All of the runway lights and taxiway lights have been replaced. The
taxiway lights have been modernized to energy-efficient LED. The
runway lights were not changed to LED, as LED bulbs remain cool and
the heat given off by standard bulbs helps to melt snow, so the
lights that are close to the ground can be seen. The remaining
parts of the project are the installation of a new and larger
airfield windsock with brighter lighting that will make the windsock
visible from the air at night.
Also, new precision approach and runway end lights will be added
yet.
Underway on Monday was the replacement of the rotating beacon
with an updated model. The alternating green and white lights in the
beacon serve to help pilots find and identify the airport. A
photoelectric cell activates the beacon startup at sundown, and a
beacon operating in daytime hours may indicate that conditions are
less than for standard visual flight rules: less than 3 miles
visibility or less than 1,000-foot ceiling.
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The engineer on the project is Hanson Professional Services of
Springfield. The general contractor is J.F. Edwards Construction Co.
of Geneseo. It is estimated the project will be completed by the end
of January, weather permitting.
During the January meeting of the county airport committee, with
Gene Rohlfs as chair, the next year's projects would be discussed.
That meeting was moved just for this month to Monday, Jan 13. LDN
will have a report on what is in store for the airport in 2014 as
information becomes available.
[By CURT FOX / LDN]
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