FAA Refines Airspace Rules Around Palm Springs Airport
Published Date: 2/13/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FAA wants to update the airspace rules around Palm Springs International Airport to make flying safer and smoother for pilots using instruments or flying by sight. These changes affect pilots and air traffic controllers and include fixing some legal details about the airspace. If you have thoughts, you need to share them by March 30, 2026, and there’s no cost to the public for these updates.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Class D Airspace Boundary Changes
The FAA proposes to change the Class D airspace at Palm Springs International Airport by keeping the 4.3-mile surface radius and adding two sector extensions: within 1.8 miles either side of the 142° bearing extending to 6.6 miles southeast, and within 1.9 miles either side of the 324° bearing extending to 4.4 miles northwest. The change is meant to better accommodate several IFR departure procedures and support IFR/VFR operations at the airport.
Class E4 Airspace Extended for RNAV (RNP) Approaches
The FAA proposes to modify the Class E4 extension for Palm Springs to support RNAV (RNP) Z RWY 13R and RNAV (RNP) Y RWY 31L approaches by providing arrival containment below 1,000 feet above the surface. The proposed extension includes: 1.8 miles each side of the 142° bearing from 6.6 miles to 9.5 miles southeast, and 1.9 miles each side of the 324° bearing from 4.4 miles to 6.0 miles northwest.
Airspace Made Part-Time, Check NOTAMs
The proposal would make the Class D and Class E4 airspace at Palm Springs part‑time and add the phrase that the airspace is effective during dates and times established by Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and published in the Chart Supplement. Pilots and controllers will need to verify the specific effective dates and times in NOTAMs and the Chart Supplement before operations.
No Significant Economic Impact on Small Entities
The FAA certified that this proposed airspace change will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The FAA treated the proposal as routine technical airspace changes with minimal anticipated economic effect.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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Previous: 2026-02986, Establishment, Modification, and Revocation of Class E Airspace; Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, Palm Springs, CA
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