Chandler Airport needs $100 million upgrade, say consultants

Chandler Municipal Airport, a general aviation airport southeast of Phoenix, Arizona, needs $106 million in upgrades over the next 20 years, according to consultants from airport specialist Coffman Associates.

Coffman Associates provided an update to the airport’s master plan, which is currently in the process of being completed by the Kansas City and Scottsdale-based airport planning consultancy.

The firm identified 45 construction projects that should be completed in the next two decades, including fixing taxiways, improving lighting, and repaving runways.

Coffman expects the number of planes and helicopters based at the airport to rise by 200 over the next 20 years, and for annual flight operations to increase by 54,000.

The airport is owned by the City of Chandler, a suburb southeast of Phoenix. The airport is a major regional center for non-commercial flights – including charter flights, helicopter sightseeing, private travel, and pilot training. Chandler Airport currently has more than 200,000 operations annually, with two asphalt runways and one concrete helipad.

The airport generates up to $32 million in annual revenue and employs more than 160 people.

The costliest project in the consulting firm’s master plan is a $9-million repaving and extension of one of the runways. Eric Pfeiffer, a consultant at Coffman, told SanTan Sun News that the 680-foot extension was necessary to alleviate growing congestion.

The consultancy also recommended the construction of an $8-million new terminal building, which would consolidate business activities and airport offices in one facility.

The FAA would potentially cover most of the runway project costs, but the city would have to turn to a public-private partnership for the new terminal building. Private developers could potentially cover up to $42 million of the $106 million tab, according to the Coffman report.

As for the timeline, more than half of the upgrades should be started before 2030, while 12 of the projects – worth $22 million – should be completed by 2025.

Coffman Associates has completed more than 1,200 airport planning assignments since its founding in 1979, including approximately 600 master plans, 250 environmental studies, and 150 noise and land use studies. The company has more than 25 employees, according to LinkedIn.