Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport - Facilities

Facilities

Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport has two runways, each measuring 7,500' X 150', and a taxiway measuring 7,500' X 75'.

In 2012, the process will begin for the runway to be extended another 1,000 feet to the south, for a total of 8,500 feet. Paid for by grants, actual site preparation will begin in 2013, and the date of completiion is set for some time in 2013.

IFP is a single runway airport. The FAA airport diagram can be seen in Appendix A at the end of the report. Runway 16/34 is 7,500 feet long and 150 feet wide and made of the asphalt that was recently reconstructed (SkyVector, 2012). The FAA requires there to be 1000 feet reserved for the Runway Safety Area (RSA) at each end of a runway. Because of a road just north of the Runway, IFP had to move the end of the Runway 16 500 feet to the south resulting in the end of Runway 32 shifting 500 feet south (IFP Airport master plan, 2009). The 500 feet to begin Runway 32 is a displaced threshold making it only used for takeoffs.

There is a single taxiway that extends the entire length of the Runway. It is connected in six different places with six taxiways for departing or entering the Runway. A high speed taxiway is often used when landing to the north on Runway 34 as it leads directly to the Terminal Apron (IFP Airport master plan, 2009).

A rotating beacon is located on the north end of the Airport. The Runway and Taxiways are furnished with medium intensity lighting systems (MILS). Runway End Identifier Lights (REIL) are at the end of each runway, as well as lights showing the end of the threshold with green showing to approaching aircraft and red to aircraft on the Runway. Also for approaching aircraft, a Precision Approach Path Indicator system is used for both Runway 16 and 34. “Lighted airfield signs at are located at aircraft hold positions, taxiway intersections, and at the intersection of the connecting taxiways and runways,” (IFP Airport master plan, 2009). There are also mandatory hold signs that tell the pilot to hold at each taxiway that connects to the runway. The medium intensity runway lighting can be turned on by a pilot clicking the radio transmission button in the cockpit. Airfield markings are also used to control the traffic efficiently on the ground. Runway 16/34 has centerline, threshold markings, aiming points, and runway designation markings. Taxiways have hold short markings before runway intersections and centerlines. The Airport’s aprons have centerlines to control traffic and designated tie down areas. A segmented circle is located close to the airport for visual reference on how a pilot should perform the traffic pattern for the Runway (IFP Airport master plan, 2009)

IFP has a couple features that allow pilots in the area be better informed of weather at the airport. Both of them provide accurate and up-to-date weather information. There are two lighted wind socks that show wind directions and approximate speed. Also, a new Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) was installed in 2007 and records weather data such as “wind speed, wind gusts, wind direction, variable wind direction, temperature, dew point, altimeter setting, density altitude, visibility, variable visibility, precipitation, sky condition, and cloud height,” (IFP Airport master plan, 2009). The AWOS data can be heard in an aircraft if the pilot tunes into 119.825 on the radio controls (SkyVector, 2012).

There are three main navigational aids that assist pilots with navigation in the area. They include very high frequency omnidirectional range facilities (VOR), a Loran-C, and a global positioning system (GPS). These can only be used with properly equipped aircraft. Although IFP does not have a VOR on the field, there are three at airports nearby: Kingman VOR/DME (distance measuring equipment) is to the east, Needles VORTAC (military tactical air navigational aids) is to the south, and Goffs VORTAC is to the west. GPS does not need facilities on the ground for navigational guidance because it uses satellites orbiting the earth to triangulate the aircraft’s position. Loran-C basically works the same way as a GPS, but with ground-based facilities around the country. Therefore, IFP does not have any navigational aids on the Airport property (IFP Airport master plan, 2009).

IFP provides three instrument approaches. Runway 16 has a GPS approach. Runway 34 has a GPS approach and a VOR approach that uses the Needles VORTAC. The GPS approach provides vertical guidance as well as course (horizontal) guidance. The Needles VORTAC approach only gives pilots course guidance. Runway 34’s GPS approach provides the lowest minimums for the Airport. The FAA approach plate for this instrument approach is shown in Appendix B. The GPS LPV approach allows aircraft to come down to about 640 feet above ground level (AGL) (SkyVector, 2012). All landing traffic in VFR weather is kept to the west of the airfield. So, right turning traffic for Runway 16 and left turning traffic for Runway 34 (IFP Airport master plan, 2009). An airport traffic control tower is used to control traffic on the ground at IFP and in the vicinity. It is only operational from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Mountain Time, which is their local time zone. The control tower is stationed at about midfield on the east side. When the control tower is closed, area traffic uses the common traffic advisory frequency. If the airport is closed during instrument conditions, landing traffic are controlled by the Los Angeles air route traffic control facility (IFP Airport master plan, 2009).

There are numerous landside facilities at IFP. Each one of them aids the aircraft operations in some way. A terminal that has ticket sales, security screening, rental car services, and airport administration is located on the north side of the apron. It is connected to the departure holdroom by a covered walkway. Travelers can wait here for their departing flight can rest and wait for their flight comfortably. There are no actual gates. Passengers walk out to their planes for boarding from the holdroom. Both of those use a pair of parking lots that encompass about 400 parking spaces. An airport rescue and firefighting building holds a rescue/firefighting vehicle as well as other airport maintenance vehicles. There are also a charter bus loading area, a fuel far offering Jet A and 100LL, and 34 hangars ranging widely in sizes (IFP Airport master plan, 2009).