70 mln euros for new airport facilities and longer runway - The goal of transforming the small airport in Ampugnano (Siena) into a national and international airport capable of receiving incoming Boeing 737s, used mostly by national air carriers, could take from eight to ten years to achieve with a 70-million-euro investment that will extend runways and improve airport facilities and services.
The company Aeroporto di Siena Spa has illustrated a future plan of action, which would include the initial development of the airport infrastructure, specifying that "it would all be done with the least impact on the environment," and the extension of the runway, now only 1.393 metres long, to 2.200 metres.
This first "step" in the expansion project will take from eight to ten years to complete in Ampugnano.
However, the Aeroporti di Siena Spa stressed that "in the next few months, we will single out the necessary actions to be made to obtain the required certification for the new facilities and runway, which will be able to accept incoming planes as large as the Atr 42, Atr 72, Bae 146, Do 328 and the Saab 340."
Currently 30 metres wide and with two 10-metre wide lanes, the runway is used for both plane landings and take offs. It is equipped with a lighting system, which can also be used in the evening upon notice, for the transport of human organs and other emergency medical supplies.
