Will Promote Field Research At Cape May County Airport

The FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township began rehabilitating a decommissioned taxiway at the Cape May County Airport that will serve as a field research test bed for advanced aviation related technologies. Construction began in November 2015, is expected to be completed in August 2016.

“We are absolutely excited to be in a position to partner with the FAA Technical Center to support such important field testing and research that will have national implications for airport safety,” said Stephen D. Williams, Director of Airport Operations for the Delaware River and Bay Authority. “The Cape May County Airport will also realize the benefits of the rehabilitated Taxiway C pavement, which will be available to airport users when it’s not in use for testing.”

The FAA Airport Technology Research and Development Team will use the area as a research test bed for airport safety related initiatives and plans to rehabilitate more than 3,200 feet of Taxiway C between Runway 10-28 and Taxiway B.

The systems will follow FAA standards and be modified to meet the needs of the FAA Airport Technology Research and Development Team. The Taxiway design also permits other airport safety and pavement research.

The FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center is the nation’s leading laboratory for research, development, test, evaluation, and in-service management for air transportation systems.

“By using this type of field test, we are operationally validating test results from our laboratories,” said Shelley Yak, Acting FAA Technical Center Director. “The Cape May County Airport’s close proximity to the FAA Technical Center makes it an ideal test facility to conduct this type of field research.”

In 2011, the FAA's Airport Technology Research and Development Team (FAA ATRD) entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA), granting the FAA the “right to construct, operate and maintain Research Infrastructure” at Cape May County Airport (WWD) in Erma, New Jersey. The agreement with the Authority allows FAA ATRD to rehabilitate former Taxiway C at WWD that was decommissioned in 2002.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District Office is managing the construction project.

(Images provided with Delaware River Bay Authority news release)

FMI: www.drba.net, www.faa.gov