Definition
A long-range FAA planning document that identifies how the National Airspace System will be expanded and modernized to handle projected growth in air traffic. It outlines investments, technologies, and procedural changes intended to increase the capacity of airports, airspace, and air traffic services.
Plain English
An FAA plan that lays out how the country's air traffic system will be upgraded over time to handle more flights without becoming overloaded.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA acronym lists and in discussions of long-range airport, airspace, and traffic planning.
Derivation
Capacity comes from the Latin capax, meaning 'able to hold.' The plan is about how much traffic the aviation system can hold and how to expand that ability over time.
Why Pilots Care
Changes that flow out of this plan, such as new procedures, equipment requirements, or airspace redesigns, eventually reach the cockpit. Knowing the term helps pilots understand why certain modernization changes are happening.
Intuition Check
Do not read “capacity” here as seats in an aircraft or cargo space. In this term, capacity means how many flights the aviation system can handle safely and efficiently.
Example Sentence 1
The new approach procedures at the regional airport were rolled out as part of initiatives tied to the Aviation System Capacity Plan.
Example Sentence 2
Planners update the Aviation System Capacity Plan every few years to match projected growth in air traffic.