The Federal Aviation Administration will be testing new Instrument Landing System (ILS) equipment this month at King County International Airport/Boeing Field, and the work will temporarily affect runway activity.

From Monday, Oct. 16 to Friday, Oct. 20, the FAA will test the Airport’s new glideslope tower and antennas for the ILS 14R (southbound) approach. Pilots and Airport users should be aware that during the work:

The glideslope component of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) on the 14R approach will be temporarily out of service and unusable.

The 14L/32R utility runway will be closed for:

Landings on both Runway 14L and 32R

Takeoffs from 32R runway

There will be a crane east of the 14R/32L runway, approximately 500 feet northwest of the A2 intersection.

Delays are possible for inbound arrivals.

Runway 14R/32L will remain open throughout the work. Additionally, the ILS for the runway 32L approach will remain in service and fully operational.

For non-aviators, a glideslope provides the vertical component of an airport’s instrument landing system, which gives pilots a path to the touchdown point on a runway. Essentially, instrument landing systems allow pilots to land aircraft in poor weather conditions.

The work is weather dependent, so the schedule may be changed or postponed. If you have questions, please contact Airport Operations at 206-296-7334.