I would like to know how many airports in the United States are
equipped to provide instrument approaches for aircraft landing during
poor
weather conditions.  Specifically, how many airports are equipped with
"non-precision approaches" (VOR, VOR/DME, NDB), and how many are
equipped with "precision approaches" (ILS or Instrument Landing
Systems)?  Ideally, the answer would include some measure of the
lengths of the runways served, i.e., precision, < 3,000 feet: x;
non-precision, < 3,000 feet: y; precision, > 3,000 feet: z;
non-precision, > 3,000 feet: a.  Even better would be a breakout of
the different types of approaches (VOR, VOR/DME, ILS, NDB, PAR, ILS,
etc.) Thank you.

The quickest way to find the data that you’re seeking is on the
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association website, www.aopa.org

You’ll need to be a member, as the Airport Directory information is in
a member’s only section.  Searches use the AOPA airport information,
which has long been available in print form in the well-known print
version.  On-line a search can be done for all airports of a certain
size; the number that have precision (ILS or PAR); non-precision
outside of NDBs (VOR, VOR/DME, GPS); and NDB approaches.

The airports are U.S.-only public airports (not including military
bases), including Alaska and Hawaii.

Here are the numbers, according to the AOPA:

--Airports with runways over 7,000’
Total: 548
Precision: 351
Non-precision (not NDB): 422
NDB: 295

-- Airports with runways over 5,000’
Total: 1,703
Precision: 682
Non-precision (not NDB): 1,359
NDB: 880

-- Airports with runways over 3,000’
Total: 4,014
Precision: 700
Non-precision (not NDB): 2,451
NDB: 1,407

-- Airports with runways over 2,000’
Total: 5,005
Precision: 700
Non-precision (not NDB): 2,566
NDB: 1,433

Finding a specific number for PARs is difficult, because they’re
normally done only at or near military bases.  For example, here in
western Washington Whidbey Naval Airstation does them into the Oak
Harbor Airport.  Pilots also often practice at Gray AAA – though we’re
not permitted to land.

It’s always great to help a fellow pilot!  (P.S. – how do you like the
T-210?)

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Clarification of Answer by omnivorous-ga on 21 Oct 2002 19:59 PDT

Google and its researchers rely on ratings for a sense of how we're
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Request for Answer Clarification by n5469c-ga on 21 Oct 2002 21:06 PDT

Sorry about dropping the ball on feedback.  I've posted it now -- 5
stars.  Thanks much.

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Clarification of Answer by omnivorous-ga on 22 Oct 2002 03:02 PDT

Many thanks!

Researcher returned exactly what I needed plus gave me the source so I
could refine my research on my own.  Fantastic!

There is a wonderful site called AirNav that has this information for
each airport - to compile the figures could take some time as there
are several thousand airports listed.

AirNav
http://www.airnav.com/airports/us

This Swedish website lists airports by state with runway length and
whether or not they have Instrument Landing Systems. To verify how
up-to-date the data is, I compared all their listings for Hawaii with
the airport data at AirNav which is dated at Aug 2002 - and the data
matched.

Airbroker.se
http://www.airbroker.se/airports/northamerica/usa.htm

Also:

"Of the more than 18,000 landing facilities in the US, only
approximately 635 are currently equipped with Instrument Landing
System (ILS) which support aircraft precision approaches."
http://www.eomonline.com/Common/Archives/Oct99/larry.htm