Winter Haven Regional Airport Master Plan

What is an airport master plan?

The airport master plan is a comprehensive study of the physical and operational conditions of the airport, identifying future development needs to meet the forecasted demand for facilities and the airport's vision for the next five, ten, and twenty-year planning horizons. Once completed, the airport master plan and associated airport layout plan (ALP) serve as a policy document to guide the phased development of airport facilities based upon actual demand and are required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the airport to maintain eligibility for federal funding assistance.
 

Why is Winter Haven Regional Airport preparing an airport master plan?

The Winter Haven Regional Airport, Gilbert Field (GIF), initiated an airport master plan in 2014 that was completed in 2016. The city of Winter Haven desires to revisit the proposed runway improvements included in that plan for practicality. Also, much of the taxiway development in the 2016 plan has been completed. This airport master plan will reevaluate land uses on the airport to best accommodate all aviation uses, including the growing corporate and general aviation businesses and users. It will also consider redevelopment options along US 92, including non-aeronautical development to maximize and diversify GIF’s revenue streams.
 

What is included in the airport master plan study?

The GIF master plan includes the following study elements:

 

• inventory of existing conditions – including facilities, current airport users and their needs, aircraft operations, on-airport land uses, and land uses surrounding the airport.

• aerial mapping – new geospatial airport and aeronautical data will be collected to meet FAA requirements for general aviation airports to have Airports Geographic Information System (AGIS) compliant mapping.

• aviation Activity forecasts – development of 5, 10 and 20-year planning period forecasts for aircraft operations, based aircraft, peak levels of activity, and critical aircraft. (which area defined as the most demanding aircraft with more than 500 annual operations.)

• facility requirements – assess existing GIF facilities to ensure compliance with FAA standards and to identify airport infrastructure and service level improvements needed to meet the 20-year aviation activity forecasts.

• environmental considerations – environmental analyses to assist in selecting preferred alternatives for needed development while striving to minimize potential environmental impacts.

• identification and evaluation of development alternatives – identification and evaluation of a feasible range of development alternatives meeting FAA design standards and other applicable requirements for the airport facilities needed to meet the 20-year aviation activity forecasts.

• facilities implementation plan – development of a practical and economically viable plan for the development of recommended facilities while maximizing the utility of existing facilities.

• airport layout plan – in accordance with FAA guidelines, preparation of a set of drawings depicting existing conditions and the recommended development for GIF over the 20-year planning period.

• stakeholder and public involvement – to ensure community involvement and input in the airport master planning process, a series of presentations to the Airport Advisory Committee and public meetings will be held during the study to provide information on the findings to date.
   

Is Jack Browns Seaplane Base on GIF?

Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base, with a landing area on Lake Jessie, is a separate FAA-recognized aeronautical facility identified as F57. Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base leases some property for its parking lot from GIF. Additionally, due to the proximity of the seaplane base to GIF, the airport and seaplane base collaborate on safety procedures. The seaplane base generates additional operations for GIF, because some pilots of conventional wheeled aircraft fly into GIF to obtain their seaplane training.

What is a digital tower?

A digital tower is an alternative to a traditional air traffic control tower, using a network of cameras, sensors, and communication systems to provide controllers with a live, 360-degree view of the airport environment. Instead of being physically located in a tower at the airport, air traffic controllers monitor air and ground operations remotely through high-resolution video displays and sensor data. Digital towers offer the safety benefits of professional air traffic control services without the expense of infrastructure required for traditional control tower operations.

 

How will the digital tower at Winter Haven Regional Airport work?

At Winter Haven Regional Airport, the digital tower will utilize high-definition cameras and advanced monitoring systems positioned on top of the existing air traffic control tower to capture real-time views of runways, taxiways, and airspace. These live feeds will be transmitted to a landside facility located at Bartow Executive Airport, in Bartow, Florisa, where FAA-certified air traffic controllers will oversee aircraft operations, weather conditions, and ground movements.
 

Will noise contours be prepared as part of the airport master plan?

No new noise contours are being prepared as part of the airport master plan update. The most recent noise contours for GIF were prepared in 2018 and are available on the airport’s website https://www.mywinterhaven.com/288/Administrative-Documents.
 

What is the schedule for the airport master plan?

The airport master plan update, which started at the end of September 2025, is expected to require approximately 24 months to complete. It requires mandatory federal, state, and local reviews, and the timing of completion of these reviews could impact the overall schedule.
 

Who is paying for this study?

The GIF airport master plan is federally funded at 95% by an FAA Airport Improvement Program grant. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is providing 2.5% of the project cost, with the city of Winter Haven contributing the remaining 2.5%.
 

Will stormwater be considered in the airport master plan?

Stormwater will be considered in evaluating proposed airport development alternatives and in planning for stormwater facilities needed to accommodate the proposed development recommended in the airport master plan.
 

What is the FAA’s role in the airport master plan?

The FAA has established standards for airport planning for the effective use of airport resources in satisfying aviation demand in a financially feasible manner, while considering the environment. For the GIF airport master plan:

• FAA will review and concur with the aviation activity forecasts for the 20-year planning period and the identification of the critical aircraft for each runway.

 

• FAA will review and approve the ALP drawing set for compliance with FAA design standards and airspace compatibility in accordance with AC 150/5070-6B, Airport Master Plans.

 

Additionally, the FAA reviews the airport master plan to make sure that realistic planning methodologies are applied and will also serve in an advisory role during the study, providing comments on the draft documents prepared during the process. The FAA considers the airport master plan a local policy document and, therefore, only accepts the completed airport master plan report. FAA acceptance of the airport master plan does not constitute a commitment to participate in any development, nor does it indicate environmental acceptance.
 

What is FDOT’s role in the airport master plan?

Florida state statutes require FDOT to advise and coordinate with local airports in planning a statewide system of airports that promotes the development and improvement of air routes, airport facilities and stimulates the development of aviation commerce. To implement this requirement, FDOT will review the GIF airport master plan study working papers, final reports, and ALP drawings for compliance with requirements outlined in its Guidebook for Airport Master Planning.
 

Who is preparing the airport master plan?

Through an FAA-compliant, qualifications-based consultant selection process, the city of Winter Haven selected Hanson Professional Services Inc. (Hanson) to lead the airport master plan study. Hanson will be assisted by team members Environmental Science Associates (ESA), River Street Group, NV5 Geospatial, and Hyatt Surveying.

 

How is public input to the airport master plan obtained?

Public input for the airport master plan study will be collected via a comment form on the project website www.winterhaven-mp.com and in person during presentations at the Winter Haven Airport Advisory Committee meeting. A public information workshop will also be held at the alternatives analysis phase of the project. The project website will be continually updated throughout the study's duration and will include the date, location, and time of the public information workshop once scheduled, study working documents, meeting summaries, and presentation materials summarizing key information from the working papers, and FAQs.
 

Will development at the airport occur during the airport master plan?

There is currently planned and approved development that will proceed while the airport master plan is being prepared. Any new development identified through this airport master plan effort will require additional study before it can be implemented.
 

When will improvements recommended by the airport master plan be implemented?

The airport master plan will identify short-, intermediate- and long-term development projects based on forecasted activity levels over a 20-year period. Prior to implementing any recommended development, there must be demonstrated demand for the project, an environmental review document must be completed, and funding for the project must be identified and available.
 

How can I learn more about the airport master plan?

The project website www.winterhaven-mp.com and linked from the Winter Haven Regional Airport website will contain the most current airport master plan study information.
 

How can I comment on the airport master plan?

Comments on the GIF airport master plan can be submitted via the comment form on the project website at www.winterhaven-mp.com or in person at the scheduled public information workshop.