New Landing Procedures At BWI

The FAA has upgraded the approach system at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Planes landing there can now use what the FAA calls Optimized Profile Descents. 

The descents use satellite navigation, rather than ground radar. The move means all three Washington, D.C. area airports have the new system. By landing in a smooth arc instead of a stair-step fashion, planes will land faster and use less fuel. 

The FAA estimates airlines will use 2.5 million fewer gallons of fuel over the D.C. area than before the systems were installed. With a busy travel week ahead, the Defense Department opened unused military airspace to the FAA starting Wednesday and running through Sunday.