FAA Fixes Airport Name in Massachusetts Airspace Rules
Published Date: 7/24/2026
Rule
Summary
The FAA is updating the airspace rules over Westfield, MA to fix the airport name, coordinates, and some legal wording. These changes make the airspace descriptions clearer and follow current FAA guidelines. Pilots and local air traffic controllers will see these updates starting October 29, 2026, with no extra costs involved.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Westfield Airspace Description Update
The FAA updated the legal airspace descriptions for Westfield to change the airport name to "Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport" and adjust its coordinates by one second (from lat. 42°09'28" N, long. 72°42'56" W to lat. 42°09'29" N, long. 72°42'57" W). The rule also defines Class D airspace to the surface up to 2,800 feet MSL within a 4.9-mile radius and Class E airspace from 700 feet within a 12.8-mile radius, effective 0901 UTC on October 29, 2026.
Small Entities: No Significant Impact
The FAA certified this rule does not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act and is expected to result in, at most, de minimis costs. The agency concluded the amendments are routine and operationally necessary.
Possible Minor Rerouting For Operators
The FAA says operators who choose to navigate around the controlled Westfield airspace could incur minor flight rerouting, but any compliance costs are expected to be at most de minimis. This possibility applies once the amendments take effect on October 29, 2026.
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