FAA Adds Optimized Profile Descents at 11 Airports

The new airport approach routes are expected to smooth landings while also saving about 90,000 gallons of fuel annually, according to the agency.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 01:28 PM ET

Verified

The FAA announced new Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) for 11 U.S. airports.[Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has implemented new Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) at 11 U.S. airports, including major hubs like Orlando and Kansas City.
OPDs replace traditional "step-down" descents with a smooth, continuous glide path to the runway, allowing aircraft engines to operate at near idle.
This change is projected to save over 90,000 gallons of fuel and reduce 27,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, while also providing a smoother landing experience.
The OPD program, which began in 2014 and now covers 64 airports, is part of the Aviation Climate Action Plan targeting net-zero U.S. aviation emissions by 2050.

See a mistake? Contact us.

One of the first lessons an airplane pilot learns when they take an airplane into the sky is that there has never been an airplane that stayed stuck up there. They all come down eventually, often on established instrument routes that have step-downs.

Since 2014 the Federal Aviation Administration has been adjusting these routes in the name of fuel saving and emissions reduction. This week, the FAA announced new Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) for 11 U.S. airports.