Worcester Airport Update

UPDATE 9/28 Runway reopened 0800 Thursday WAPA will post updates as received.!

George Clark writes: … The WAPA Meeting on September 8th featured a cookout followed by an airport and Massport update from ORH Manager Andy Davis and FAA Tower Manager Mel Turmelle. Here are the highlights, and click the read more link (below) for more details.

Andy Davis Update: 9/23

1. Gate 10 has been repaired. Thanks everyone for your patience.

2. Runway resurfacing is proceeding very well. In fact, the intersection may be done much sooner than expected. When it does occur, it will result in both runways closing for an estimated 60 hour duration. We have to plan this time so that we minimize the impact on air service, and be assured we have a window of good weather to complete the work. There is a possibility this work may commence Sunday night, September 26. The decision will be made first thing Friday, September 24. We will do our best to contact the users of the airport as soon as the decision is made. In the meantime, please continue to monitor the WAPA website, as we will also keep you updated in this fashion.

Thanks Andy Davis

Andy Davis

• Construction is proceeding on the 11-29 runway resurfacing project. Expected to last 95 days between now and mid November, you can anticipate closures of 11-29, and a 3-day shutdown mid-late October for the resurfacing of the runway intersection.
• FAA conducted a detailed inspection of ORH. in July. Due to extensive preparation by the airport, there were no "Correction Issues" discovered.
• Massport transition is well under way. The Andy Davis and the 4 Shift Managers are Massport employees. Remaining employees will transfer during a 6-12 month transition.
• Direct Air is continuing to have great success at ORH. The holiday flights to their new destination of West Palm Beach all sold out in the first 2 days that the flights went on sale.
• Category 2-3 approach is still on the wish list. However it is an expensive project. 10-15 Million. Requires a parallel taxiway, and RADAR.
• ORH will still have an advisory committee. The current members of the airport commission stayed on for now.
• The badge reader at gate 10 is still out of service for certain PIN codes due to a conduit collapse. Excavation will be required to replace the conduit.
• The Airport Commission will be replaced by an Advisory Committee reporting to Massport.

Mel Trumelle

• Beginning September 30th: Position and Hold will be replaced by Line Up and Wait
  • For the pilot in the pattern. If an aircraft has been told to Line Up and Wait, the pilot in the pattern will be told Traffic Holding in Position.
• On readback, state Departing Runway, and Acknowledge Hold Short instructions
• When landing 29, Do not turn onto 33 as a taxiway, without explicit authorization. The next taxiway is Foxtrot.

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More details on the construction project

• The 11-29 construction is resurfacing 4000 feet starting at the approach end of 29. The first 3000' of 11 was done in 2008.
  • Resurfacing is being done in 4-day increments so as not to close 29 during DirectAir scheduled days. 4 inches of pavement is milled off. The base layer is crack sealed and repaired as necessary, and then new asphalt pavement is laid in 2 2-inch layers.
  • The 11-29 intersection will result in complete airport closure for 3 days. This will happen in mid-late October with plenty of notice.
  • It is not possible to use the available runway during the construction. Getting permission from the FAA (and re-marking and changing lighting colors) for the 3 day period is too complex.
  • Once paving is complete, then the runway has to be re-grooved. This is more complex than it sounds - there is only one company that does that work, and they move equipment south for the colder weather, so it's critical that the project remain on schedule and the grooving is completed before winter.
• Delta taxiway is currently being completely rebuilt. Excavated down to the base and reconstructed.
• Taxiway Charlie is being eliminated. The intersection of runways and taxiway is confusing and no longer permitted by FAA standards
• Taxiway Bravo turnoff will be widened a bit for easier higher speed turnoff, and the area of ponding will be eliminated.

Other notes

On a sad note, Andy Davis announced that Doug Robinson lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and passed away last week. There was no notice in the paper.

The new airport advisory committee will have

• 4 appointees by the city of Worcester.
• 3 appointees by Massport
• 2 appointees by Leicester

Mel reported that there is a effort underway to convince the city to rename the PUMPP intersection to SPAGS in honor of the Borgatti family. Spags was a supporter and user of Worcester Airport, and there is an opportunity to rename the intersection coming up in 2011. Spag's wife, the late Olive Borgatti began flying at age 55, got her pilot license in 1976 and was rated to fly the company Cessna Citation II in 1988. (ref. http://spags.org/spags_history.htm )

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-- GeorgeClark - 13 Sep 2010