In anticipation of a large number of aircraft operating to and from the New Orleans metropolitan area during the 2022 NCAA Final Four tournament, the following Special Air Traffic procedures will be used to enhance safety and minimize air traffic delays.

Aircraft should be prepared for potential airborne holding, reroutes, and/or Expect Departure Clearance Times (EDCTs) that may be issued for all domestic IFR arrivals.  Airspace Flow Programs (AFPs) or Ground Delay Programs (GDPs) are possible.  In order to assist FBOs with staging aircraft and to ease ramp congestion, aircraft departing the New Orleans metropolitan area are strongly encouraged to coordinate their departure times as early as possible

LAKEFRONT ATCT EXTENDED HOURS

Lakefront Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) will have extended operating hours during this event.  The hours will be as follows:

MAR 30     0700-2100 CDT

MAR 31     0700-2100 CDT

APR 1       0700-2100 CDT

APR 2       0700-2400 CDT

APR 3       0600-2100 CDT

APR 4       0700-2400 CDT

APR 5       0600-2100 CDT

APR 6       0700-2100 CDT

 LIMITED PARKING – LAKEFRONT AIRPORT

While there will be no formal Ramp Reservation Program in place, a Ramp Boss will direct the parking activities at Lakefront Airport (KNEW), and parking may be limited. 

In addition, many other airports, especially those within a 50 NM radius of KMSY, projecting a substantial increase in operations, and parking at surrounding airports may be unavailable.  These airports may have more stringent requirements for itinerants, due to constrained ramp space and resources.  Please contact the FBO or Airport Authority where you are based, and at those locations where you intend to arrive/depart for additional information.

VFR TRAFFIC

Due to the high volume of traffic in the New Orleans metropolitan area, VFR arrivals can expect lengthy delays during peak traffic periods.  In addition, VFR departures from the New Orleans area should not expect to obtain an airborne pickup of IFR clearance within 150 NM of their point of departure.

Practice approaches, touch-and-goes, flight following services and pilot training operations at airports in the New Orleans metropolitan area will be extremely limited and possibly curtailed during this time period, due to the high volume of traffic associated with the NCAA Final Four.

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

IFR jet and turboprop aircraft arriving KMSY and KNEW will be required to file one of the following routes:

 KMSY

ENTERING ZHU FROM            ROUTE

ZME                                           MHZ..MCB.RYTHM4.KMSY

ZTL                                             SJI.SLIDD2.KMSY

ZJX                                             SJI.SLIDD2.KMSY

ZJX                                             REDFN.Q105.HRV..KMSY

ZJX                                             BLVNS.Q105.HRV..KMSY

ZFW                                           AEX..LSU.AWDAD1.KMSY

ZAB                                            FST..IAH..LFT.AWDAD1.KMSY

KNEW

ENTERING ZHU FROM            ROUTE

ZME                                           MHZ..FRANK..KNEW

ZME                                           MEI..FRANK..KNEW

ZTL                                             SJI.SLIDD2.KNEW

ZJX                                             SJI.SLIDD2.KNEW

ZJX                                             REDFN.Q105.HRV..KNEW

ZJX                                             BLVNS.Q105.HRV..KNEW

ZFW                                           CVE..TNV..IAH..LLA..OLEDD2.KNEW

ZAB                                            FST..IAH..LLA..OLEDD2.KNEW