FAA Holding Webinar on Flight Path Project Affecting Palm Springs Airport

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA – A project that could lead to potential changes to flight paths at Palm Springs International Airport will be discussed today during a webinar -- an internet seminar -- hosted by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Southern California Metroplex Project will make changes to "dozens" of existing radar-based routes as the FAA transitions to new satellite-based routes. FAA officials say the plan will "improve airspace safety and efficiency."

The FAA says the project "may involve changes to aircraft flight paths and altitudes in certain areas, but would not result in any ground disturbance or increase the number of aircraft operations within the Southern California airspace."

The changes at the Palm Springs airport are expected to take effect sometime in March or April, while others have already been implemented at airports throughout the metroplex, which stretches from Santa Barbara County to the west to San Diego County to the south and Riverside County to the east.

While Thermal's Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport and Bermuda Dunes Airport are both also part of the metroplex, they are not mentioned in the FAA's release regarding the public forums.

The webinar will begin at 8 p.m. and can be viewed at http://www.metroplexenvironmental.com/socal_metroplex/socal_media_library.html.

A public forum regarding how the project will affect Palm Springs and Ontario international airports will be held Feb. 7 at the Ontario Airport.

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--City News Service/Image courtesy of City of Palm Springs