffer (downgrade) for six months, you get a traffic count audit to determine whether you're going to be downgraded or not. If you get into a buffer (upgrade), you get a traffic count audit after three months to determine if you get upgraded or not. So downgrades take six months and upgrades take three months... Any discrepancies result in a more thorough traffic count audit. If neither one of these occur, you don't get an audit and you stay at your current facility level.
Thanks for your post @Robertb but I don't see how this explains why some facilities are in the red for years and years and years and years and-
Also does anyone know what a traffic count audit entails exactly? thx
 
Thanks for your post @Robertb but I don't see how this explains why some facilities are in the red for years and years and years and years and-
Also does anyone know what a traffic count audit entails exactly? thx
I can't explain that other than they just started this process at the end of last year and it was supposed to last all of this year. We have a guy here on detail for the upgrade/downgrade panel on the union side of things.
 
Thanks for your post @Robertb but I don't see how this explains why some facilities are in the red for years and years and years and years and-
Also does anyone know what a traffic count audit entails exactly? thx
See my above post.

An audit someone reviews the traffic count manually. The audited count has to be within a certain error tolerance to be valid. It's a great way to spend a day staring at radar replays.
 
Thanks for your post @Robertb but I don't see how this explains why some facilities are in the red for years and years and years and years and-
Also does anyone know what a traffic count audit entails exactly? thx
I was at a facility that was below their level buffer for 3-4 years. But it was due to runway construction projects and a changing military training fleet. Instead of downgrading, FAA said they'd take a look at it once everything was complete. Since the runways have now all been opened the facility has finally made it back into the buffer saving a downgrade/upgrade.

The facility writes up a justification on why they shouldn't be downgraded and if the FAA agrees, the facility stays the same level.
 
See my above post.

An audit someone reviews the traffic count manually. The audited count has to be within a certain error tolerance to be valid. It's a great way to spend a day staring at radar replays.
Do you know how many days(hours) they examine in an audit?
Is there any rhyme or reason to the day(s) they choose to audit?
 
Do you know how many days(hours) they examine in an audit?
Is there any rhyme or reason to the day(s) they choose to audit?
If I remember correctly, they disregard the top 10% traffic days and the bottom 10% traffic days. They choose three random days in that 80% range and manually go through the traffic count.
 
If I remember correctly, they disregard the top 10% traffic days and the bottom 10% traffic days. They choose three random days in that 80% range and manually go through the traffic count.
any idea what time frame they take the 3 random days from?
 
On whichever days have that 80-90% busiest traffic.
Im sorry, I meant how for back in the calendar do they go? So for example, if you reach the stated threshold or 6 months below the buffer or 3 months above the ceiling do they audit days from around that current month? Is there any standard about the window in which the random days are selected?
@Robertb
 
Back
Top Bottom