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<br />RUNWAY ORIENTATION <br /> <br />Once a military airfield, San Marcos <br />Municipal currently operates four <br />runways. The longest is Runway 8-26 <br />providing 6,330 feet. Runway 12-30 is <br />the airport's primary runway being <br />served by an instrument landing system <br />(ILS) on Runway 12. Runway 12-30 <br />provides 5,603 feet operational length. <br /> <br />Analysis provided in the previous <br />chapter indicated that the airport's <br />current configuration provides more <br />than adequate wind coverage. Due to <br />costs associated with maintaining the <br />pavements of all four runways, it has <br />been recommended that at least one <br />runway be closed. Wind analysis <br />indicates that Runway 17-35 provides <br />the best wind coverage, followed by <br />Runway 12-30. It should be noted that <br />wind analysis does not fully quantifY <br />runway usage. Each pilot will choose a <br />runway first based on winds. If <br />crosswinds are not excessive, a pilot <br />may choose a runway based on its <br />location, limiting taxi times. Although <br />Runway 4-22 provides the least wind <br />coverage of the four existing runways, it <br />still provides adequate crosswind <br />coverage nearly 85 percent of the time. <br /> <br />The decision to close any runway at the <br />airport must consider first wind <br />coverage, but should also consider other <br />factors such as location, distance from <br />terminal facilities, cost to maintain, etc. <br />The goal is to ultimately provide the <br />pilot with the best airfield configuration <br />for wind and convenience, while <br />providing the City with an airfield <br />which is affordable to maintain. <br />Balancing these factors will best serve <br />both airport users and the City of San <br />Marcos. Each alternative discussion <br /> <br />will detail the positive and negative <br />aspects of keeping each runway. <br /> <br />RUNWAY LENGTH <br /> <br />Analysis in the previous chapter <br />indicated that the runway system <br />provides adequate length for small <br />airplanes, but falls short of the <br />requirements for the full range of <br />business aircraft which are forecast to <br />operate at the airport. The analysis <br />also indicated that a longer runway <br />length would be required to <br />accommodate charter and business jet <br />aircraft. <br /> <br />The airport is currently home to four <br />business jets. Berry Aviation, a <br />corporate charter operator, currently <br />operates 16 Metroliners. The airport is <br />also home to a Beech King Air. Based <br />aircraft currently fall within FAA <br />design category of airport reference code <br />(ARC) B-II. The airport also serves <br />many other transient business jets up to <br />the Gulfstream IV (G-IV) aircraft. The <br />G- IV is a ARC D- II aircraft. <br /> <br />Analysis in the previous chapter <br />indicated that the primary runway <br />should ultimately be 7,000 feet to <br />accommodate the full range of corporate <br />and charter aircraft forecast to base or <br />use the airport on a regular basis. The <br />alternatives will consider extensions to <br />7,000 feet for each runway. <br /> <br />The previous chapter also indicated that <br />at least one crosswind runway be <br />planned for 5,600 feet. This length <br />would exceed the needs of ARC B- II <br />aircraft, but would better situate the <br />airport for periods when the primary <br />runway is closed. If a third runway is <br /> <br />4-6 <br />