(DAYTONA BEACH) The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will hold a virtual Informal Airspace Meeting on September 9, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, to discuss proposed amendments to the Class C airspace at Daytona Beach International Airport. The session is online with advance registration and opens a fresh round of public input as traffic and training activity continue to grow across the region.
According to the FAA’s notice, the proposal would not change existing flight paths. Instead, it would expand the area where pilots must establish and maintain two-way radio communication with air traffic control (ATC). FAA officials say the change aims to improve safety and efficiency as commercial, general aviation, and flight training operations increase around the field. The agency will accept public comments until October 9, 2025, giving pilots, operators, and community members a month to respond after the meeting.
Meeting format and next steps
The virtual meeting will follow a clear agenda:
– Procedures overview
– Informal presentation of the proposed Class C amendment
– Public presentations
– Discussion and questions
– Closing comments
This meeting is a fact-finding step. The FAA will review feedback from the meeting and written comments before deciding whether to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register. If an NPRM is published, the public will have another formal chance to comment before any final rule is adopted.
Why the FAA is proposing the change
While the FAA’s draft concept focuses on safety, the ripple effects reach beyond cockpit radios. Daytona Beach International Airport serves mixed airspace with air carriers, business jets, piston aircraft, and a large training fleet. Expanding Class C so more aircraft are talking to ATC could:
- Reduce conflicts and improve sequencing
- Help controllers manage dense arrival and departure flows during peak periods
- Improve separation and situational awareness in crowded skies
At the same time, local pilots—especially flight schools—may need refresher training and updated standard operating procedures to stay compliant if the boundaries change.
FAA contacts and comment submission
FAA officials identified for this process include:
– Brian Eric Konie, Acting Manager of the Rules and Regulations Group — signed the meeting notice on August 7, 2025
– Daniel J. Deremer, Acting Air Traffic Manager at the Daytona Beach Airport Traffic Control Tower — point of contact for operational questions
Contact Deremer at 386-226-3905 or by email at [email protected].
Written comments should be sent by October 9, 2025 to:
– Matthew Cathcart, Manager, Operations Support Group, Eastern Service Center, Air Traffic Organization, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337
– Or by email at [email protected]
Local economic context
Local officials note a wider economic picture. Volusia County’s Aviation and Economic Resources Director, Cyrus Callum, has underscored the airport’s role in regional growth, including new and returning air service.
- JetBlue plans to resume flights at Daytona Beach International Airport on December 4, 2025, with two daily nonstop routes to New York (JFK) and Boston (BOS).
- The airport’s 2023 annual economic impact was measured at $3.2 billion, with expectations for continued growth as connectivity improves and airspace management keeps pace.
Policy changes overview
Class C airspace surrounds airports with moderate traffic and requires two-way radio contact with ATC for aircraft entering the area. The FAA’s concept for Daytona Beach would extend the space where this communication is mandatory. By widening controller oversight in busy sectors, the agency intends to:
- Reduce midair risk
- Cut down on go-arounds
- Support clearer traffic flows as mixed-use operations increase
Key process points:
1. The September 9 virtual Informal Airspace Meeting is a listening session, not a rulemaking event.
2. Public comments are open through October 9, 2025.
3. The FAA will consider meeting input and written feedback before deciding whether to issue an NPRM.
4. If an NPRM is issued, a new, formal comment period will follow before any final rule.
Those wishing to register can use the FAA’s community page for Daytona engagements at FAA Community Engagement Daytona. The page includes meeting details, registration steps, and background materials.
Impact on aviators and the community
For pilots and operators, the practical effect of an expanded Class C would be meaningful: more aircraft would need to call ATC before entering the airspace and maintain two-way radio communication while inside it, including flights operating under VFR.
Implications for training-heavy Daytona Beach:
– Student pilots flying practice patterns, maneuvers, and cross-country routes will need clear school procedures and close instructor oversight.
– Flight schools may adjust lesson plans to include additional radio work, phraseology drills, and boundary awareness.
Potential operational benefits:
– General aviation pilots could see better predictability during busy hours because more aircraft would be on frequency.
– Commercial operators may benefit from fewer last-minute vectors as controllers coordinate a larger share of radar targets in real time.
– The community could see improved noise management via more consistent ATC communication and stabilized pattern work during surges.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, community engagement steps like this meeting help residents, pilots, and businesses shape airspace policies that affect both safety and local quality of life. Early feedback often reveals operational blind spots—such as practice area pinch points or seasonal congestion—that are best addressed before rule text is drafted.
The FAA stresses this is not a change to established routes. It’s about clarifying who must talk to ATC and where—information that pilots rely on for local procedures, especially in a busy training environment.
Many stakeholders will want to review draft diagrams and vertical limits to understand how the proposal intersects with pattern altitudes, practice areas, and nearby airfields.
How to provide useful feedback
Stakeholders should prepare concise comments that explain real-world effects. Useful points include:
– How the expanded boundary might affect training patterns, entry points, and practice areas
– Any expected radio congestion and ideas to reduce frequency load
– Suggestions for charting and outreach that help new pilots learn the new contours
– Seasonal traffic trends that may require phased implementation or extra controller staffing
When submitting comments, include specific details such as:
– Aircraft type
– Typical altitudes
– Times of day
– Examples of recent conflicts or near-misses
Clear, respectful, and practical feedback tends to inform the FAA’s safety analysis most effectively.
Final notes and action items
The FAA emphasizes this is a community process in the U.S. system of rulemaking. After reviewing input, the agency may:
– Refine the concept
– Proceed to an NPRM
– Hold additional engagement if needed
If an NPRM is published, the proposed regulatory text will include diagrams, altitudes, and lateral limits, giving pilots and residents another chance to comment with full technical detail.
For now, the action items are simple:
1. Register for the meeting at FAA Community Engagement Daytona.
2. Attend the virtual meeting on September 9, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
3. Submit written comments by October 9, 2025 to the FAA contacts listed above.
Operators with immediate questions can call the tower’s Acting Air Traffic Manager, Daniel J. Deremer, at 386-226-3905 or email [email protected]. Those filing written feedback can send it to Matthew Cathcart at the FAA’s Eastern Service Center or email [email protected].
The discussion will shape what comes next for Daytona Beach International Airport’s Class C—and how a growing aviation community shares the sky safely as traffic builds.
This Article in a Nutshell
The FAA will hold a virtual Informal Airspace Meeting on September 9, 2025 (5–7 p.m. ET) to discuss a proposal to expand the Class C airspace at Daytona Beach International Airport. The concept increases the area where pilots must establish and maintain two-way radio contact with ATC but does not change flight paths. The change seeks to enhance safety and efficiency amid growing commercial, general aviation, and training activity. The session is a fact-finding meeting; written comments are due by October 9, 2025. After reviewing input, the FAA may issue an NPRM with diagrams and altitudes for formal public comment. Local impacts include potential refresher training for flight schools, benefits in traffic sequencing, and coordination with upcoming JetBlue service resuming December 4, 2025. Stakeholders should register via FAA Community Engagement Daytona and submit concise, operationally specific comments addressing training patterns, radio congestion, and seasonal traffic trends.
