HARP for the holidays

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alex Echols
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Each year for the holidays, Tyndall opens airspace designated for military flying to the Federal Aviation Administration to ease air congestion, save airlines money and save travelers time.

The Holiday Airspace Release Program is implemented by the Department of Defense each year and designed to free up extra airspace during air travel's busiest times of the year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.

"The program allows them additional airspace to work increased air traffic during this holiday time," said Jim Roncaglione, 325th Operation Support Squadron airspace manager. "The biggest impact is their ability to forecast flights. If airlines can plan on flying direct, they can plan on less fuel, load less fuel and get better economy out of the aircraft."

Joe Dotterer, FAA Command Center System Operations procedures manager, works closely with the military to ensure that the HARP is successful.

"Using that airspace is a tremendous help to the efficiency of the national airspace system," said Dotterer. "[The airlines] like the ability to plan ahead. Everything depends on the ability to have the right equipment and crews in the right spots."

If the need arises throughout the year, these airspaces can be released for a few hours during the normal duty day, but with HARP, the FAA can use the areas as needed for the duration of the heavy holiday traffic.

"It's the military's airspace, so they schedule it based on their need for national defense and training," said Dotterer.

The DOD works extremely well with the FAA and strives to accommodate as many airspace requests as possible, Dotterer added.

The program not only helps the FAA and commercial airlines, it also benefits the weary holiday traveler.

"With the increase in flights during the holidays, all the airlines try to put on more airplanes because more people are trying to fly and get somewhere," said Roncaglione. "Most of the local community is probably unaware of it, but the big picture is they get to where they're going quicker, happier and safer."