Plan Revealed for Eldoret Airport Runway Extension

The runway at the Eldoret International Airport is set to be extended by 500 metres to allow big-bodied aircraft to lift heavy cargo from the airfield, a senior government official has said.

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen told Parliament that the current 3.5km long and 45 metres wide runway was too short to handle aircraft with heavy loads of cargo – which calls for expansion of the facility.

“To optimise take-off operations at maximum take-off weight by the aircraft, the [Kenya Airports Authority] KAA intends to undertake the expansion,” Mr Murkomen told the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Infrastructure.

Mr Murkomen said the project, whose cost is yet to be determined, will require 15 hectares for runway extension and 19.74 hectares for development of hanger facilities.

“The challenge we are having as the government is getting land bordering the airport to allow the exportation of farm produce from the airport directly as opposed to transporting it by road so that it can be picked at JKIA,” he said.

Large cargo flights

The CS noted that while it is easy for wide-bodied aircraft to land, take-off has been a challenge for large cargo flights.

Eldoret International Airport, which was opened 24 years ago, currently handles Emirates and Ethiopian Airlines, both operating wide-bodied cargo aircraft (B777) from the Middle East.

The extended runway is expected to handle even bigger aircraft – B747F.

READ: Why Uhuru Killed Sh56bn Greenfield Terminal Project

According to Mr Murkomen, the apron will also be upgraded to meet the airport’s future demand for cargo handling.

“The apron will be extended by an additional 12,800 square metres to meet the future demand arising from cargo business growth,” the CS said.

Airfield ground lighting

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), which manages all airports in the country, is expected to rehabilitate the airfield ground lighting (AGL) at the Eldoret International Airport and relocate the Instrument Landing System (ILS) localizer.  

ILS is a precision runway approach aid utilising two radio beams to give pilots vertical and horizontal guidance during landing.

KAA will also be expected to provide taxiway and runway shoulders for safety and expansion of the apron area to accommodate more aircraft.

The plan comes shortly after Mr Murkomen said the government was keen to reopen talks with ACEG-CATIC JV, the Chinese firm that had been hired to build a new terminal at the JKIA in Nairobi, to revive the botched project.

RELATED: Plans Underway to Revive Sh56bn JKIA Terminal Project

The Greenfield Terminal tender was reportedly cancelled due to Kenya’s failure to raise 15% of the project cost, which would have unlocked the remaining 85% budget that was to be provided by a consortium of local and foreign banks.

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