RELATED: Runway extension may not require realigning part of Austin Boulevard
A key part of the plan – which has been awaiting approval for about three years - is extending the airport’s 5,000-foot runway 500 feet, a move that may involve relocating part of Austin Boulevard on the 527-acre site’s north side.
Relocating Austin is among the options airport officials would have, Slaybaugh said. First, he said, an environmental impact study would be required.
That study, he said, may take a couple of years to complete.
RELATED: Airport plan details proposed runway, road changes
The runway extension would help the airport upgrade its classifications to increase its speed authority and accommodate more and slightly larger aircraft, officials have said.
Most models of aircraft that use the facility require a runway more than 5,000 feet long when fully loaded on a hot summer afternoon, described as the “most demanding” conditions, according to Passero Associates, the engineering firm that worked on DWBA’s plan.
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The airport is now permitted for knot speeds that translate to a range of about 104-140 miles per hour. The classification change would increase the range to roughly 140-162 miles per hour, airport officials have said.
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