Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) Guidance

Planning & Capacity - Northwest Mountain Region

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Forecasting Aviation Activity by Airport

FAA Operations & Performance Data annually publishes the Terminal Area Forecast. This forecast contains historical aviation activity data and FAA's forecasts for airports receiving FAA and contract tower services. They also include projections for other airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems(NPIAS). These forecasts project the activity of four major U.S. air traffic system users: air carriers, commuters/air taxi, general aviation, and the military, as well as passenger enplanements. The FAA uses these forecasts to meet its budget and planning needs. Airport sponsors, state and local aviation authorities, others in the aviation industry, and the public are welcome to use these forecasts.

Review and Approval of Aviation Forecasts

The Director of Airport Planning and Programming, APP-1, published a Review and Approval of Aviation Forecasts (PDF) dated June 2008. This document is also available from our national Planning & Capacity page under Guidance & Policy, where you will also find a Request for Review & Approval of Local Aviaiton Forecasts (PDF) dated May 2008, and provides important information on the procedures to follow when resolving differences between the TAF and local forecasts greater than ten percent in the 1 to 5 year period, and fifteen percent in the 6 to 10 year period.