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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis wants to know Army plans for extending the runway at Pope Field at Fort Bragg.
The Fayetteville Observer reports (http://bit.ly/1NZOPOu ) local officials have been pushing for the runway extension for a decade. Tillis filed legislation Thursday requiring the secretary of the Army to report to the Senate on its plans.
The 7,500-foot runway at Pope is too short for loaded C-17 or C-5 cargo aircraft to safely take off. A C-17 requires a 10,500-foot runway while a C-5 needs 11,500 feet.
Tillis said the Air Force had once made extending the runway a priority. But he says the Army did not give it the same priority when Pope was absorbed by Fort Bragg in the last round of base realignments.
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Information from: The Fayetteville Observer, http://www.fayobserver.com
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