ISAVIA is commissioning the design of an extension to Egilsstaðaflugvöllur (Egilsstaðir Airport) so that it can accommodate more aircraft should Keflavíkurflugvöllur (Keflavík Airport) close.
ISAVIA is commissioning the design of an extension to Egilsstaðaflugvöllur (Egilsstaðir Airport) so that it can accommodate more aircraft should Keflavíkurflugvöllur (Keflavík Airport) close. A taxiway and parking stands along the airport will be built in three phases and could prove crucial in emergency situations.
Egilsstaðaflugvöllur is an important alternate airport, but it has only been able to receive four or five aircraft at a time due to a lack of stands. As numerous planes arrive in Iceland daily, it would be necessary to be able to line up more jets.
ISAVIA is finalising preliminary design work on the first phase of a taxiway along the airport. Construction would begin with a loop at the north end, as aircraft land from the north in about 70% of cases, and there six additional jets could be parked.
“Primarily, this is about responding to emergencies at Keflavíkurflugvöllur. On a good day, if a plane veers off or if an accident occurs and the airport must be closed for a short or extended period, it becomes necessary to get the aircraft en route here down safely. First and foremost, this is a preparedness service,” says Sigrún Björk Jakobsdóttir, managing director of ISAVIA Domestic Airports.
More space for planes is also advantageous for airlines and the environment. Aircraft can carry less fuel if an Icelandic airport is selected as an alternate and are less likely to have to circle even when low on fuel if the preceding aircraft is swiftly parked and does not need to taxi the entire runway.
The taxiway will be built in three phases: next, a second loop would be made at the south end, and then the two would be connected.
The upcoming national transport plan to be introduced this autumn will determine when construction begins at Egilsstaðir, though the funding should already be available.
Source: Ruv.is
