Thursday, March 3, 2005
$2 million Fox Airfield project gets county’s OK
By LISA WAHLA HOWARD
The Antelope (CA) Valley Press
LANCASTER – Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday approved a $2 million project to improve the ground surface at Gen. William J. Fox Airfield. The project falls within the airport’s master plan for improvement and upgrades, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors in 1996. “The increase in larger and heavier aircraft operations at Fox Airfield requires suitable aircraft parking aprons,” said Donald Wolfe, acting director of Public Works, in a letter to supervisors.
“The rehabilitation project for the aircraft parking aprons will comply with the current FAA standards and improve overall safety on the airport for larger and heavier aircraft.”
The airport’s apron, or the paved area near the terminals and hangars, will be refurbished over the summer, with construction estimated to take 75 days between June and September. The project will cost $2 million, with $1.8 million coming from an FAA grant. The county will cover the rest of the project cost.
“It’s not going to be a major inconvenience (to pilots),” said Ken Pellman, spokesman for the county’s Public Works Department. “Some of the aircraft might be moved around to accommodate construction. We’re going to be rebuilding some areas of pavement, and it will be really nice. There will be a nice, new surface to that area.”
The airport is one of five owned by the county. The others are Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, Brackett Field in La Verne, Woodley Airport in Compton and El Monte Airport.
