Las Cruces International Airport has passed its annual inspection from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The inspection was conducted by the FAA on June 23 and June 24, 2021. The inspection consisted of three parts: a review of administrative documents kept at the airport, including previous inspection reports, work orders, and training reports of airport staff members and airport tenants. The second part of the inspection was a meeting with staff and firefighters assigned to the Las Cruces Fire Department’s Station 7, which is adjacent to the airport. That part of the inspection consisted of a test of knowledge of fire station staff.
The third part was an inspection of Las Cruces International Airport’s runways, taxiways, and fueling operations.
The inspection is conducted yearly to ensure that Las Cruces International Airport is following requirements for the Airport Certificate issued under Part 139 of the FAA regulations. The Las Cruces airport was issued a Part 139 Certificate in 1981 and the FAA certification allows the airport to provide passenger service.
The inspection also included an FAA review of daytime and nighttime field operations at Las Cruces International Airport. That part of the inspection examined the condition of the airport’s three runways, its taxiways and the airport’s navigation system. Also evaluated were lights, signs, striping and other necessary markings along and on runways and taxiways.
“Three years ago we established a ‘Mission Zero’ goal to achieve no discrepancies from any federal agency, including the FAA, zero findings from any state agency, and zero findings with any local agencies,” said Andy Hume, Las Cruces International Airport Administrator. “We have set a very high bar for ourselves, largely because we don’t want to get complacent. We have, and we want to maintain, a good relationship with the FAA.”
As the City of Las Cruces began a new fiscal year on July 1, improvements at Las Cruces International Airport will continue. An environmental assessment is underway for an extension to Runway 8-26 – the airport’s primary runway – from its current 6,000-foot length to 8,600 feet long. The environmental assessment is being paid for through FAA funds, and additional funding will be sought to pay for design and construction of the extension to Runway 8-26.
Additionally, there are plans to extend Runway 12-30 from its current length of 7,500 feet to 10,500 feet.
Other planned improvements for Las Cruces International Airport includes new landscaping. The airport’s Landscaping Master Plan is completed and the first phase of design for new landscaping is underway.
Renovations to the terminal building at Las Cruces International Airport are also planned. Funds to pay for construction costs of those renovations are currently being sought through various sources.