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Commission to follow up with FAA on nighttime minimums; VOR approach retained for training
Summary
Members asked staff to pursue follow-up with FAA about nighttime approach minimums and PAPI reinstatement; commissioners said the local VOR approach remains published and useful to the flight school even if VFR pilots rarely use it.
Commissioners discussed nighttime approach minimums, PAPI lighting and the published VOR approach for Grosse Ile, and agreed staff should continue follow-up with FAA contacts to clarify minimums and potential changes.
Jack (commission member) asked for updates and said he and Josh (commission member) had reached out recently and recommended a follow-up meeting. Josh—who said he has contacts at the Detroit TRACON—offered to provide additional information and to share contacts. Janelle (staff member) said FAA representatives had flown test approaches in the prior week and that the commission should wait for that data.
On nighttime minimums, commissioners discussed that certain runways previously had nighttime restrictions; one member recalled runway 4's nighttime restriction had been removed while runway 02 may still have one. They discussed the process for restoring PAPI lights and how approach angles affect minimums and circling approaches.
On the VOR approach, commissioners said the published VOR (VFR alpha/circling) approach exists mainly as a training aid; one commissioner described it as a circling approach with high minimums that few VFR pilots would choose in practice. Janelle said the regional Carlton VOR remains in service and "is not slated for decommissioning." Commissioners asked staff to provide FAA contacts and follow up on how approach minimums and PAPI reinstatement could be advanced.
Next steps: staff and commissioners will coordinate with FAA contacts and Detroit TRACON to clarify nighttime minimums, the PAPI approach reinstatement process and the published VOR approach's role for training.
