Leesburg Airport Dedicates New Instrument Landing System

The Town of Leesburg dedicated a new instrument landing system at Leesburg Executive Airport Monday morning, which will make the airport safer and more commercially marketable.

Town leaders decided the system was necessary after several accidents in 2002, in which airplanes crashed in town. Each of these accidents caused fatalities, according to Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd, who said it was fortunate no one on the ground was hurt.

Nevertheless, leaders sought the aid of Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) who was able to get the Federal Aviation Administration to fund the system.

“Without him, it wouldn’t have happened,” Umstattd said.

The system provides guidance to incoming aircraft, telling pilots how far their planes are to the left or right of the center of the runway, and guides them down a predetermined path about three degrees above ground level at the runway, according to the dedication program.

Umstattd said this was an inexpensive system, which will serve older aircraft, but also make the airport more attractive to small corporate jets and business aircraft.