Why are the safety and runway improvements necessary?
The FAA has mandated that the Pittsfield Municipal Airport (“PSF”) comply with federal safety regulations. These safety regulations require 1,000 feet of runway safety areas on each end of runway. PSF does not currently comply with these regulations. The airport now has safety areas of about 100 feet and 200 feet on either end of the main runway. These safety regulations make sense when applied to PSF. Unfavorable weather conditions frequently cause aircraft to divert away from PSF to other airports in the region. When the runway is wet, icy, or covered with snow, braking action is reduced and jets need a larger area to ensure safety. The combination of enhanced runway safety areas with runway extensions will result in an infrastructure that is better equipped to serve the businesses and private aircraft that use our airport.
