Starting on 8 July 2021, the FAA will begin implementing new routes specifically designed to assist business aircraft operators departing from New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport and New York’s Westchester County Airport, both near New York City, during times of high traffic congestion or severe weather.

Developed with consideration of the performance profiles of turbine-powered business aircraft, the new “escape routes” will only be issued by ATC, with New York TRACON (N90) coordinating with tower controllers who will then verify that pilots are able to fly the assigned route.

The new routes are part of the FAA’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) initiatives under the NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC), upon which NBAA serves. Association President and CEO Ed Bolen personally emphasized the need for the new routes with FAA officials, in his position on the NAC.

Heidi Williams, NBAA director of air traffic services and infrastructure, explained how the new routes will be administered. “N90 will assign these escape routes when able to allow operators to get up and out of the northeast, versus sitting on the ground for excessive timeframes.”

Williams noted the new options for New York-area departures mark the culmination of a multi-year effort between the FAA and the association – a collaboration that remained a priority for both parties, even as the FAA faced a host of pandemic-related challenges.

“Although many programs and activities over the past 18 months were impacted by COVID-19, the FAA remained fully committed to realizing this important effort to reduce departure delays at New York-area facilities most often utilized by business aircraft operators,” she said.

However, Williams further emphasized flight crews must do their part to assist with the process when accepting one of the new departure routes.

“You must fly them as designed; don’t accept the clearance and then ask for direct after launching,” she said. “Operators must also consider their aircraft’s weight and performance parameters, as these routes may utilize steeper climb profiles than normal.”

The new routes will be published to the agency’s Operational Information System webpage Aug. 12. NBAA Air Traffic Services will assist in the rollout of the new routes from the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center.