Airport 2040 is a major programme of essential maintenance and improvements planned for Guernsey Airport; the largest development at the airfield in its 72- year history and one of the biggest, most complex capital projects ever undertaken in Guernsey. This project will equip the airport to serve the island for the next 30 years. Construction work (expected to begin in early 2012) will take around 18 months to complete. This includes the reconstruction of the runway and other hard surfaces, the replacement or refurbishment of the drainage system, airfield lighting and other key operational systems, and the creation of longer safety areas at either end of the runway. To add to the complexity, the majority of this work will be undertaken while the airport remains operational as normal. 

Gerry Prickett, Director of Civil Engineering and Project Manager for TPS Consult, has been overseeing all aspects of the Airport 2040 contract on behalf on The States of Guernsey and leading the team of airfield specialists involved. As a chartered engineer with more than 35 years’ of experience, Gerry Prickett brings with him a wealth of knowledge from similar airfield projects, including: project managing the £45 million runway upgrade in the Isle of Man; overseeing developments at Heathrow Terminal 5, Gatwick, Stansted, and Glasgow Prestwick; and managing airport construction projects in Ghana and Madrid. In his lecture, Gerry will draw on this extensive experience to outline some of the major aspects of aviation infrastructure projects.