Hi,

I was just wondering how real pilots find out if for example, turbine or jet aircraft are allowed to land at certain smaller airports that they may be unfamiliar with.  I live near KWBW airport in Pennsylvania and have never seen a small jet land there. Plenty of light twins and singles, but no jets. I was just following a Citation on flightaware that left our larger local airport KAVP and it went to Dennis Cantrel field in Conway AR. Here is a smaller field that apparently does accept jet aircraft. Do pilots have a way of learning this during flight planning and if so what is the source?  Thanks.  Tom 

It is entirely possible for airports to restrict the type of aircraft which operate there. Your example of KWBW doesn't prohibit jet traffic but its limiting factor is the runway size, take a look here http://airnav.com/airport/KWBW. Airports tend to prohibit certain traffic with noise stage laws, or other noise abatement procedures which certain aircraft cannot comply with.

Indeed, also keep in mind services available. Some small airports may not have Jet-A available, so you'd need to consider that you'll have to take fuel for both the trip to and the return trip, or make a short hop to a nearby airport for fuel. Both instances of which cost money and the latter will also cost time. If you've got to pack enough fuel to get there and out, runway available again might become an even more important issue.

Other considerations are pavement strength. As such, many airports have a limitation on maximum weight of aircraft. Sometimes even specific taxiways can be weight limited, so that aircraft heavier than that specific weight would be prevented from using certain taxiways or areas of the airport, but able to use other taxiways.

 

In Australia, this information is available in the publication known as ERSA (En-Route Supplement Australia)

 

Example, Airport "Parafield" near Adelaide, South Australia.

http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/ersa/FAC_YPPF_6-Mar-2014.pdf

 

 

 

Remarks

Availability:
1. Airport Coordination Centre (ACC) H24: (phone number)

2: RWY 03L/21R and TWY B not AVBL(Available) to Aircraft above 9000KG Maximum Take off weight.

3: Remainder of Aerodrome not Available to Aircraft above 5700KG Maximum Take off weight.

 

The Aerodrome Operator does not provide aircraft marshalling services. All requests for aircraft marshalling should be directed to a Fixed Base Operator.

 

LOCAL TRAFFIC REGULATIONS:
S Apron Taxiway designated for Aircraft with 15 metre Maximum wingspan and below.

 

 

There's a bunch of other stuff in that document that pilots should be aware of before they operate an aircraft into that airfield.

Thanks for the info, guys. I didn't realize all that detailed info was available for a given airport.   Thanks again.   Tom