8490 South Power Road, Suite 105-181 Gilbert, AZ 85297 Office (480) 987-7823 Fax (602) 513-7388 

Ken Paskar 

AvTeam 

51 Mac Dougal St – Suite 320 

New York, NY 10012 

December 8, 2010 

Subject: LaGuardia (LGA) Runway 31 Future “Ultimate” RPZ Dimensions 

Ken, 

This letter is to follow up on my email to you in regard to the length of the future planned or 

“ultimate” LGA RWY 31 RPZ. 

As I stated in my email, after reviewing the documents, letters and emails forwarded by you 

yesterday, it is clear that as of July 2, 2007, the Port Authority of NY & NJ (PANYNJ) long 

range plan included the installation of a Category II ILS to LGA Runway 31. Therefore, if 

allowed to be constructed, the proposed North Shore Marine Transfer station (NSMTS) would be 

located within the future, or “ultimate” RPZ associated with the planned Category II ILS 

instrument approach procedure. 

Background 

In his July 2, 2007 letter to Steven Urlass of the FAA New York Airports District Office, Mr. 

Tom Bock, General Manager for Airspace, Technology & Operational Enhancements for 

PANYNJ, stated that PANYNJ was in the process of installing a glideslope on LGA Runway 31, 

and this glideslope would not only “allow for a consistent flight path to the airport, but would 

also reduce noise and air emissions for the airport neighbors.”1

 Mr. Bock also acknowledged 

that current landing minimums, even with the glideslope installed would be high due to the lack 

of approach lighting and some existing obstructions, but that it was “our long term plan to study 

the obstructions and work to resolve them one by one with our goal to enable a CAT II approach 

to Runway 31.”2

While a Category I ILS has visibility minimums as low as 2400 feet Runway Visual Range 

(RVR) (1/2 mile), a Category II ILS is designed for landing minimums half those of a standard 

Category I ILS, i.e. visibility minimums below 2400 feet RVR and as low as 1200 feet RVR (1/4 

mile). 

 

1

 Letter from Tom Bock, PANYNJ, to Steven M. Urlass, FAA, dated July 2, 2007 

2

 ibid 
Williams Aviation Consultants, Inc. 

In a letter from the City of New York Office of the Mayor to PANYNJ, dated February 20, 2008, 

Edward Skyler stated “establishing a Category II ILS on Runway 31 currently appears infeasible 

due to the already existing obstacle environment, and a number of other technical issues.” 3

 Mr. 

Skyler then goes on to support the installation of a Category I ILS in lieu of the Category II ILS 

by stating “the Port Authority can begin installation of a Category I ILS at Runway 31, which 

will improve throughput at the airport and at the same time, allow the City to move forward with 

the reactivation of this important facility.”4

We agree that the installation of a Category II ILS is not feasible. However, Mr. Skyler is 

discounting the impact of the NSMTS on potential approach visibility minimums. Mr. Bock’s 

plan to remove existing obstacles one by one to improve capacity is being set aside. The effect of 

Mr. Bock’s plan would make possible the installation of a Category I ILS with visibility 

minimums as low as 1/2-mile. The NSMTS will prevent visibility minimums from ever being 

established below 1 mile, thereby inhibiting future airport efficiency and capacity enhancements. 

Mr. Skyler is also discounting the fact that the NSMTS would be located within the Runway 31 

RPZ if either a Category II ILS or a Category I ILS with visibility minimums lower than 3/4-

mile is installed. 

LGA Runway 31 Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) – Current and Future 

An RPZ is trapezoidal in shape, centered about the extended runway centerline, and its 

dimensions are a function of the type of aircraft and approach visibility minimum associated with 

a particular runway. Since the current instrument approach procedures to Runway 31 specify 

approach visibility minimums of 1 mile or greater, the current Runway 31 RPZ is 1700 feet in 

length.5

 However, considering either the originally planned Category II ILS, or the City of New 

York’s suggested Category I ILS, both having visibility minimums lower than 3⁄4 mile, the future 

planned or “ultimate” RPZ for LGA Runway 31 would have a length of 2500 feet, as per FAA 

Advisory Circular (AC) 150-5300-13, Airport Design.

6

 

North Shore Marine Transfer Station (NSMTS) 

Notwithstanding the fact that the NSMTS lies outside of the current Runway 31 RPZ, at the time 

of Mr. Bock’s July 2, 2007 letter to the FAA, the proposed NSMTS would have been located 

within the confines of the future planned, or “ultimate” Category II ILS RPZ. The NSMTS 

would, as well, be located in the Runway 31 RPZ with the establishment of a Category I ILS 

with visibility minimums less than 3⁄4-mile. 

 

3

 City of New York Office of the Mayor letter to PANYNJ, dated February 20, 2008 

4

 ibid 

5

 FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 150-5300-13, Airport Design, Table 2-4, Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) 

Dimensions 

6

 ibid 
Williams Aviation Consultants, Inc. 

Conclusion 

The function of an RPZ is to enhance the protection of people and property on the ground. This 

is achieved through airport control over RPZs. Such control includes clearing RPZ areas (and 

maintaining them clear) of incompatible objects and activities.7 Airport operators must take into 

consideration, not only existing conditions, but also planned airport enhancements in their land 

use compatibility determinations. It is, therefore, my opinion that PANYNJ should have taken 

into consideration the future, or “ultimate” RPZ associated with their planned Runway 31 ILS 

instrument approach enhancements, and should have opposed the construction of the NSMTS at 

its current location. 

Sincerely, 

Barry Yurtis 

VP of Domestic Operations 

Attachments 

 

7

 FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 150-5300-13, Airport Design, Para 212