After being awarded $2 million in federal grant money, a major safety upgrade is landing at Falcon Field.
For the first time in more than 30 years, the airport's runway and taxiway lighting system will be completely replaced with LEDs -- brighter and more energy efficient to help guide pilots at night.
"If you're going to operate an airport like we do -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week -- you definitely need to have the airfield lighting," said director Corinne Nystrom.
Around 273,000 aircraft take off and land at Falcon Field each year, making it the fifth busiest airport of its kind in the country, Nystrom said.
The federal money will also be used to perform a master plan update of the facility which will help guide future capital improvement projects.
Nearly a hundred businesses are based out of the Mesa airport, which serves the military, firefighters, police, paramedics along with professional and amateur pilots.
A new hangar, capable of accommodating jets, is being built along with renovations to World War II-era buildings and a new, shaded plane washing facility.
