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GA Airports Weather the Storm: A First Hand Account of the Damage

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Key Takeaways:

  • Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU) implemented proactive measures, including tenant notifications and drain cleaning, ahead of Hurricane Irene, initially remaining open for aircraft evacuations before eventually closing due to significant flooding.
  • Despite widespread flooding that rendered parts of the airfield impassable, MMU rapidly responded to assess damage and reopened for critical police and military rescue operations, with Signature Flight Support's quick fuel turn-arounds directly facilitating life-saving missions.
  • The airport managed a phased reopening for general aviation under "prior permission only" operations, coordinating with FBOs and ATC to overcome challenges like flooded airfield lighting and limited ramp space, achieving full operational status within days of the storm.
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Darren Large, manager of facilities and projects at Morristown Municipal Airport, was on hand at the popular GA airport as hurricane Irene swiped through the Northeast this past weekend. Here’s his first-hand account of how MMU weathered the storm.

On Friday/Saturday leading up to the storm, all tenants were notified of potential wind/flooding hazards on the airport. Pilots in our west tie down were told to secure aircraft with sturdy rope or double rope existing ties. Airport Operations personnel checked all aircraft stored outside on Saturday to insure proper tie downs. The facilities department cleaned out all drains leading up to the storm and prepared barricades and trucks for a response immediately following the storm. While most Port Authority airports closed at 12:00pm on Saturday, MMU stayed open to assist aircraft coming into NYC and allow for the evacuation of smaller based aircraft.

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