It is learned from the Municipal Development and Reform Commission that the Civil Aviation Administration of China recently allotted a civil aviation development fund of 280 million yuan for the reconstruction and expansion of Yichang Sanxia Airport, which is the first time that the city has obtained such fund from the state.

　　The feasibility study report for the reconstruction and expansion of the airport was approved by the Provincial Development and Reform Commission in February 2017. The preliminary and investment budgets for the flight area and air traffic control projects, and the preliminary design for the terminal area and accessory projects were authorized by the Central-South China Bureau of Civil Aviation Administration and the Provincial Development and Reform Commission in December 2017 and September 2018 respectively.

　　The rebuilding project is designed according to the targets of an annual passenger throughput of 5 million person-time, 15,500 tons of cargo and mail as well as 34,000 flights in 2025. It consists of two main parts: airport project and air traffic control project. The airport project includes the extension of the runway to 3,200 meters, the addition of Class I precision approach lighting system for runway secondary descent direction, the extension of the partial taxiways to 3,200 meters to the south, the building of two vertical contact lanes between parallel taxiways and runways, the reconstruction of T1 terminal, the building of T2 terminal of 25,000 square meters, with 21 planes’ landing spaces, 3,600 square meters of freight houses, and 25,000 square meters of parking lot and facilities for fire rescue and production auxiliary houses. The air traffic control project covers the construction of a Class I instrument landing system for the new runway descent direction, the relocation of the southern direction platform, omnidirectional beacon/range finder platform, and the construction of other air traffic control facilities such as flight control, meteorology and communications.

　　As national capital, the fund will be earmarked for the safety, air traffic control and flight zones projects of Sanxia Airport. It is an important financial source for the acceleration of the infrastructure construction of the airport. (Reporter: Liu Yue; Correspondent: Li Jun)