Looks like the FAA Grant Fairy passed through town recently. CLT has been awarded $562,500 to design an extension of Taxiway ‘D’, the taxiway to the east of Runway 18L/36R. Taxiway ‘D’ serves the N.C. Air National Guard, the FBO, and the private planes based on the field.

Currently, the taxiway is only about half the length of the adjoining 8,676-foot runway. Planes that need the runway’s full length must cross the heavily-used runway to get on Taxiway ‘C’, which goes to both ends of the runway. Aircraft needing the runway’s full length include certain corporate jets and ANG C-130s performing formation takeoffs.

So obviously extending Taxiway ‘D’ is a significant need.

It’s also something that’s been talked about for at least the past, oh, 18 years. The extension was recommended in 1991 and 1995 capacity enhancement studies and included in the airport’s master plan, which dates back to 1997.


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