Superior Construction to Expand Apron, Taxiway to Accommodate Military Aircraft at Cecil Airport

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (September 12, 2024) — Superior Construction, an American family-owned infrastructure contractor, is partnering with Boeing and general contractor Haskell Construction to expand an apron and connecting taxiway at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida.

Superior crews began paving the more than 12,000-square-yard area in mid-July — first, with a cost-effective base material recommended for use with heavy loads such as large aircraft, then with concrete. Superior’s portion of the project is estimated to cost $5.1 million.

Boeing owns the site and sought the expansion because of its increasing need for space to maintain and service large KC-46 Pegasus aircraft. The Pegasus is a military aerial refueling and strategic military transport plane Boeing developed in the mid-2010s from its 767 jet airliner. More than half of Cecil Airport’s aircraft operations are military.

“Boeing has been interested in expanding its East Coast presence, and we’re excited to help them do that,” said Gregory Brown, Division Manager, Concrete Paving, at Superior Construction. “These KC-46 Pegasus planes are an important part of the Air Force’s refueling fleet. This project will create the necessary space to maintain and prepare them for military service.”

Key to Superior’s ability to complete the work efficiently is its nearby concrete batch plant, which allows the company to manufacture its own concrete and bring it in larger quantities to the site.

“That is a unique advantage we have in the region,” said Brown. “If we were working with an outside vendor, it might take us twice as long to complete a paving project like this.”

The apron and taxiway paving is expected to be complete by mid-November.