WEST BAY — A new crosswind runway is still on the radar for Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP), but the estimated $17 million project depends on funding from state and federal transportation agencies.
While ECP’s 20-year master plan draft, currently under review by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), includes blueprints for a 7,000-foot backup runway, airport planners don’t expect to receive funding for the full runway anytime soon.
“The FAA, they’re the ones that are holding the bag on this one,” said airport planner Paul Puckli. “The FAA is going to make the decision on when this actually happens.”
Puckli gave an update on the master plan at a board meeting last week, relaying preliminary comments from the FAA and FDOT. He said the proposed length of the crosswind runway was the biggest concern.
“They indicated they will not go beyond 5,000 feet at this point,” Puckli said. “That doesn’t mean we couldn’t look for funding assistance from FAA sometime in the future.”
While safety is the FAA’s number one priority, Puckli said the agency likely would consider the crosswind runway a low-priority safety project.
A crosswind runway is needed to provide better wind coverage for smaller aircraft, as the current runway does not meet FAA wind coverage requirements. Staff recommended a 7,000-foot runway to also act as a backup runway for larger aircraft if the main runway were shut down, an action that ultimately would halt all takeoffs and landings.
“It’s recommended to go to that length to accommodate larger aircraft if that main runway were to be closed down,” Puckli said.
The master plan recommends a 5,000-foot crosswind runway be designed and constructed within the next five years, while an extension to 7,000 feet falls in the 20-year planning horizon.
The airport’s 20-year master plan will outline a project “wish list” for the facility, scheduling certain projects based on passenger growth forecasts. A master plan is required for airports to receive grant funding from state and federal agencies.
Airport officials will host a public meeting Feb. 23 to allow the public to review the document and are expected to consider the plan for adoption at a board meeting Feb. 25.