Ceremony today will mark Chesterfield airport changes - Richmond Times-Dispatch

Ceremony today will mark Chesterfield airport changes

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Chesterfield County Airport is taking off with a series of major changes geared toward drawing more -- and larger -- aircraft.

Today, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will celebrate the enhancements to the county-owned airport, which serves as a reliever for Richmond International.

The addition of a taxiway and improvements to existing taxiways were the main pieces of the $2.1 million project, which also included improved lighting and striping. Ninety-five percent of the funding came through the Airport Improvement Program managed by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The new taxiing surfaces will extend the life of the airport's pavement 20 years and increase the weight it can handle, allowing for larger aircraft. The new connector will provide an exit taxiway from the runway, providing better access to the apron and hangar complex.

"It's a project for the long run," said Airport Manager Tom Trudeau. "In the future, it will give us the capability of handling larger jet aircraft at a heavier weight."

That could come in handy soon. The airport's advisory board is in the process of updating the facility's master plan, which Trudeau said should be completed by July.

The biggest piece of that effort is likely to be an extension of the runway from 5,500 feet to 6,100 or 6,300 feet to allow for those larger jets.

Trudeau said many larger aircraft with large fuel loads for long flights couldn't use the airport today because of runway-length limitations.

"It's hard to relieve Richmond of traffic if your runway isn't long enough," he said.

The improved surfaces will also allay safety and mechanical concerns arising from cracked pavement at the airport, pieces of which could be sucked into aircraft engines.

In addition to the construction, the airport's automated weather observation system will finally be connected to the national network control system, allowing access to current weather conditions in Chesterfield.

Installed in 1991, the system was only recently connected to the National Weather Service by the FAA after pressure from Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, on behalf of the county.

"He exercised a little congressional coverage to get us connected," said Trudeau, who said that also will help draw more aircraft to Chesterfield.

Forbes will speak at today's event, which also will feature aircraft displays.

The airport averages 82,000 take-offs and landings annually and provides an economic impact of more than $16 million, according to the county.