July-August 2022 - 12

TECHNOLOGY
Medium Intensity Approach Lighting
System with Runway Alignment Indicator
Lights (MALSR) is an economy-type system
used as the FAA standard for Category I
precision runways.
RICK PHILLIPS
Because the project involved installing
light towers above the interstate, EXX
and Talbert, Bright & Ellington needed to
work very closely with the North Carolina
Department of Transportation.
RICK PHILLIPS
within Highways to make sure that it
met their requirements and that they
didn't have any issues.
The project also needed to pass
FAA requirements, specifically those
outlined in order JO 6850.2B
The largest component on the
FAA's side, was to make sure there was
some kind of visual barrier between
the lights that flash on the system
and traffic that's passing below. Their
concern was that any flashing lights
would cause some visual distraction
to drivers at nighttime. So EXX and
Talbert, Bright & Ellington worked
with the FAA to install large shields
under the light that would allow pilots
to still see the lights from above, but
block any of those flashing lights from
the traffic below.
Once that component was figured
out, careful attention was paid to order
JO 6850.2B to determine where structures
were needed, - whether it be
an overhead or cantilever structure
- installation of any retaining walls,
cabling systems and conduits that had
to be installed under the pavement.
Final Steps
Before the MALSR could be operational,
it needed a few final stamps
of approval.
Representatives from the NCDOT
and the FAA first needed to come out
to inspect the system, then a test flight
from the FAA could be scheduled at
which point three flights would be
conducted; one during daytime, one
during dusk, and one at night checking
that all the lights are operating,
that the sequencing of the flashing
lights is correct, and that visually
everything meets their criteria. And
at that point, they've already done the
ground inspection to check the angle
of the lights.
Once
everything had been
approved during the test flight phase,
the system was commissioned.
" It was 10 years' worth of moving 1
inch at the time it felt like, but I've had
zero negative comments about this, "
said Phillips.
Best in Class
Van Der Linden said since installing
12 \ AIRPORT BUSINESS / JULY/AUGUST 2022
the MALSR system, the airport has
seen an increase in traffic so large that
they are planning to expand available
hangar space.
" Our hangars are completely full
now. We have 60 hangars on the
airport, 50 T-hangars, and the rest are
corporate hangars and maintenance
hangars. Because of the demand for
this airport, we are in the process
of building eight hangars of 10,000
square feet each, " he said. " We are
going to break ground in mid-July
and our plan is to start to build at
least four 10,000-square-feet hangars.
We are also in the process to break
ground to build a new maintenance
facility of 60,000 square feet. "
The Davidson County Airport
was awarded the 2022 Mobi Award
for Most Voted project and received
Honorable Mention in the Small
Urban category at the Mobi Awards
ceremony, presented by NCDOT for
the state's best multimodal projects.
This is the first time that a general
aviation airport in North Carolina has
won this prestigious award. 
July-August 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July-August 2022
