Vernon Regional Airport (photo courtesy of the City of Vernon)

By Liam Verster

Runway, Taxiway Lighting

UPDATE: LED lighting to be installed for Vernon Airport runway

Nov 24, 2023 | 2:35 PM

The Vernon Regional Airport will be more visible from the air.

Vernon City Council unanimously agreed to replace the 134 incandescent bulbs along the airport’s runway and taxiway with LED fixtures at the regular meeting Monday, Nov. 27.

The replacement will cost approximately $100,000, which will be funded through the savings from a previous project at the airport this year.

It’s expected the LED will result in $5,500 in savings annually.

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The landing strip at the Vernon Regional Airport may be better lit for incoming and outgoing aircraft in the near future.

Vernon City Council will receive a request at the regular meeting Monday, Nov. 27, to convert the airfield lighting to LED technology.

The request noted the lighting was originally installed in 1998, and since then consistent maintenance and improvements have been undertaken to ensure planes and helicopters can take off and land safely during hours of low light and darkness.

Over the past decade many lighting components of the airport, including the three hazard beacons, the two windsocks and the eight apron floodlights, have been upgraded to LEDs as they are lower cost and lower maintenance.

However, the runway and taxiway lights, which is the largest airfield lighting system consisting of approximately 134 fixtures, still uses incandescent and halogen bulbs. These bulbs must be replaced at least annually, which costs about $3,500.

The report recommends replacing those fixtures with LEDs.

It also recommends upgrading the aircraft radio-controlled aerodrome lighting system used by pilots to remotely turn the airfield lights on when approaching or departing the airport, as the existing system is 25 years old.

The report stated it would cost approximately $100,000 to make these changes, which could be funded through the $307,000 in savings from the Apron Rehabilitation and Expansion project undertaken in May. It was also noted that changing the lighting would result in approximately $5,500 in savings each year in terms of electricity and maintenance.

Council will receive the report and the recommendation to go ahead with replacing the lights for discussion at Monday’s meeting.