FAA Imposes Flight Restrictions at Denver’s Centennial Airport, Triggering AOPA Backlash
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently enforced comprehensive restrictions on flight operations at Centennial Airport (KAPA) near Denver, Colorado. This airport is recognized as one of the busiest general aviation airports in the United States. The new regulations include a ban on touch-and-goes, restrictions on parallel departures, and limitations on pattern work for VFR traffic. This sudden move has incited severe criticism from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), which has labeled the action as unprecedented.
The FAA, according to AOPA, has instructed air traffic controllers to immediately halt simultaneous parallel departure operations at Centennial. The reason cited is safety concerns over potential conflicts between departing IFR and VFR traffic on the airport’s closely spaced parallel runways, which are separated by approximately 700 feet. These restrictions were reportedly implemented around the first weekend of October 2026. However, no NOTAM was issued and pilots were only informed through an email from the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority to airport tenants.
“The sudden decision to ban touch-and-goes and other pattern work without notifying pilots is concerning and appears to be unprecedented,” stated AOPA Northwest Mountain Regional Manager Brad Schuster. He also highlighted that flight schools, instructors, and airport businesses have all been disrupted. Centennial Airport handles more than 300,000 aircraft operations annually. AOPA and the airport authority have formally requested a meeting with FAA officials to find workable solutions and mitigate the impact on the local aviation community.
Source: AOPA – FAA Limits VFR Operations at Centennial Airport