Newport News-Williamsburg Int’l Needs Critical Updates

Virginia U.S. House Reps. Rob Wittman (R) and Bobby Scott (D) sent a letter to the FAA on January 3 requesting rapid action on updates to the airport’s 2024 Master Plan. They say the Hampton Roads region is rife with aviation activity, but Newport News-Williamsburg International (KPHF) has seen a 10-fold increase in passenger traffic in the past decade.

There are 10 civilian airports, seven military airports, several heliports, and more than 60 aviation stakeholders in the region. PHF, also known as Patrick Henry Field, is a vital asset that could serve those stakeholders and the public much better, according to the congressmen.

In their letter they said, “[Patrick Henry Field] is one of the pre-eminent aviation assets in the country, and certainly on the East Coast. With 1,800 acres of land and capacity for modernization, it is a select location for strategically balancing commercial air service and supporting emerging aviation markets, unmanned flight and aerial systems and advanced air mobility research and development and manufacturing.”

The Master Plan calls for revising the geometry of the airfield, maintaining the extension of Runway 7/25 to 10.000 feet and potentially decommissioning Runway 2/20 to enhance safety and efficiency.

They continue, “We strongly encourage the FAA to review and approve, in an expedited manner, the partial decommissioning and extension requests when the proposal is submitted by the [Peninsula Airport Commission]. The FAA’s approval will assist PHF in increasing safety on the airfield and enabling the strategic recommendations of diversifying aviation resources and enterprise at PHF that will support existing commercial aviation and promote emerging aviation technologies and markets that will facilitate long-term growth at PHF.”

FMI:  newportnewsairport.com/