A new obstacle has developed with the Transponder Landing System that Friedman Memorial Airport has been hoping for years to activate to allow landings in foul weather.
Airport Manager Rick Baird told the airport's governing board at its monthly meeting June 6 that the TLS may not allow the below-1,000 feet ceiling minimum once specified. Instead, it may allow landings only as low as 1,200 feet above the ground.
The system, however, has a sponsor, SkyWest Airlines, which would be responsible for the costs of manning the system. Essentially, an existing on-board flight instrument known as a transponder can be numerically coded to activate a SkyWest aircraft's instrumentation so pilots can fly through foul weather until they reach 1,200 feet and land in the clear.
However, here's where the hitch has developed, Baird said.
If the ceiling still is lower, then the aircraft has to execute a missed-approach, requiring it to gain altitude and fly higher to clear mountainous terrain on three sides of the Hailey airfield.
Baird said a simulated miss-approach procedure is a requirement of the Federal Aviation Administration. In an actual missed approach, gaining altitude is influenced by aircraft weight, temperature and weather and engine performance.
Baird said the new ceiling minimum may not benefit SkyWest, but the airline will decide after conferring with the TLS manufacturer.
If SkyWest withdraws as the TLS sponsor, Baird said he would try to find another. All TLS equipment, which was funded by the FAA, has been installed, but not activated.
Friedman has been struggling for years to operate a weather landing system that would reduce the number of canceled flights of the airlines.
