Connecticut Business Aviation Group Condemns Delay of Safety Improvements at Sikorsky Memorial Airport

Jun 24, 2009 9:53 AM

After the most recent accident at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, where a turboprop aircraft carrying five passengers and two crewmembers crashed through the blast fence at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, the Connecticut Business Aviation Group (CTBAG) issued a strong condemnation of those who have used politics to create artificial delays to implementing safety improvements at the same spot where the accident occurred.

“This accident echoes back to several similar accidents in the past in this exact same location with one important exception – everyone walked away,” said Scott Ashton, Vice Chairman of the Group. “These improvements are specifically designed to prevent this exact type of accident from occurring. The elected officials of Stratford, through their political tactics of sneaking in moratoriums through back door channels for the last three years, have delayed important safety improvements to the airport. It cannot take another accident to get these improvements completed.”

The five passengers on the aircraft were using the convenience of the airport to come to the local area to conduct business meetings. The CTBAG, along with other associations and individuals, has been working for many years to eliminate roadblocks to implementing safety improvements to the end of Runway 06. These improvements include installation of the Engineering Materials Arresting System (EMAS) at the end of the runway.

EMAS, currently installed at many airports around the country, is an arresting system designed to bring an aircraft safely to a stop in the event of a runway overrun. The EMAS installation will also protect residents traveling along Main Street at the end of the runway. In the most recent accident, the nose of the aircraft penetrated the fence. Part of the construction plan includes the relocation of the road to prevent the frequent flooding that closes the road off to residents.

CTBAG notes that the EMAS does not increase the usable length of the runway, nor does it increase the size of aircraft that can use the airport. “The unfortunate thing is that those who oppose these safety improvements use the word 'expansion' to frighten residents about these changes,” said Ashton. “The EMAS installation will preserve the capability of the airport, as well as the jobs that are supported both in and around the airport community. This construction is supported with 95% federal funding and also has the support of the owner of the airport as well.”

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