An Airport Master Plan is a process to plan for the short, intermediate, and long-term development goals of the airport. The Airport Master Plan for DeKalb Peachtree Airport will have a 20-year planning horizon based on aviation activity forecasts and will be developed through a combination of professional evaluation and public involvement. The goal of the Airport Master Plan is to provide the framework needed to guide future airport development that will cost-effectively satisfy aviation demand while considering potential environmental and socioeconomic issues.

The master plan is essentially a facility planning study that sets forth a conceptual framework for possible future airport development. Some of the specific objectives of the Airport Master Plan for DeKalb Peachtree Airport include the following:

• Maintain and ensure the safety and security of the airport.
• Plan for phased, incremental development that meets foreseeable aviation demand and      maintains flexibility for change.
• Evaluate sustainability options and environmental requirements.

Airport facility planning relies, in part, on a definition of the future aviation activity that may reasonably be expected to occur during the useful life of the airport’s key components. In airport master planning, this involves projecting potential aviation activity for a 20-year timeframe. Aviation demand forecasting for DeKalb Peachtree Airport will consider based aircraft forecasts and aircraft operational activity projections.

The ALP is an important component of the Airport Master Plan and will reflect the actual and/or planned modifications to the airport. FAA approval of the ALP indicates that the existing facilities and proposed development depicted on the ALP conforms to the FAA airport design standards and that the FAA finds the proposed development to be safe and efficient.

An ALP can be described as one big “blueprint.” It is a single, two-dimensional plan-view drawing of an airport that shows existing and proposed airport facilities. The ALP is the major product of the Airport Master Plan which contains information used by the FAA to program future funding assistance and to monitor an airport’s compliance with design standards and grant assurances.  It also allows the FAA to anticipate budgetary and procedural needs and to protect the airspace required for facility or aircraft approach procedure improvements.

Following a qualifications-based selection process, Michael Baker International was selected to undertake the Airport Master Plan study. Michael Baker International is a global aviation consulting firm specializing in airport planning studies.

On behalf of the FAA, GDOT has two official roles during the Airport Master Plan study: GDOT reviews and approves the aviation forecasts that will be prepared as part of the master plan process, and formally approves the ALP for airspace and design standards. In addition, the GDOT has a supportive and advisory role during the preparation of the Airport Master Plan. GDOT may provide comments on Airport Master Plan findings, recommendations, and deliverables, and may offer technical assistance and support. GDOT does not formally approve the Airport Master Plan since it is considered a local policy or guidance document.

Yes. Approval by GDOT of the ALP means only that there are no safety concerns related to the proposed Airport Master Plan and that the depiction is in general conformance with FAA standards. Additional studies may be necessary before a project depicted on the Master Plan is implemented. 

All pertinent Airport Master Plan materials, including draft submissions, are posted to a dedicated Airport Master Plan website: www.pdkmasterplan.com. In addition, this Airport Master Plan calls for up to five public information workshops which will be held during the Airport Master Plan development process. The public information workshop(s) will be advertised locally and on this Airport Master Plan website.