FAA Imposes Sudden Restrictions at Denver’s Centennial Airport, AOPA Expresses Concern
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has abruptly imposed extensive restrictions on flight operations at Centennial Airport (KAPA) near Denver, Colorado. This airport is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the nation, boasting over 300,000 operations annually. The new measures, which came into effect in the first weekend of October 2026, include a ban on touch-and-goes, restrictions on parallel departures, and limitations on general pattern work for VFR traffic.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has voiced strong criticism of the move, particularly the lack of advance notice given to pilots and flight schools. Brad Schuster, AOPA Northwest Mountain Regional Manager, highlighted that the FAA had not issued a NOTAM or updated the airport’s ATIS nearly a week after the restrictions were implemented. Controllers at Centennial were reportedly instructed to “immediately cease simultaneous parallel departure operations” due to concerns about IFR and VFR traffic conflicts on the airport’s closely spaced parallel runways, separated by approximately 700 feet.
The restrictions have had a significant impact on flight schools, instructors, and airport businesses, and have redirected training traffic to neighboring airports along the Colorado Front Range. Both AOPA and the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority have sought meetings with FAA officials to discuss a viable solution. The FAA has not yet publicly provided a timeline for when normal operations may resume.
Source: AOPA – AOPA Expresses Concern Over Centennial Airport GA Limitations