school system through Tailwinds Academy of Aviation, a nonprofit that works directly with high school students. “They mostly work with the high schools in Philadelphia, the public schools where they can take these kids and by the time they graduate high school, they can have a private pilot license,” Brewer notes. Funding challenges limit program expansion, but the initiative demonstrates aviation industry efforts to diversify career pathways beyond traditional college routes. FUTURE RUNWAY PROJECTS AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL Major airfield improvements will reshape Northeast Philadelphia Airport’s operational capacity over the next several years, beginning with a comprehensive runway rehabilitation project that balances construction needs with operational demands. The phased approach shows the careful planning required for airports that cannot afford extended closures. Next year we’ll also start a project rehabilitating runway 15-33.That’ll be a three-year project,” Brewer explains. “Right now, that runway is 150 feet wide. When we did runway 6-24, it was 150 feet wide. We narrowed it to 100 feet and had 20-foot shoulders. Runway 15-33 as the secondary runway, when that’s done, it’ll be 75 feet wide with 20-foot shoulders.” James D. Morrissey will handle the runway project, maintaining contractor continuity across multiple airport improvement initiatives that span several years of coordinated development. Seasonal construction schedules accommodate yearround aviation activity. “The construction season runs from about April through October. We’ll have it closed, and then we’ll open it from October through flytailwinds.com 215-677-1240 Northeast Phila Airport (KPNE) 9800 Ashton Road - Box 8 Philadelphia, PA 19114 The Tailwinds Academy of Aviation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. For more information, contact Howard Cooper, Executive Director Philadelphia's only non-profit flight school offers top-tier flight training with a focus on safety, mentorship and accessibility - through both full scholarship and tuition based programs. Donate today—change lives! PROVIDING AVIATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL 75 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 05, ISSUE 02 NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA AIRPORT
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