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Philadelphia International Airport is an airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania. The airport is the primary international hub of US Airways and has service to destinations in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. It is the airlines' second largest hub. Most of the airport property is located in Philadelphia proper. The international terminal and the western end of the airfield are located in Tinicum Township, Delaware County.
Starting in 1925, the Pennsylvania National Guard used the PHL site (historically known as Hog Island) as a training field for its airplane pilots. The site was dedicated as the "Philadelphia Municipal Airport" by Charles Lindbergh in 1927. However, there was no proper terminal building until 1940, so airlines used an airfield in nearby Camden, New Jersey. Once the terminal was completed, four airlines (American, Eastern, TWA, and United) began flights to the airport. The oldest parts of the current terminal complex (B and C) were built in the late 50's.
Philadelphia Airport Runway expansion
As of 2005, there are two studies which deal with expanding runway capacity at PHL airport. The first is the Runway 17-35 Extension Project EIS which has completed the Final Environmental Impact Statement and broken ground. The plan is to extend runway 17-35 to length of 6,500 ft (2,000 m), extending it at both ends and incorporating the proper runway safety areas. The second study, the PHL Capacity Enhancement Program has a much larger scope and is considering more drastic ways to increase runway capacity at PHL.
Manchester Airport's expansion plans for a second parallel runway involved working closely with PHL air traffic controllers to implement a training program due to similarities in runway configuration in which aircraft must taxi over an active runway. Projected completion March 2009 In an effort to alleviate existing and forecast delays, the City of Philadelphia will complete major improvements to increase airfield capacity at PHL. The Runway 17-35 Extension Project will provide a short-term delay reduction. The major components of the entire project include ;
- Extension of Runway 17-35;
- Extension of parallel Taxiways D and E;
- Construction of a High Speed Taxiway for Runway 35 landings exiting to Taxiway E;
- Construction of an Aircraft Holding Apron at Runway 35 end;
- Relocation of Airside Perimeter Service Roads at Runway 17 and Runway 35 ends;
- Modifications to airfield signs
- Installation of High Intensity Runway Lighting and Medium Intensity Taxiway Lighting (MITL);
- Substantial relocation/modification of navigational aids (NAVAIDS):
- Demolition of existing Taxiways D2 and E2;
- Modifications to existing Economy Parking Lot;
- Re-designation of existing State Route (SR) 291 north of Airport;
- Modifications to Bartram Avenue from the SR 291 intersection to Island Ave.
- Demolition of SR 291 at Runway 17 extension work area;
- Construction of Landside Service Road adjacent to I-95 right-of-way limit;
- Associated drainage, grading and utility relocations/modifications.
