Watertown Airport’s new approach lighting system is certified

HOUNSFIELD — A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight-inspection team from Atlantic City, New Jersey on Feb. 21 certified the approach-lighting system at the Watertown International Airport. The new navigation aid is designed to help pilots who are landing aircraft in “poor visibility conditions,” said officials from the airport, which is located in the town of Hounsfield in Jefferson County. The flight-inspection team performed both a daytime and a nighttime inspection at different approach paths and angles of the new navigation aid to the airport’s runway 28. The airport will operate and maintain the system, known as a MALSR, or a medium-intensity approach lighting system with runway-alignment indicators. The system is one of a small number of “brand-new” approach-lighting systems that airports nationwide are installing. The new instrument-approach procedure — that pilots will use to approach a landing at the airport — is published and available to pilots for immediate use. “The project has been a lengthy planning, programming, and certification process, and we are thankful for our federal partners for assisting us in getting this project completed,” Grant Sussey, director of aviation at the Watertown International Airport, said in a news release. “A special thank you to the FAA New York Airports District Office and the FAA Tech Ops team in Syracuse for providing the guidance for this system and continued support in keeping the existing Runway 7 Approach Lighting System in service.” “This project is an important one for our airport and I am glad to see it lighted up and this will go a long way in improving safety and access to our airport,” William Johnson, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Legislators said. “Special thank you to our Congressional team in the support of the funding for this navigation aid — without their support we would not be able to do this project.”