EDITORIAL

What’s in a longer runway?

Posted 9/4/14

Go figure. Not all that long ago – maybe five years – the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) was telling us a longer runway is needed so Green Airport could remain competitive and be capable …

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EDITORIAL

What’s in a longer runway?

Posted

Go figure. Not all that long ago – maybe five years – the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) was telling us a longer runway is needed so Green Airport could remain competitive and be capable of offering regularly scheduled, non-stop, coast-to-coast service and flights to Europe. It was a convincing argument, especially in view of the state’s economy, high rate of unemployment and Green’s decline of airline passenger traffic.

The mantra was about investing in the infrastructure for the future – the Interlink was part of that – which would create construction jobs now and enable growth in the future. We believe that makes sense, but the often-repeated logic that Green can’t make it without a longer runway has a hallow ring following Tuesday’s announcement Condor Airlines will start providing twice-a-week seasonal flights to Frankfurt, Germany, beginning next June.

Guess what? Condor will be using Green’s existing runways – the longest of which is 7,166 feet. Lengthening that runway to 8,700 feet – a project that will start with a ceremonial groundbreaking next week – won’t be completed until December of 2017.

While pilots will always prefer a longer runway to a shorter one, Condor’s use of Green’s existing system doesn’t mean risks are being taken to bring Rhode Island its first regularly scheduled flight to Europe. There’s no compromise of safety regulations. The Federal Aviation Administration wouldn’t allow for it.

The answer to “how can this be” lies in the type of aircraft Condor will use. It’s a 259-seat Boeing 767/300. It can operate from the existing runway when carrying a full load of passengers and reach Frankfurt. In fact, the jet stream is a big help.

For years leading up to the memorandum of understanding that ended the standoff between the city and RIAC over lengthening the runway, the city argued for no or a shorter extension, saying if the market demand was there for longer non-stop flights, airlines would find a way to fill it. That’s just what has happened.

This is not to suggest the longer runway project RIAC is about to embark upon is for naught. As we said, longer runways are preferable to shorter ones. And perhaps – and hopefully this proves to be the case – more service will follow the pioneering schedule being offered by Condor. A longer runway conceivably will play into those decisions.

But, as we know now, the market, not just the current length of Green’s runways, is a powerful factor.

Comments

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  • RichardLangseth

    The question remains: Who is going to pay for this? Clearly the RIAC board is not going to chip in. Put on the ballot for a bond issue - the answer would be "No." It turns out that you and I -- the passengers -- pay through higher ticket prices. One of the reasons passenger counts are still dropping - a trend that started nine years ago when the Big Dig finished - is that ticket prices are going through the roof. Now RIAC needs to figure out how to float a bond for the extension without dropping down to junk bond status to finance this project. It is a tight situation.

    Thursday, September 4, 2014 Report this

  • latitude41

    That this one type of aircraft, with the engine option Condor chose, can make it Eastbound, in the evening, with the jetstream behind them, carefully loaded off Green's short main runway does not negate the need to bring the runway up to modern standard. In Winter, when the runway can be slippery, with more adverse winds, or when its very hot or the flight is Westbound against the Jetstream it just takes more room that the 1960s Green runways have. Air carriers are not interested in serving airports where they may have to leave mail, cargo or passengers behind, a big turn off to better air service.

    Friday, September 5, 2014 Report this