Monday, June 16, a large number of area business people gathered at Jackson Gore to hear members of the Rutland Economic Development Corp and their consultants call for action to expand the runway at the Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport. The core of the proposed expansion centered around expanding the main runway to 6000 feet.
Pivotal to the proposal was explanation of the alterrnative for such an expansion. Basically, either Route 103 will have to substantially diverted or, to retain its current position, tunnelled under the proposed runway. Cost estimates for the entire project run between $50 and 58 million, depending on the impact on Rte 103. When queried as to where the funding for this would come from, REDC said it would have to be a joint effort "of the public and private sectors." In a brief discussion with Representative Dennis Devereau following the presentation, he noted that the state was not in a position to contribute to such a massive project.
Included in the project would be enhancements to a variety of safety concerns, improved instrument approaches, and enlarged hanger and apron areas.
In discussing the current runway, the consultants noted that they could not support contemporary business jets and were not long enough to permit a safe aborting of takeoffs after the plane had past the "go-or no go" point on the runway. It was pointed out that landing was far more critical than take-offs.
The consultants indicated that, on a 6,000 runway, small Airbus planes, carrying about 120 passengers, could land at the Rutland airport. The airport manager noted that he had to turn away numerous flights that desired to land at Rutland simply because the runway was too short. "So they are diverted to Burlington and end up skiing at Stowe," he said. He added that he had requests from planes flying non-stop from Europe about landing in Rutland but had to refuse them.
The consultants also noted while commercial aviation was especially hard-hit by the current economic situation, particularly fuel costs, general aviation, which is the bulk of the flights operating in and out of Rutland, was not so badly hit.
On the question of financing this project, questioners noted that the FAA had steadfastly said they lacked the resources to fund the project. It was suggested that monies might be available from federal sources, notably Congressional acts.
The airport manager concluded the presentation saying that "if nothing is done, aviation, like most things, follows the path of least resistance; Rutland cannot afford the status quo."
