Oct. 14, 2008 — Back in December of 2006, the Sierra Army Depot broke ground on large-scale expansion to its existing airstrip. The plan was for the airstrip to be extended out to 10,000 feet, to accommodate for enough room so that even the largest military aircraft could land or take off. Fast forward to today, where the airstrip is now doing exactly that, according to Lori McDonald, public relations officer for SIAD. While not completely finished, the airfield has received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to start operating and allowing large aircraft like a C17 Globemaster to land and take off. McDonald said the FAA gave approval just over a month and a half ago.

McDonald said the overall construction of the airfield has been broken up into three segments, with the airstrip expansion being the first phase.

“It’s been broken up into three phases,” McDonald said. “(First) the expansion, the next part would be the instrument lighting and the expansion on the apron, and then the third phase would be putting in a tower.”

McDonald said the air traffic in and out of the army depot wasn’t going to be as bad as it was right after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. She said SIAD generally has to work around the schedule of the U.S. Air Force planes that come into SIAD. She explained if flights were not available, the depot would have to go with other means of transportation, either via trains or trucks. McDonald said trucks are still the most widely used shipping transportation for the depot.

As for the airstrip, McDonald said flights will only be scheduled during the day, as the instrument lighting along the runway has not been built yet.

McDonald also said that just because there have been a lot of planes being seen coming in and out of the airstrip area, it doesn’t necessarily mean SIAD has increased in activity. She said National Guard personnel out of Reno and Stead, Nev., have been using the airstrip regularly as well.