Projects are included in the approved Falcon Field Airport Master Plan and five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
http://www.falconfieldairport.com/about-us/documents-forms
For projects that are grant eligible, Falcon Field must coordinate with other City of Mesa departments as well as the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on funding and construction schedules, so the airport does not have sole discretion on project timing. However, every effort is made to coordinate with airport businesses and tenants to minimize impacts.
The City of Mesa and contractors work to complete projects as quickly as possible while minimizing inconvenience to airport users. As with any construction projects, weather and unforeseen circumstances can cause delays.
D-1 Run-Up Area Realignment Project
The project to realign the D-1 run-up area is scheduled to begin Monday, January 9, 2017. This realignment is required for the Airport to meet new FAA standards to reduce runway incursions and to improve safety.
The new FAA standard does not allow aircraft to have straight direct access from the ramp to the runway. This project will consist of adding two islands in the D-1 run up area that will require pilots to make directional turns after a run-up and before proceeding to the hold short line of the runway. In addition, there will be six holding bay configurations along Taxiway D where pilots can conduct aircraft run-up operations.
This project will be phased (see diagram above).
Initially, the green area will be barricaded off and pilots will be able to use the run-up area at the D-1 taxiway connector (blue shaded area). After the initial phase (green shaded area) is complete, it will be opened and the run-up area to the west (blue area) will be closed. Taxiway D from D-2 to D-3 will be closed. Pilots will be able to access Runway 4R via D-3 for an intersection departure or back taxi operation, or taxi on the ramp through to the D-1 run up area
In order to meet new FAA safety standards, the aircraft run-up area by Taxiway D-1 has been realigned. As part of this realignment, the non-movement area boundary line has been relocated (the marking which identifies the requirement to have tower permission to cross). To the right is an airfield diagram that identifies the new location of the non-movement area boundary line.
To ensure safety, it is critical that any person, ground vehicle, or aircraft contact the air traffic control tower for permission prior to crossing the non-movement boundary line. If a person, vehicle, or aircraft crosses the non-movement line without tower permission, it is classified as an incursion and the FAA will investigate the incident.
Please use caution when operating near the new realignment by the run up area at D-1, as the location of the non-movement area boundary line is in a new location.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Bradley Hagen, A.A.E. Airport Projects & Operations Supervisor, at 480-644-4230 or brad.hagen@mesaaz.gov.
4-1 History of Falcon Field Airport
In 1940, the United Kingdom was deeply entrenched in war with Germany. Two issues were pressing to Winston Churchill and the British: 1) Lack of trained pilots and 2) Airfields to train the recruits. Churchill turned to the United States to help them with these problems. In response the US military designated seven airfields to train Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots. Since the United States was technically neutral to the war in Europe at this time, the RAF pilots were sent by trains to the Arizona desert in civilian clothing to avoid drawing attention.
Construction of the airfield commenced on July 17, 1941, roughly 7 miles from the City of Mesa boundary at the time. City Engineer, E.B. Tucker, conducted a contest to name the field. It was from this contest that the name “Falcon Field” was chosen. Some of the other entries were Superstition Field, Saguaro Field, and Sun Valley Field.
The training was to be conducted by Southwest Airways (no connection to present-day Southwest Airlines). In fact, the flying falcon on the Falcon Field logo came from the shoulder patches on Southwest Airways uniforms. To pay for the training, the British government was charged $21.60 for primary training, $32.70 for basic training, and $25 a month for room and board.
More than 1,500 pilots trained in the skies over Mesa until September 11, 1945 when the last of the RAF pilots left for England.
After the war was over, the airfield was turned over the to the City of Mesa for one dollar. The City of Mesa technically did not have the Falcon Field Airport inside the city boundary until 1978 when it was annexed into the city.
The remainder of the territory came into the City of Mesa in a series of seven annexations that spanned the years of 1978-1984.
Another milestone for this area is also in the year 1984 - this is when the first AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter rolled out of the Hughes Helicopter factory. Hughes Helicopter eventually became Boeing, providing an anchor for the area as an aviation center for the entire Phoenix area.
Sixty-five years after the initial construction, Mesa’s Falcon Field Airport ranked among the nation’s “top 10” general aviation airports in terms of based aircraft and handles more than 270,000 flight operations annually (Falcon Field Employment Center Strategy Plan).
Falcon Field Airport ranked third in terms of economic impact in the state of Arizona behind Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Tucson International Airport
Surrounding Areas
Located in North East Mesa, the Falcon Field Airport enjoys advantageous access to views of Red Mountain, the Red Mountain Freeway (Loop 202), and US-60. On the east, west, and southwest, airport operations are limited, but not impeded by existing single-family residential development.
This essential and scarce operational space will have to be carefully protected for its current and future operations.
Of particular note is the proximity of the airport to the Citrus Sub-Area.
Buffering of its existing residential areas will need to be a consideration for future airport operations and area development.
In particular, consideration will need to be given in relation to land use impacts, activity based impacts, and the preservation of the character of this neighboring Sub-Area.
The airport also enjoys proximity to a large amount of vacant land that is mostly planned and zoned for industrial and business park uses.
The majority of this land is on the airport property, immediately to the west, and to the north.
This is an asset that permits tremendous future opportunity to influence the character of the area.
This also presents a tremendous opportunity for direct and indirect economic and business linkages that can generate a large number of jobs.
Existing industrial developments, such as Boeing, have a strong association with the airport, providing a number of economic anchors that will ensure the long-term viability of the airport. However, retail and services establishments necessary to serve the area have only begun to develop in recent years, occupying land to the south of the airport.
Airport Land
More than 100 acres are available for development on Falcon Field Airport.
The property is now being listed and marketed through a broker. Infrastructure is being planned to provide direct taxiway access to virtually every location on the Airport. These vacant holdings may be leased and improved with aviation related businesses.
There is also airport owned property that is located across the street at the northwest and southwest corners of McKellips and Greenfield Roads.
Due to the lack of aviation value for the majority of the parcel at the northwest corner of McKellips and Greenfield Roads, the City of Mesa will be requesting a release from the Federal Aviation Administration to change the land use from aeronautical to non-aeronautical use.
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