News

Jun 11, 2023

Electric planes, new terminal included in Tampa International Airport’s updated Master Plan

Jordan Bowen reports TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa International Airport held a public meeting Tuesday evening to unveil it's updated 20-year Master plan. The FAA requires airports to provide an update every

Jordan Bowen reports

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa International Airport held a public meeting Tuesday evening to unveil it's updated 20-year Master plan.

The FAA requires airports to provide an update every few years on their Master Plan and what they're doing to meet the needs of passengers. And as the Tampa Bay area continues to grow, TPA is doing what they need to keep up.

"It's very important that we're flexible and ready so everything that we do in leadership at this airport is to make sure we set ourselves up for success, whether that terms into transit, one, how transit could come to the future, into our community. Our airport is set up for that," TPA Vice President of Planning and Development Jeff Siddle said.

READ: TPA: Guns still illegal at airports despite Florida's new 'permitless carry' law

Like electric cars, electric planes are another emerging technology TPA is keeping its radar on. The first electric plane to carry passengers completed its maiden voyage in September 2022 in Washington state.

TPA is incorporating Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in its Master Plan, which was presented to the public at Tuesday night's meeting.

"When these electric aircraft want to operate here at the airport, we've got the ability to accommodate them," Siddle said. "That was really part of the update to make certain that when the region brings that are when developers come in and the FAA has approved the use of electric aircraft, that we're able to take them here at Tampa International."

AAM is meant to be used for regional travel for instance it could mean a quick trip from TPA to Downtown St. Pete or Sarasota. Also included in the Master Plan update is the latest on TPA's new terminal D, which will mean 16 new gates for domestic and international travel.

MORE: Black bear believed to be spotted across Hillsborough County captured at Tampa International Airport

"We're in the process of beginning the launch of the design phase of that," Siddle said. "We expect construction to start later in '24 and be complete in early 2028 so that will really take the airport into the next level."

TPA's Master Plan is an outlook on how they plan to spend the next 20 years meeting passengers' growing needs incorporating new and emerging technology into the airport and maintaining long-term financial stability.

"Anything we do in our planning is all about customer convenience and how fast we get the traveler from drop off point to the gate or vice versa," Siddle said.

As for the electric planes, there's no timeline on when TPA could start using them, but it really is up to the FAA. They've previously said we could see electric planes in the sky by 2024 or 2025.

Just for reference, right now TPA sees about 21 million passengers per year. By 2042, they say they will be prepared to handle almost double that about 39 million passengers.

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