Los Angeles-area business aviation hub Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) has completed the reconstruction project on its Runway 16L/34R, the shorter of its two runways. This will add at least another two decades of life to the surface. The $13.1 million effort took six months to finish and saw the complete rebuild of the 4,000-foot runway, with the use of 100 percent recyclable materials for its base.
Additional safety enhancements to the runway and taxiway included the installation of 167 LED lights, enhanced signage and markings, and the addition of an engine run-up area adjacent to the runway. This is the latest in a recent span of infrastructure projects at the airport.
In a ceremonial first flight to activate the new runway, a 1979-vintage Cessna 152 from a local flight school, specially modified to run on the UL94 unleaded gasoline recently made available at the airport, was chosen.
“As one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country, Van Nuys Airport is proud to provide our tenants and visitors with facilities that will enhance safety and efficiency for decades to come,” said Justin Erbacci, CEO of KVNY operator Los Angeles World Airports. “From offering more sustainable fuels and on-site solar power to investing in our airfield infrastructure, we are creating the most sustainable and desirable general aviation airport in the world.”