Every five years the City of Longmont is required by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to update its Airport Master Plan. In the past, the Master Plan has included the recommendation to increase the length of the runway at the Longmont Airport. The runway has not been extended since 1988. This update of the Master Plan is funded by the FAA and it is conducted by an independent third party (JVIATION). The Longmont Airport (officially named the Vance Brand Airport) has grown in usage dramatically since 1988. The needs of the aircraft based at, and using the Airport, have also grown as well as changed. A significant part of this change is the number of private aircraft and the use of the Airport by business jets. In order to accommodate these aircraft and business jets, the runway needs to be extended. It is not possible for this size of aircraft and jets, with a full fuel load, to leave the Airport with the runway at its current length of 4,800 feet. There would not be enough fuel on board to fly distances possible, unless the aircraft could leave with a full fuel load. The current runway length poses this limitation. A modest increase from 4,800 to 6,200 feet would allow many aircraft that currently land at the Airport to fuel and safely depart. Currently, private and business aircraft with this restriction, that come to Longmont, have to make alternative plans. Some of these aircraft will land at an alternative (longer) runway. Some will land at Longmont Airport and depart with the need to stop at another Airport for fuel, in order to complete their flight. Neither of these options are beneficial for the aircraft or the Airport. The planned runway extension will allow all aircraft who use the Longmont Airport to land, take on fuel, and depart to their next destination. It is important to understand that this one improvement does not change the fundamental size or culture of the Airport. The modernization and other improvements will simply bring the Airport up to more current standards. The current runway is limiting the size and type of aircraft that can use the Airport, by the basic contstruction of the runway, taxiways and ramp area. There is no interest in, or reason to attempt to create a commuter service or towered Airport. The Airport, with these imporvements, will be limited to small and medium jets and turbo props with a gross weight not to exceed 30,000 pounds. It does not now, nor will it ever have, commercial size aircraft landing at Longmont Airport. To the residents of Longmont, or more specifically non-flyers who live near the Airport, the extension will have little or no effect. It could be argued that in fact, it will be somewhat of an improvement! The basic flight path for departing and landing aircraft on the current runway will not change. The only difference will be; for aircraft landing from west to east on runway 11, the traffic pattern will be extended to the west by the runway extension. Flying this extended path moves the turn portions of the landing pattern over open space. Departures on runway 11 will begin further to the west, this will have the advantage of aircraft being somewhat higher as they go over the city. Landing and departing to the west runway 29, there will be absolutely no change from the current runway. The required runway length for many aircraft is not a function of how long of a runway it needs to physically take off, but rather how long of a runway is needed to land. This is typically calculated by the distance needed by an aircraft on takeoff that has to reach take off speed and needs to abort the landing. The new runway length will allow a greater margin of safety for landing and departing aircraft. It will specifically allow aircraft with more fuel to depart with a margin of safety. |