January 13, 2023 |
The Dixon Airport needs major improvements.
A recently completed master plan for the facility provides a roadmap to what needs to be done. Jeremy McCallister of T-O Engineers presented a the plan to the Carbon County commissioners at the board’s December 20th meeting. The master plan is updated every 10 years. McCallister explained went into the latest edition.
Based on the type of planes able to land on the runway, the Federal Aviation Administration assigns an airport a letter and number rating. The Dixon Airport is rated at B2. The letter represents the speed of airplanes permitted to use the runway, with A being the slowest and E being, basically, fighter jet speed. McCallister described what the number means.
McCallister said the 2011 airport master plan recommended to increase the runway rating to a C. He said his findings didn’t show that to be necessary.
The FAA requires an airport to begin planning to upgrade after 350 planes of a higher speed class use the runway. After 500 landings and take offs of C-class planes, the FAA will demand the airport make the necessary safety changes to accommodate the faster aircraft. McCallister said the Dixon airport doesn’t need to change its speed rating, but more serious problems must be considered.
McCallister said the runway and taxiway are too close. He said the plan is to demolish the existing connecting roads and place them in a different location, giving planes more space when waiting to take off. The T-O Engineer said the FAA also wants the airport to offer better public services.
According to the master plan, Dixon Airport’s largest problem is related to the runway itself. Built in 2005, McCallister said testing showed the pavement can no longer support the weight of landing aircraft.
The T-O Engineer said the runway surface would noticeably bend when driven on by cars. He said the FAA has verified his findings.
McCallister said the FAA has given the Dixon Airport until 2029 to replace the landing surface. Using government grants, the FAA would cover 90% of the cost to redo the runway, with WyDot chipping in another 6%. The airport would be on the hook for the remaining $600,000 of the proposed $15 million price tag. McCallister said he wants to make sure the project is properly funded.
McCallister said recently built hangers are also on the faulty pavement. He said the FAA is unlikely to offer financial assistance due to the structures’ distance from the runway. County commissioner Sue Jones said the ground is already failing.
When the runway project begins, McCallister said it would take a season to complete the repairs. The airport would be unusable during construction. County commissioners voted to allow McCallister to submit his completed airport master plan to the FAA.
