Improvements, Enhancements, and Refurbishments are Again the Order of the Day for AIP Round 2

The current Administration got some good press (in opposition to the usual...) with their award of $123 million in grants aimed at improving the state of 235 airports across 35 states (and the D.C. area, but who's counting?).

The grants fall under the second round of the Airport Improvement Program, allowing for grants that help with material, concrete enhancements to airports and their operating environment. Many times, AIP announcements coincide with new ATC tower construction, since the funding needed is one of the few sources of support that can take care of the expensive project. This time around, however, the disbursement seems to be a little more mundane, with a number of pavement reconstructions, lighting upgrades, and terminal improvements. That's good, since it will minimize foreign debris, pad out the safety margins in inclement weather, or improve passenger quality-of-life.

Some of the more expensive grants include $6.8 million to the Miami International Airport in Florida for the rehabilitation of the existing apron; $4.6 million to Eastern Iowa Airport for all-new lighting vault equipment and a wholesale reconstruction for Taxiway Delta; and $3.8 million to John Wayne Airport in California for new escalators in busy terminals. The rest are generally somewhere around the $1 million to $3.5 million mark, taking care of terminal buildings, lighting, and pavement reconstruction. which will minimize foreign object debris and improve safety.

The DC hype machine noted that the, “...Administration continues to make our aviation system safer, more accessible, and more resilient through initiatives like the Airport Improvement Program,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The grants we’re announcing today will help modernize hundreds of airports across the country and better meet the current and future demands of the flying public.”

FMI: www.faa.gov