“It wraps it up.”

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters wasn’t talking about Christmas yesterday, but rather the extension to Green Airport’s Runway 5.

Construction of the extension that started on June 6, 2016 was completed this summer. The runway was opened for use on Aug. 15. But while aircraft have been regularly using the 8,700-foot runway, it has been restricted to visual flight operations as the instrumentation for instrument landings needed to be tested and calibrated. Several flights have been diverted because of poor visibility since the extension became available.

“As of December 7, 2017, all instrument approach procedures to Runway 5 at T.F. Green Airport were available for use with one exception, the Category III Instrument Landing System [ILS] Approach Procedure. The FAA expects it to be available no later than December 18,” Peters said in response to an email.

In a follow-up call, Peters explained the Category III system is only used in extreme weather conditions.

“There is no effect on operations,” he said.

Peters said it has been “a long road” to a longer runway at Green, noting that the initial discussions date back to 1999. Completion of the instrument landing system “wraps it up.”