Airport Master Plan Calls For 1,000 Foot Runway Extension

The master plan for Vance Brand Municipal airport (KLMO) in Longmont, CO, calls for a 1,000 foot extension of the 4,800 foot runway, but FAA officials say that no money will be available for the project for at least 10 years.

Airport manager Tim Barth said the FAA has made it clear that funding for runway extensions at smaller airports is "not a high priority" on its funding list. In an e-mail to members of the Airport Advisory Board, Barth said while the information may "not be what the ... Board wanted to hear, it is nonetheless the FAA's official position," according to a report in the Longmont, CO Times-Call.

The position is music to the ears of area NIMBYs, which have been steadfastly against the extension. While proponents say safety is the primary concern, local residents counter with the argument that a longer runway would attract larger and noisier airplanes. It's a debate that occurs in nearly every community in which a runway extension is planned.

Barth said in his e-mail that the FAA acknowledged the need for the extension "in order to accommodate the existing fleet" of aircraft at KLMO, and that it would approve the master plan so that the improvements can be considered in the future. At 4,800 feet, only 77 percent of the category B2 aircraft flying can safely use the airport. The extension would open up the facility to 90 percent of the fleet. KLMO is currently considered a B2 airport, according to Barth.

FMI: www.ci.longmont.co.us/airport/board