PARK RAPIDS, MINN. – Park Rapids Municipal Airport – Konshok Field has replaced its turf crosswind runway (Runway 36-18) with a new 75 X 3,500 ft paved and lighted runway, positioning the airport for future growth with improved year-round operations.
“The new crosswind runway is all about safety,” said David Konshok, 88, Park Rapids Airport Commission Chairman, longtime pilot and namesake of the airfield. “Aircraft are becoming more and more sophisticated, they are lighter and faster, and they respond better and are able to land more safely on a hard surface.”
The multi-year improvement project also included a new partial parallel taxiway. New runway and taxiway edge lighting and navigation aids, including Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPI) and Runway End Identifier Lights (REIL) were added to allow operations 24 hours a day.
The airfield has logged increasing numbers of business pilots, flying very sophisticated private jets. In addition, the area is a popular vacation destination and attracts private pilots.
Park Rapids is home to two large aviation repair and service providers, Park Rapids Aviation and Park Rapids Avionics, which has increased traffic at the airport.
TKDA, the St. Paul-based engineering, architectural and planning firm, worked closely with Park Rapids city staff and its airport commission on the airport improvements.
As operations increase and funding becomes available, plans are to extend the runway to 4,100 feet.
