WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a major change to the airspace surrounding Wilmington International Airport, citing growing passenger traffic, increasingly complex flight activity and concerns about potential conflicts between aircraft.
In a notice of proposed rulemaking published Tuesday in the Federal Register, the FAA proposed establishing Class C airspace around ILM and eliminating the airport’s existing Class D airspace and Terminal Radar Service Area. The agency says the change is intended to improve air traffic management and reduce the potential for midair collisions in the Wilmington area.
ILM currently operates within Class D airspace extending from the surface to 2,500 feet above mean sea level. A Terminal Radar Service Area, or TRSA, extends roughly 20 nautical miles around the airport. Participation in radar services within the TRSA is voluntary for pilots operating under visual flight rules…