Ireland West Airport Knock has announced that following a competitive tendering procedure, Michael McNamara & Co have been awarded the construction contracts for two major infrastructural projects at the airport; namely the implementation of CAT II ILS (instrument landing system ) on Runway 27 and the Runway End Safety Area (RESA ) works on the 09 end of the runway, a combined value of €3.6M.
Construction and civil works have already commenced on the CAT II ILS with the electrical and equipment installation works due to commence at the end of this month and is due to be completed and commissioned in February 2009. The second project, RESA on the 09 end of the runway is due to be completed by the end of 2008.
The major benefit of CAT II ILS implementation will be to enhance the precision of approaches which will reduce the possibility of diversions caused by poor weather and low visibility conditions. Commenting on the projects, Tomás Grimes, property manager, Ireland West Airport Knock said the RESA project will involve a major upgrade to the runway at Ireland West Airport Knock by extending the existing runway end safety area and increasing the aircraft turning circle for Runway 27.
“The CAT II ILS implementation will be a major boost to the airport’s daily operations as the reliability of services in and out of Ireland West Airport Knock will be greatly improved during the winter months where in the past, flights have been diverted to other Irish airports due to problems with visibility.
“With the upgrade of the Instrument Landing System there will be better equipment in place to aid aircraft in poor visibility weather conditions meaning flights will be able to land in Ireland West Airport Knock in conditions they were unable to before.”
Commenting on the key benefits that CAT II ILS will have to the irport, Robert Grealis, CEO, Ireland West Airport Knock said that it is no secret that some inbound flights have on occasion been diverted to other Irish international airports because of poor visibility.
“however with this new and improved system in place this will be significantly reduced. This is very good news for the airport but especially for passengers who are inconvenienced by diversions and it will also encourage other airlines to operate from the airport with such an advanced system in place.
“This is one of many projects which Ireland West Airport Knock are carrying out to increase the quality of service it offers to passengers and to facilitate one million annual passengers which we project the airport will facilitate by 2010. Work is currently well under way on the airport’s €5.5 million terminal extension which will enable us to facilitate this passenger capacity.”
The current developments which are being undertaken at the airport are part of Ireland West Airport Knock’s Vision 2020; a €46 million capital investment programme which underpins the airport’s goal of developing new short, medium and long haul international air routes and growing annual passenger numbers to more than two million by 2020.
Ireland West Airport Knock is acting to deliver new capacity to meet the needs of the traveling public as well as the airlines and tour operators using the airport. In 2007, the airport was given a financial injection of €27.1 million in funding under the new Capital Expenditure Grant Scheme for Regional Airports, which marked the single largest investment ever in the airport’s history.
