[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

The area surrounding Sikorsky actually isn't densely populated. The Lordship neighborhood north of the airport is primarily a small residential area that isn't that "dense". South and east of the airport, in the Access Rd./Lordship Blvd. area, is mostly comprised of underutilized commercial/industrial land. Sikorsky could never be a BDL, that's for certain, but there is plenty of land surrounding Sikorsky that could be easily acquired for an expansion. The whole eastern side of Lordship Blvd. from the I-95 exit(30) down to the airport is industrial/commercial.

Just to clarify a mistake on my part, Lordship is south of the airport, Access/Lordship Blvd. are north/west of the airport.

[papafox]

Originally Posted by Stylo

There's really nowhere for Tweed to expand to. Would have to be an eminent domain situation, which would still do more good than harm to the city. The only empty space looks to be wetlands.

Even without expansion, they could still have a lot more traffic coming in and out?

At least looking at Google Maps, Tweed and Westchester's Runways are nearly identical in length. Westchester might be a little wider, but if that's a hindrance to larger planes at Tweed - it could easily be remedied.

Edit: Westchester is 6,548 feet, Tweed is 5,600 feet, Oxford is 5,800 feet, Danbury is 4,422 feet.

It has a lot more to do with just runway length. What is probably more important is the types of instrument approaches they can design that will allow flights to land in very low visibility (instrument weather).

Westchester and BDL of course have excellent instrument approaches that allows planes to land in much lower visibility than either New Haven or Oxford---and of course Danbury. All of those 3 have high(er) terrain or other obstructions nearby which do not allow landing under the lowest visibility as they allow at Bradley and Westchester.

[Stylo]

What obstructions at Tweed? The area seems pretty flat?

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Originally Posted by papafox

It has a lot more to do with just runway length. What is probably more important is the types of instrument approaches they can design that will allow flights to land in very low visibility (instrument weather).

Westchester and BDL of course have excellent instrument approaches that allows planes to land in much lower visibility than either New Haven or Oxford---and of course Danbury. All of those 3 have high(er) terrain or other obstructions nearby which do not allow landing under the lowest visibility as they allow at Bradley and Westchester.

I hear you, but Denver's airport is in the mountains, literally.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Stylo

What obstructions at Tweed? The area seems pretty flat?

Im assuming the hills "around" there. When you're flying "into" the area and you have low visibility, flying low might be tough in those airports he mentioned because of the land obstacles so to speak.

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

I hear you, but Denver's airport is in the mountains, literally.

You can't compare an International airport like Denver. Oxford is 424 acres. Denver is 34,000 acres. LOL. Im sure you can see better in low visibility there. Bigger valleys out there maybe. But it is an interesting topic though. Curious how all airports in CT compare to eachother

[Stylo]

The closest significant hills are East Rock and West Rock, but they're pretty far away from the airport.

[papafox]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

I hear you, but Denver's airport is in the mountains, literally.

Actually DEN is a full 20 miles east of even the foothills. Its as flat as Kansas out there. Still 5400' above SL, but just an elevated plain w/ no obstructions.

Originally Posted by Stylo

What obstructions at Tweed? The area seems pretty flat?

Smaller hills and towering trees are in the approach path to the north runway there. Only that runway has equipment set up for landing in instrument weather as all the other rwys there are for visual landings only.

[Stylo]

Westchester has more significant trees and hills though.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Westchester has more significant trees and hills though.

Westchester is flat compared to vicinity hills of CT especially at Danbury, Waterbury, Chester or Windham.

(my circles are not exact)

[7express]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

I hear you, but Denver's airport is in the mountains, literally.

Denver's airport is the middle of nowhere. Seriously. It's a flat as a pancake at the airport. If not for the "welcome to Denver sign" leaving the airport, you would think you were in Kansas with the terrain by there.