Developing What's Next
PNS Airport Master Plan
PNS continuously works to enhance its customer focus and provide cutting-edge facilities in step with the City of Pensacola as it leverages its robust tourist economy; historic ties to the U.S. Navy; and growing reputation as a business, education, medical, and cultural center.
Like the many commercial and military entities that continuously reinvest in Pensacola decade after decade, PNS is constantly reevaluating everything it does to make sure it makes wise and timely decisions in advance of future growth.
Operated by the City of Pensacola, Pensacola International Airport (PNS) serves the vibrant Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama.
The City of Pensacola is undertaking an update of its Airport Master Plan and Airport Layout Plan. A primary goal of the PNS Master Plan Update is to provide the necessary infrastructure to meet the vision to be a world-class gateway that reflects Northwest Florida’s role in the national and international marketplace. “Fly Easy” is not just our slogan, it’s our mission.
On this page, you can:
- Learn about the Airport Master Plan process
- Keep up-to-date on the PNS Master Plan Update
- Find out about opportunities to become involved
- Read and download Airport Master Plan documents
- Provide comments
This page will be updated as information becomes available.
What is a Master Plan Update?
NS is embarking upon an 18-month process to develop a new 20-year Airport Master Plan. An Airport Master Plan is a management tool for strategic positioning that maximizes operational efficiency and business effectiveness through efficient planning.
Beginning with an Airport Vision, the Master Plan is an assessment of existing facilities and future demand. It identifies future facility requirements and culminates in an affordable implementation program. It is a sustainable plan and takes into account environmental consequences and the ability to timely finance development in the best sequence to meet future demand.
Why PNS is doing a Master Plan Update
PNS last completed a Master Plan in 1999. Since then, the Airport has implemented most of the projects in that plan – terminal expansion, parking garage with covered roof, canopy between the terminal and garage, and an all-weather runway system that is safe, efficient, and modern. At the same time, PNS has seen its corporate aviation growth outpace national trends and play an important role in generating new opportunities for local business across the globe.
A Master Plan Update ensures that projects undertaken by the Airport fulfill a legitimate need – now and in the future. The effort is designed to help the Airport management identify projects that are or will be needed for the Airport to run safely and efficiently. The Airport management then develops a plan for prioritizing the work and paying for it. This effort makes sure PNS runs smoothly for the foreseeable future and provides the excellent customer experience passengers have come to expect.
About Airport Master Plans
An Airport Master Plan is at its heart an analytical tool used to develop a way for the Airport to execute its vision for the future. Airport infrastructure must meet a broad range of requirements. These include airfield design standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration; environmental regulations; and building and roadway requirements regulated by City, State and Federal government agencies. At the same time, the Airport must remain a good neighbor to the surrounding community as it fulfills the air transportation needs of the region.
Therefore, the Airport Master Planning process must analyze existing trends in aviation activity and forecast that activity for the next 20 years. This forecast must be approved by the FAA. Based on that anticipated use, the master plan compares existing facilities with forecast needs in order to identify the development projects that may be needed in the future. Those projects must then be phased to be both useful and affordable, with the understanding that changes in the marketplace may require the plan to evolve over time.
An Airport Master Plan is a complex document. Each planned development must be compatible with other planned developments and with existing conditions, and must meet strict standards for size and separation from other elements. During the master planning process, a number of alternative means of meeting forecast demand will be developed, and Airport management and public advisory committees will provide feedback needed to refine those alternatives and select a preferred development plan.
Forecasts of Aviation Activity
Aviation demand forecasts are tools for identifying facility requirements needed to accommodate existing and forecast demand. That demand is then compared to existing capacity to determine the need for additional or reduced facilities.
The Forecast is a crucial part of the Airport Master Planning process because it must justify the need to develop additional facilities. The Forecast assesses existing and anticipated future commercial airline service, as well as air taxi, general aviation, and military use. In addition, it helps identify potential changes in the types of aircraft that may be in use at the Airport, ensuring that facilities are properly sized now and in the future.
Developing the Forecast also includes considering the impacts of changes in air service. This may include developing potential scenarios of how growth may occur. The Forecast helps identify Planning Activity Levels that serve as trigger points to initiate various development projects. This approach helps prevent facilities from being constructed before they are needed, and helps ensure that necessary projects come on line before the airport experiences deterioration of safety, efficiency, or the passenger experience.
Recommended Development
At the end of the Airport Master Plan process, a recommended plan will be adopted that accommodates the strategic vision of the City, Airport and community. It will address anticipated future demand and the associated infrastructure requirements. The recommended development plan will include an implementation plan that considers how the developments will be funded.
Process
Public Participation Events
City Advisory Committee Meetings are held at 5:30 pm in the Airport’s Administrative Suite on the second floor of the passenger terminal at Pensacola International Airport.
Click on the title of the event to download handouts associated with that event. This page will be updated when new material is available for public use.
- City Advisory Committee Meeting #1. Held November 30, 2016. This meeting outlined the FAA-approved forecast of aviation activities.
- Technical Advisory Committee Meeting #1. Held November 30, 2016. This meeting outlined the FAA-approved forecast of aviation activities.
- City Advisory Committee Meeting #2. Held June 20, 2017. This meeting reviewed the facility requirements.
- Technical Advisory Committee Meeting #2. Held June 20, 2017. This meeting reviewed the facility requirements.
- City Advisory Committee Meeting #3. Held September 21, 2017. The meeting reviewed Development Alternatives.
- Technical Advisory Committee Meeting #3. Held September 21, 2017. The meeting reviewed Development Alternatives.
- City Advisory Committee Meeting #4. Held December 19, 2017. This meeting selected alternatives, as well as the rationale for selecting that alternative.
- Technical Advisory Committee Meeting #4. Held December 19, 2017. This meeting selected alternatives, as well as the rationale for selecting that alternative.
- Pensacola City Council Member Briefings. Members of the City Council were briefed on the Airport Master Plan the week of November 26, 2018. This enabled them to address their constituencies.
- Public Workshop. This workshop reviewed the Airport Master Planning Process and outlined the proposed developments. The workshop format allowed members of the public to interact with the Airport Master Plan team directly in a one-on-one basis to understand the reasoning behind the proposed developments. Held on November 29, 2018. Workshop Sign-In Sheets
Information on Public Involvement in the Process
Public meetings and workshops will be held to heighten public awareness and solicit feedback from the community and key stakeholders. The public will be kept informed using written correspondence, media advertisement, Social Media and Internet outreach and other communication vehicles that will generate interest and acceptance of the Master Plan Update. Frequent and continued communication to keep the public apprised of important information and engaged in the overall planning process is the key to ensuring the Airport meets the community’s needs both now and in the future. An open line of communication will be maintained coupled with easy-to-understand information to encourage the public to take an active role in the Master Plan Update process.
Why Public Involvement is Important
Community awareness, participation and input are integral to achieve success, beginning early in the planning process and continuing throughout all phases of the Master Plan Update. Public involvement brings a variety of ideas and solutions into the Master Plan Update process. Overall, this process will help Pensacola International Airport better serve their customers and public. This public involvement program consists of different activities and actions to both inform the public and stakeholders and to obtain input from them.
Documents & Links
Documents
Executive Summary Brochure. This document will be an executive summary of the final version of the Airport Master Plan Update.
Airport Layout Plan. The ALP will be a set of drawings that graphically depict current and future airport facilities. It is drawn to meet FAA requirements. The FAA must approve the ALP set before the FAA will fund any eligible project depicted in the drawings.
Links
Pensacola International Airport (PNS) Home Page
http://flypensacola.com/
FAA Master Plan Guidance
AC 150/5070-6B Airport Master Plans
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/22329
Florida Department of Transportation
Guidebook for Airport Master Planning
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/aviation/flpub.shtm
We are interested in your comments
Pensacola International Airport welcomes you to participate in the Airport Master Plan process and is interested in your thoughts and ideas. After visiting our website and reviewing the available documents, please submit any comments or questions you may have through one of the contact methods below. Your feedback is invaluable and will be submitted to the airport and the consulting team for review and consideration.
Comments and questions can be submitted in several ways:
- Participate in the Public Information Workshop
- Send an email to masterplan@flypensacola.com
- Mail a letter to: PNS Airport Master Plan Update, Pensacola International Airport, 2430 Airport Blvd. Suite 225, Pensacola, FL 32504
- Fill out the comment form below