Although George Harlow Field in Marshfield, Massachusetts is one of the smallest general aviation airports in Massachusetts, it is preparing to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Gale’s airport planners and engineers are assisting the airport with a 20-year master plan to enable it to handle the ever-growing small jet traffic.

Business and private air travel has and is continuing to change as a result of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Many businesses and individuals are using smaller, more efficient aircraft that avoids the need to use large hub airports that are bogged down with air traffic and security concerns. Aircraft manufacturers are responding to this need by building a new fleet of “very light jets” or “micro-jets” that are capable of utilizing airports with short runways and able to carry four to six passengers at a cost competitive with large carriers. This concept, called the “Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS),” was developed by NASA in an effort to encourage the use of underutilized small airports.

Gale's master plan responds to these trends and recommends some unique aviation solutions not often seen at general aviation airports in New England. The recommendations include a 936-foot runway extension (from 3,001 to 3,937 feet), new paved runway safety areas that are useable for take-off operations, several new hangar buildings to protect aircraft from Marshfield’s salt air environment, a new AWOS III unit (All Weather Observing System) to provide more accurate and timely information to pilots, and the purchase of some neighboring land for the preservation of clear airspace around the airport.

The master plan includes sections describing existing facilities, a 20-year forecast based on new aircraft expected to enter the fleet over the next 10 years, an evaluation of the airport’s compliance with safety standards and other needs, a review of various development alternatives, and a five year schedule of improvements.

The next step is to take the airport through a complex series of environmental reviews by local, state, and federal regulators. Because the airport is located within an extremely sensitive and complex ecosystem, it is expected that the environmental reviews and subsequent permitting will take two to three years.