WPAFB Air Installations Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) Study

Base officials will host a public open house to inform community partners and stakeholders on the 2022 Air Installations Compatible Use Zones Study on April 27 at 6 p.m. in the Jones Room at Twin Base Golf Course.  

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) have updated the WPAFB Air Installations Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) Study. The DoD AICUZ Program’s goal is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of those living and working near air installations while sustaining the Air Force’s operational mission. The AICUZ Program includes guidelines for land use compatibility within noise zones, Clear Zones, and Accident Potential Zones (APZs) associated with an Installation. In general, these guidelines recommend that noise-sensitive land uses be placed outside of high noise zones and that people-intensive uses not be placed within APZs. Land development should be compatible with noise zones, Clear Zones, and APZs around a military airfield. In addition, this Study will reference the Hazards to Aircraft Flight Zone (HAFZ), which is a recommended consultation zone for surrounding communities to encourage interaction between the base and local communities on development projects that while 'outside' the traditional AICUZ footprint may encroach on military activities.

  • AICUZ Overview

    AICUZ Program

    Air Installations Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) is a program concerning people, safety, and protection. This WPAFB Citizens Booklet summarizes the 2022 AICUZ Study for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The Department of Defense (DoD) established the AICUZ program to promote proactive, collaborative planning for compatible development to sustain mission and community goals. This AICUZ study provides an analysis of the operational noise footprint, aircraft accident potential zones (APZs), hazards to aircraft flight, and land use development surrounding Wright-Patterson AFB. This AICUZ study identifies land use-related concerns and contains recommendations for compatible development. The 2022 AICUZ study provides an update to the previous 2007 AICUZ Study to include new aircraft, changes in flight operations, planning contours, and updated land use recommendations for areas within the APZs and noise (planning) contours.

     

    Accident Potential Zones
    While the chances of an accident are remote, mishaps do occur and proper land use planning can reduce risk to persons on the ground. APZs are where an aircraft accident is likely to occur, if one occurs. However, they do not reflect the probability of an accident. APZs extend 15,000 feet from the end of each runway along the runway’s extended centerline. It should be noted that flight tracks are not roadways in the sky. Weather conditions, wind, pilot technique, and other air traffic will cause some lateral deviation within the landing pattern around an airport. Under existing land use, there are 75.4 acres of incompatible land development within the APZs. Under the future land use planning, incompatible land development within the APZs may decrease as cities redevelop property with compatible uses.

     

    Hazards to Aircraft Flight Zone
    Certain land uses and activities can pose potential hazards to flight. To ensure land uses and activities are examined for compatibility, the Air Force has identified a Hazards to Aircraft Flight Zone (HAFZ). The HAFZ is defined as the area within the “Imaginary Surfaces” that are described in the UFC 3-260-01, and in 14 CFR Part 77.17. Unlike Noise and Safety Zones, the HAFZ does not have recommended land use compatibility tables. Instead, it is a consultation zone for the purposes of project applicants and local planning bodies to consult with the Air Force to ensure the project is built compatibly. These land uses and activities include:

    • Uses that would attract birds, especially waterfowl;
    • Towers, structures, and vegetation that penetrate navigable airspace or are to be
    constructed near the airfield;
    • Lighting (direct or reflected) that would impair pilot vision;
    • Uses that would generate smoke, steam, or dust;
    • Radio Frequency (RF) and Electromagnetic interference (EMI) with aircraft communication, navigation, or other electrical systems; and
    • Drones or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

     

    Land Use Compatibility
    In general, the DoD land use compatibility guidelines recommend that noise-sensitive land uses be placed outside high-noise zones and people-intensive uses placed outside of the APZs. Certain land uses are considered incompatible with APZs and high-noise zones, while other land uses may be considered compatible with restrictions (limits to density or size). The DoD encourages compatible development within communities – compatible uses can be found within the DoD land use compatibility tables. These land use recommendations are advisory in nature and are designed to support compatible growth. Recommendations found within this AICUZ study are nonbinding, local communities have ultimate responsibility for land use development within their jurisdiction.

2022 WPAFB AICUZS