Many small airports in the United States can manage incident-level and emergency-level flight diversions, but these situations often exceed the capabilities of small general aviation airports, according to a new report from the National Academy of Sciences.1
Most of the flights diverted to small airports are there for “gas and go” technical stops, which are routine and easily managed, said the report, which based its conclusions on a literature review; survey responses from 71 small U.S. airports; and interviews with pilots, airport officials, industry groups and others. Less frequently, the diversions involve incident-level issues, such as minor mechanical problems or disruptive passengers, and emergency-level issues such as engine failures or medical emergencies, the report added.
The report said that research shows that small hub (SH) and non-hub (NH) airports “can effectively manage most incident- and emergency-level flight diversions,” especiall…
