Charleston runway reopening

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- AFCEC executed a $40 million contract to replace a runway here. The runway, which re-open Aug. 16, 2013, features a new aircraft arresting system and improved infrastructure for navigational aids. Outdated lighting was also replaced with high-efficiency, longer-lasting LED lights. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mark Dent)

Charleston runway reopening

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Hundreds of contractors worked more than a year to replace this 40-year-old runway here. The new 9,000-feet long and 150-feet wide runway is composed of 18-inch thick concrete. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center executed the $40 million contract and provide technical reach back assistance. AFCEC has help coordinate eight new runways in the past seven years. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mark Dent.)

New runway set to open at JB Charleston

Published Aug. 14, 2013
By Jennifer McCabe
AFCEC Public Affairs

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Airmen piloting aircraft into Joint Base Charleston, S.C., will notice a smoother landing when the 9,100-foot runway reopens Aug. 16.

For the past year, Charleston Airmen, as well as the Charleston County Aviation Authority and nearby companies such as Boeing, have used the shorter 7,000-foot runway while workers replaced the longer one, said Mark Dent, Air Force Civil Engineer Center project manager.

"The shorter runway does not have an instrument approach system, so when there's bad weather, commercial flights had to divert to Columbia (South Carolina) or Savannah (Georgia)," he said.

The $40-million, year-long project was executed by AFCEC who also provided technical reach back. The project, which provided jobs to hundreds of contractors, took a combined 355,000 hours to reconstruct and upgrade the runway.

"Runways are designed based on mission requirements to have a 50-year lifespan with increased maintenance requirements after 20 years," said Dent. Portions of the old Charleston runway dated back to the 1940s and required extensive safety inspections and spot repairs to ensure safe use, he said.

"We replaced the runway before it became a danger," said Lt. Col. Matthew Leard, 437th Operations Support Squadron commander.

In addition to surface reconstruction, the new runway has an improved aircraft arresting system that stops aircraft experiencing mechanical issues.

"The new system raises the cable from a recessed location by remote control," said Lt. Col. Pat Miller, 628th Civil Engineer Squadron commander. "This extends the life of the runway by preventing the steel cable from slapping the runway when not in use."

At the same time, outdated lighting was replaced with high-efficiency, longer-lasting LED lights. LEDs will significantly reduce maintenance costs and periodic replacement expenses, Dent said.

The old halogen lamps were rated 4,000 hours in practical use compared to LED lamps which have a life of 150,000 hours.

This is the eighth new runway AFCEC engineers and contracting officers have executed and provided technical oversight for in the past seven years.