Frequently Asked Questions

1. Maintain a high standard of airport safety, security and efficiency of operations.
2. Assure sensitivity to environmental issues, with special attention to noise and other adverse impacts, in policy development, planning and implementation.
3. Build a cooperative partnership with the communities in the airport environs and beyond, as PDK strives to be a good neighbor in planning and implementing airport policy and programs.
4. Effectively serve, in a financially self-sufficient manner, the broad economic interests of the County and surrounding communities, as a direct and indirect economic generator.
5. Remain a general aviation/CII airport, while improving operations that are consistent with the airport’s mission.
6. Continue to improve facilities and customer services to accommodate the evolving needs of all customers, including, general aviation users, vendors, tenants, employees, and the general public.
7. Develop an effective institutional framework to ensure coordination, communication and cooperation among county departments, the Board of Commissioners and its appointees and other airport decision-makers.
8. Provide for mechanisms that accomplish the airport's mission in a manner that is consistent with adopted policies, goals and plans of the Board of Commissioners, including the County's Comprehensive Plan and applicable federal and state laws.
9. Determine and maintain the current boundaries except for required open space, safety areas or noise abatement with no expansion of runways and taxiways.
10. Continue to take steps to implement new and innovative approach and departure procedures and to continue to work with the FAA to make more precise those departure and arrival procedures already implemented.

The objectives for the master plan, as stated in the FAA Advisory Circular 150/5070-6B Airport Master Plans, are summarized below:

1. Document the issues that the master plan will address.
2. Justify the master plan's conclusions through the technical, economic, and environmental investigation of concepts and alternatives.
3. Provide an effective graphic presentation of the airport and anticipated land uses in the vicinity of the airport.
4. Establish a realistic schedule for the implementation of the master plan proposal, particularly the short-term capital improvement program.
5. Propose an achievable financial plan to support the implementation schedule.
6. Provide sufficient project definition and detail for subsequent environmental evaluation that may be required before the project is approved.
7. Present a plan that adequately addresses the issues and satisfies local, state, and federal regulations.
8. Document policies and future aeronautical demand to support municipal or local deliberations on spending, debt, land use controls, and other policies necessary to preserve the integrity of the airport and its surroundings.
9. Set the stage and establish the framework for a continuing planning process. Such a process should monitor key conditions and permit changes in plan recommendations as required.

The agreement of 1987 refers to a lawsuit in federal court (C.A.R.E. NOW, Inc. et al . v. FAA) objecting to the proposed construction of a 1,000-foot displaced threshold.  PDK Watch, a community watchdog organization, states on its Web site:

"They (citizens) sought and received assurances that the 66,000 pound weight limit restriction would be enforced. In the resolution of the lawsuit in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the citizens received formal assurances, from both DeKalb County and the FAA, that the 1,000-ft. extension would remain a buffer safety zone and would not be compromised or disregarded to facilitate access for aircraft larger than 66,000 pounds."

The only weight restriction DeKalb County recognizes is found in the Code of DeKalb County Georgia Sec. 6-93 Dirigibles, blimps, gliders, etc. states, “Prior authorization is required before airships, dirigibles, blimps, gliders, free balloons, motorless aircraft or aircraft with a total gross weight in excess of seventy-five thousand (75,000) pounds land or take off at the airport.” (Code 1976, § 6-4077) The “formal assurances” referred to by PDK Watch is a legal issue and beyond the scope and ability of the master plan project team to answer.

Yes, there are noise and weight requirements. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a four stage system that sets noise levels that newly manufactured aircraft have to meet when certified by the FAA. Airplanes are categorized as Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3, with Stage 1 being the loudest and Stage 3 the quietest. On January 1, 2006, the FAA established a new Stage 4 classification for new, quieter aircraft seeking FAA certification.
The State of Georgia does not have any aircraft noise or weight regulations.
The only regulation that DeKalb County currently recognizes is in the Code of DeKalb County Georgia Sec. 6-93 Dirigibles, blimps, gliders, etc. states, “Prior authorization is required before airships, dirigibles, blimps, gliders, free balloons, motorless aircraft or aircraft with a total gross weight in excess of seventy-five thousand (75,000) pounds land or take off at the airport.” (Code 1976, § 6-4077).

Yes, the environmental assessment required by the FAA for the implementation of formal departure procedures shows the average, regular flight patterns by type of aircraft (e.g., single engine, jet, helicopter). The entire environmental assessment is available for viewing on the airport's Web site at www.pdkairport.org.

As a DeKalb County department, the airport director and staff report directly to the DeKalb County chief executive officer. The airport is also obligated to the Federal Aviation Administration and must comply with the terms and conditions of the grant agreements the county commits to when accepting federal funding.