Middletown spends $50,000 to fix weather damage at airport

Last spring’s severe weather that damaged infrastructure at the Middletown Municipal Airport/Hook Field has required additional funds to make repairs.

Middletown City Council has approved an emergency resolution to provide an additional $50,000 to the Airport Fund for infrastructure maintenance issues that present safety hazards, according to Matt Eisenbraun, assistant economic development director.

Eisenbraun said the emergency legislation was needed because of the health and safety of airport users and aircraft being impacted. He also said weather conditions will continue to make it difficult for aircraft owners to utilize the airport.

He said lightning strikes that occurred in late May caused damage to two antiquated safety systems:

  • One of two circuits supporting about 90 taxiway guidance lights was completely destroyed.
  • One of two Runway End Identifier Lights flashers were burned out.

He said it would cost about $11,000 to repair the taxiway lights; about $9,000 to replace the flashers in the REILS lights; $29,000 for roof repairs for the Maintenance Hangar where the airport’s fixed based operator is located; and about $9,000 for office area roof repairs at the Jets Hangar.

In addition, Eisenbraun recently rehabilitated office/tenant space in both the Jets Hangar and the Maintenance Hangar are threatened as leaks have become too numerous to make accommodations for while maintaining regular work requirements. He said the Electronics Division of the Public Works Department is unable to repair and/or maintain these systems under current staffing in part due to age and condition of the equipment.

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