en.Wedoany.com Reported - Danbury Municipal Airport in Connecticut has secured a $4.2 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to repair its auxiliary runway, averting the risk of decommissioning or even closure, thanks to a decades-old record.

While reviewing archived airport records, officials discovered that the runway was designated as a noise abatement runway in the 1990s, rather than simply a crosswind runway. This classification made the project eligible for funding under the Airport Improvement Program after previous grant requests were denied.

Airport Manager Mike Safranek told the Stamford Advocate that he found the document while reviewing archived records. After documenting the runway's historical designation, the FAA approved the grant for the repair project, which has been accepted by the Danbury City Council.

Airport officials noted that without this grant, the city would struggle to fund the approximately $4 million repair project. The aging runway had deteriorated to the point where its closure was being considered.

While not the airport's primary landing surface, the runway provides an alternative option when crosswinds make the main runway unfavorable for operations. Preserving this capability was a key driver in seeking federal assistance.

According to the Stamford Advocate, Danbury Municipal Airport is one of Connecticut's busiest general aviation airports, handling approximately 70,000 operations annually and housing about 220 based aircraft. The airport supports flight schools, charter operators, maintenance businesses, and aircraft storage facilities.

Repair work on the runway is expected to begin in the coming months.