FAA weighing seventh runway at DIA

By Jeffrey Leib
Denver Post Staff Writer


Denver International Airport's sixth runway has been open only since September, and already federal officials are studying whether the airport should get a seventh.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer announced the runway study at a briefing Wednesday. Another runway could make DIA a magnet for air-traffic growth in the nation.

These are 12,000' x 150' grooved concrete rwys.

A very impressive airport.

That's what happens when a hometown boy gets to be Secretary of Transortation about the time the original project comes up for Federal planning and funding.

Could a pending national election have any relationship this news? Naaah.

Elections? Ahhh, no its needed.


The place is in dire need of another east-west runway. Common to have to land in 20 to 30 Kt crosswinds from the west while landing on the north-south runways(34L/R, 35L/R) The article didn't mention what axis it would be built on, but with 4 of 'em pointing north already I hope its another east/west to complement the existing two.

arcniz, are you referring to Pena? Isn't he a democrat, so I don't see how the current Republican administration would rush this through for political gain. I presume the locals have forgotten about the big stink the airport created when it was first built - faulty baggage systems, $40 handling charges etc? To make an omlette this size, and this grand, I guess you'd have to break just a few eggs.

It is certainly a very impressive place though.

Actually the newest runway at KDEN (16R/34L) is 16,000 ft long. I believe its the longest commercial runway in Nth America...

Yes you are correct, 16,000'.
For a heavy with the hi DA (Dens. Alt.), it is reqd.

The shuttle rwy at KSC is another good one, I think over 21,000', without checking.

And not forgetting Moses Lake in WA state at 13,503' x 300'.
Not many 300' wide ones around. Some Boeing customers flt. train here as well as the manufacturer.

The master plan calls for 12 runways and 300 gates at the 34,000 acre complex at full build-out. The airport then would be scaled for 100 million annual passengers.

apologies for being a bit dumb here - but I struggle to see how a 7th runway would boost flights to Denver - isn't 6 enough??

It was always my opinion that the potential of the destination itself is what airlines used to decide if they should operate there. I have never heard of an airline starting a new route, just because it has a good airport with 7 runways....

unless of course it is being used as a hub which UA already do so why woudl that benefit them either???

DEN is hardly full as it stands.

Why don't they wait until the demand rises enough to look at these new runways, and then decide what step to take.

I mean, just think if the unthinkable, but not out of this world, happened and UA went under! What would happen to all the flights at DEN then???? Do they assume someone woudl automatically replace them as it being their hub - but if everyone is happy with where they are now why woudl they change???

This may be me being a bit ignorant but if Heathrow can take 70 million passengers a year by carefully managing two runways then don't the ATC at Denver have it easy negotiating their traffic through 6 runways???

Unmanned,

There seems to be some sort of myth about the runway at KSC. It's only (only :oh: ) 15000 feet. The shuttle uses one of the airports at Madrid as a launch abort alternate too.

>>This may be me being a bit ignorant but if Heathrow can take 70 million passengers a year by carefully managing two runways then don't the ATC at Denver have it easy negotiating their traffic through 6 runways???<<

Currently 60 million annual pax thru LHR, buddy.
Ya, but look at the stack-ups/delays/burnt fuel prior to entering the chute into LHR.
Very costly for airlines my friend.
DEN flow is good.
Can you imagine if LHR had 6 rwys!!