» Press Releases
Houston Airport System
February 27, 2009
HOUSTON, TX - (February 27, 2009) The Houston Airport System announces that Runway 9/27 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is now equipped with a state-of-the-art approach capabilities after a complete re-construction. The runway began accepting Category III approaches on Thursday, February 26. The upgraded runway allows pilots the greatest precision in landing aircraft in low and reduced visibility flight conditions.
The rehabilitated runway now places Houston's hub airport in a league among a few airports in the nation that currently operate three parallel Category III runways. Runway 9/27 is one of the five runways at IAH. The Houston Airport System was able to combine the re-construction project with the addition of the navigational aid to be completed at the same time.
"This was an excellent case of cooperation between our airport and the federal government to compete mutual needs to allow the rehab and the navigational aid installation to be timed as one mission and minimize the amount of time that the runway was out of service," says Rick Vacar, Houston Airport System director of aviation. "We want to thank the Federal Aviation Administration, the contractors and the dozens of people who worked behind the scenes for the City of Houston -- they all worked together to rehabilitate this runway."
The Houston Airport System passed all the safety tests necessary by the Federal Aviation Administration to reopen the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officially certified the runway as being cleared for reopening on Thursday, February 26 at 11:00 p.m.
Facts about the 10,000-foot runway rehabilitation project:
» The lifespan of the new runway surface is expected to be more than two decades.
» Replaced the entire asphalt surface with a 14-inch concrete overlay designed to strengthen the base level by almost 400 percent.
» Enhanced lighting, markings and electronic systems that allow the pilots to conduct instrument landing under the most severe weather conditions.
» Air traffic was rerouted to the other four runways at IAH during the project.
» The $35 million reconstruction project, which was partly funded by a $27 million federal grant, was completed several weeks early and will allow airlines to utilize the rehabilitated runway during the heavy Spring Break peak-travel period.
» Runway 9/27 closed for the construction project on September 26, 2008.
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