Taxiway B at South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center’s (SCTAC) Donaldson Field is now open.
The completion of this taxiway will significantly impact operations, especially those of Lockheed Martin, contributing to a $1.4 billion impact to local and state-wide economy, according to airport officials. The taxiway was funded with a $1.35 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“General aviation plays a critical role in the lives of our citizens as well as the success of our businesses,” says Senator Lindsey Graham. “These funds will help contribute to the competitiveness of several SCTAC companies in today’s aviation, industry and technology markets.”
The completion of Taxiway B comes most anxiously awaited by Lockheed Martin, who maintains over 1,200 flight operations a year at Donaldson Field. In fact, the first plane to “christen” the new taxiway was a C-130 from Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin, entering the 28th year of operation at the center, employs around 1,000 at the SCTAC facility.
“This is a significant upgrade to Donaldson Field and will certainly improve the efficiency of our operations,” says Don Erickson, Site Director for Lockheed Martin’s Greenville Operations.
The Taxiway B project completed the parallel taxiway for the entire length of the runway and will ensure efficient and safe operations for all types and sizes of aircraft, eliminating the need for aircraft to back-taxi on the runway, airport officials said.
The project included creating a new taxiway pavement, 4,000 feet in length with two large connector taxiways, allowing aircraft to exit the runway from the north end of the airfield. The taxiway is designed 50 feet in width and will be able to support both civilian and military aircraft.
Donaldson Field, the largest general aviation airport in the state, sits in the middle of SC Technology and Aviation Center. With over 50,000 aircraft operations per year, the 8,000 foot active runway is capable of handling virtually any landing gear. One of the major aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in the Southeast, Donaldson Field consists of over 1 million square feet of heavy capacity aircraft parking and over 927,000 square feet of hangar space. The 91 foot air traffic control tower and airfield fire station provide safety enhancements for aviation tenants. The airfield is FAA certified Part 139 for commercial service and is in category 1 for instrument landing system and automated weather observation system. For more information: SC-TAC.com
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