You asked for the status of the proposal to expand Tweed-New Haven Airport and whether the expansion proposal has been reviewed with the idea of holding it up because of the repercussions of the World Trade Center attacks of September 11, 2001.

SUMMARY

On February 20, 2002, The Tweed New Haven Airport Authority adopted a new 20-year Airport Master Plan. The last airport master plan was adopted in 1982. Airport master plans are required under federal law and are supposed to guide the airport operator in making decisions about the facility over a 20-year timeframe.

It does not appear that the repercussions of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York have led a review of these proposed improvements with the idea of delaying them. One reason for this appears to be that they are still several years away and some recovery of the air travel industry is likely to happen before they get done. But another reason may be that the types of improvements to be undertaken seem less related to projected growth in air travel demand than they are at enhancing Tweed-New Haven's share of the regional air travel market. Tweed currently has relatively little scheduled air service partially because its takeoff and landing constraints limit the ability of carriers to operate cost-effective service with full passenger loads. Service is currently limited to one carrier operating turboprop aircraft to Philadelphia and Washington (a 200-300 mile market range). The airport authority believes that the proposed improvements will allow air carrier service using 80-100 passenger regional jet aircraft and expand the viable service range to a 600-800 nautical mile market. This they believe will allow Tweed to become a cost-effective alternative for scheduled service as far as the Chicago and Atlanta markets.

AIRPORT MASTER PLAN

The master plan approved by the airport authority calls for a four-phase development program. Phase 1 consists of a set of runway safety area improvements that were part of the 1982 master plan but have not yet been implemented. They include creating 500' by 1,000' reinforced turf runway safety areas at both ends of the airport's main runway; implementing a wetlands mitigation program, relocating Dodge Avenue, Turtle Creek, and Morris Brook; and extending Taxiway B to the threshold of Runway 2. Permit applications for implementing most of these improvements have already been made.

Phase 2 of the plan involves a series of operational improvements to the airport as it currently exists following Phase 1. There are essentially four types of activities included in Phase 2. These are: (1) obtaining easements and clearing trees and other possible obstructions that affect the runway approach surfaces and are necessary to lower instrument approach minimums; (2) upgrading the approach lighting system and, as a result of this and the obstruction removal, lower the instrument landing system minimums for Runway 2 to the FAA Category 1 level (from the current 250 feet and ¾ mile runway visual range to 200 feet and 2,400 feet range); (3) eliminating the "displaced" threshold on Runway 20 that occurs because of the obstructions leading up to the runway; and (4) publishing a new straight-in precision approach procedure for Runway 20. The phase 2 changes are aimed at improving air operations and service reliability for scheduled airlines.

Phase 3 involves paving the runway safety areas created in Phase 1 and, in so doing, allowing them to be used for aircraft takeoffs. This action will allow for 6,500 feet for takeoffs and 5,600 feet for landing in each direction.

Phase 4 calls for an actual runway extension of 600 feet to the south end of Runway 2-20, construction of a new 1,000-foot safety area for Runway 2 and some related changes. This will result in a 7,200-foot runway for takeoffs and a 6,200-foot runway for landings in both directions.

Although the Phase 1 improvements are already being undertaken, the other improvements still will take several years to accomplish, if in fact they are actually implemented. Approving the airport master plan does not guarantee that the improvements, particularly the more controversial Phase 3 and 4 projects, will get the necessary environmental and other approvals they require. Also, a number of other studies and assessments have to be done to implement the master plan proposals.

JJF: eh