The future of Harry Clever Field looks bright
The finished taxiway will make for a safer airport.
Harry Clever Airport in New Philadelphia is getting a $2.5 million makeover. Construction has begun on a major project that will add to the small regional airfield’s safety and usability for the future.
“The FAA doesn’t like the centerline separation between the existing taxiway and the runway,” airport manager J. Eric Hubbard said. “The taxiway should be farther from the runway, so that will be moved toward High Street about 12 or 15 feet.”
As it stands now, if two of the largest types of planes that use the airport were to be on the runway and taxiway at the same time, their wings could collide.
“So it’s a safety-related thing to make the airport more capable of handling the kind of traffic that we could see here at any time,” Hubbard said.
Construction began April 22, with the first step creating temporary accommodations for continuing airport traffic over the four months of the project. Runway markings were blasted off the current pavement to be remarked until the new configuration is complete.
“The runway itself, which is wider than it needs to be, will be remarked a little skinnier to allow aircraft to continue to use the field,” Hubbard said. “They have to do this in stages so pilots can still use the runway safely while maintaining a safe distance from all the construction equipment which will be in place. Realistically, we won’t be closed that much, mainly just a few days at the beginning and end of the project.”
The whole thing should be wrapped up by Aug. 13, give or take a couple of days. During most of that time, the airport will be open and usable.
The field is currently used for training new pilots and by local businesses, which fly small aircraft into and out of the airport. Other uses might not be as expected. “You’d be surprised at the number of dogs that are sold here and the owners fly in to pick them up,” Hubbard said.
The project is funded in large part by grants at the federal level. In addition to strengthening the safety of the airfield, the airport will be in a better position to meet the needs of the future, as there has been much discussion nationally of an air traffic system that relies more heavily on smaller craft utilizing smaller, local airports. Harry Clever Field, managed by ProAv, also has been saving money from federal grants to cover project costs for several years.
Once the taxiway is moved, it will have to be remarked and relit. New illumination will be with LED lights, which the airport expects will deliver savings in overall operations once the old, less efficient lights are gone.
The future of the airport looks bright, Hubbard said. “If you start to think about the little electric airplanes that are coming about now, the more of those that are out there, the more existing infrastructure will get used for those, theoretically.”
The project is broken down into five phases: The first will close the airport for two days to remove pavement markings and lights. Phase two will begin the process of removing existing pavement and soil grading. Phase three will continue the same activity at the other end of the field. Phase four, sometime in July, will see the airport closed once again for four days while pavement is remarked and lit. The final phase will close the airport for one day for repainting the new configuration.
New Philadelphia Airport is at 1834 E. High Ave. in New Philadelphia. The number is 330-339-2023.