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Cesar H. Odio
City Managers Office
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, 'Florida 33133
Dear Mr. Odio,
I am writing to request a proposal be placed on the May 13, 1993,
Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting agenda. The proposal is
to re-establish a Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), air
navigation facility on Virginia Key. The FAA is seeking
approval to lease the proposed site from the City of Miami.
Enclosed is a briefing "FAA Ilavtgationai Facility (VORTAC),
Virginia Key," providing general information on the proposal.
Any questions you have, may be addressed to Mr. Steve Duckett,
Facility and Equipment Planning and Fiscal Management Section,
•ASO-423, at (404 ) 763-7851.
Sincerely,
D. Alan Bryan
Assistant Manager, Resource and Planning Branch
Enclosure
cc:
Lori Lutes
City Managers Office
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, Florida 33133
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93- 326
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FAA NAVIGATIONALFACILITY (VORTAC)
VIRGE41A KEY
WHAT
o The Federal Aviation Administration proposes to construct an air route
navigational (VORTAC) facility on Virginia Key. The acronym "VORTAC" stands for
Very High Frequency Omni -Directional Radio Range with Tactical Air Command. The
facility is an FM radio transmitter and receiver which provides distance and direction
information to pilots for navigation.
o Facility Description See Exhibit 1 (back).
WHY
o Hurricane Andrew destroyed an existing FAA VORTAC located in Biscayne
Bay. The option of restoring the site was abandoned due to environmental sensitivity,
technical difficulties and the need to move the facility to a land site.
o Loss of the Biscayne Bay VORTAC and the Richmond Radar Facility has
greatly impacted Miami air traffic control procedures by eliminating essential air routes
to the South Florida/Miami area. Simply stated the Biscayne Bay VORTAC was the
most important and most used air navigation facility in the South Florida Airspace
System. Eighty percent of all aircraft traveling to Miami utilized air routes generated
by the Biscayne Bay VORTAC. Air Traffic Controllers must now provide verbally the
navigation information the Biscayne Bay VORTAC once provided electronically. These
manual procedures increased work for Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers, resulting in the
need for greater separation between aircraft. The increased workload results in arrival
and departure delays to the flying public. These delays will continue until a replacement
VORTAC is established.
o The FAA has been attempting to replace the Biscayne Bay VORTAC for the
past 15 years. The importance of the facility requires that it be maintained in top
working condition. The Bay marine environment deteriorates the performance of the
facility and greatly increases maintenance activities. Replacing the VORTAC facility on
Virginia Key will; reestablish the automated method of navigation, maximize use of the
Miami airspace, make maintenance less intensive and establish a more rr.liable facility.
WHERE
o The proposed site is a remote, undeveloped area of Virginia Key, across the
basin from the Marine Stadium. See Exhibit 2 (back).
o
Urgent efforts have been
ongoing since the Hurricane to locate
a replacement
land side
site that meets the needs
of a VORTAC facility. The Virginia
Key site meets
these needs and appears to have minimum impact to the environment and public.
WHEN
o
Start Construction
March 1994
= o
Complete Construction
September 1994
o
These estimates are based on Miami City approval at the
May 13, 1993
Regular Commission
Meeting.
93- 326 2
Facilit} Description:
Lease lot 200 ft x 200 ft
Antenna Height 76 ft above ground
Structure (counterpoise) height 65 ft above ground
Structure diameter 150 ft
Lease height restriction area 1000 ft radius
(65' Above Mean Sea Level)
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Counterpoise
Exhibit Z
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