CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Clearwater Airpark could soon be getting a rotating beacon, a safety feature that a local pilot says he’s been pushing for over the last decade.

The City of Clearwater received an FDOT grant for $110,000 to hire a contractor and complete the design and construction of a rotating beacon.

Before the process can begin, the grant funds must be approved by city council during a vote that is expected to take place Thursday night.

What You Need To Know

  •  $110,000 FDOT grant will likely pay for rotating beacon at Clearwater Airpark

  •  Local pilot says the airpark is an uncontrolled airspace with pilot controlled lighting

  •  Rotating beacons are common in many airports 

  • If approved by city council Thursday, contractor will be selected and design work begin

The move comes one year after a pilot, Jemin Patel, was attempting to land at the Clearwater Airpark before he crashed into a nearby mobile home park killing himself and two people on the ground. Early crash reports and radio transmissions show that he couldn’t see the airport and was trying to loop around and make it to another airport, but the plane engine failed.

Pilot Bruce Brock has been renting a hangar at the Clearwater Airpark for the last 15 years. Now retired, he spent his career working in aviation as an Air Force pilot and then a pilot at a major commercial airliner. He says the Clearwater Airpark is an uncontrolled airfield and also has pilot-control lighting.

Brock says at night the runway lights are off until activated by the approaching pilot so looking for the airport at a distance is almost like looking for a dark spot on the ground.

“In visual conditions it’s easy to find the airport, but at night it gets considerably harder,” he explained.

Brock spend roughly 11 years on the city’s airport advisory board. He says at that time, he pushed for the airpark to get a rotating beacon because it would add another safety mechanism, one he says that most airports across the country have.

“That rotating beacon really helps in the last 5 to 6 miles to go… ‘oh there it is!’” he said.

Brock says that landing at an airport like the Clearwater Airpark at night without previous experience and local knowledge is something that he wouldn’t choose to do.

“I would not want to come to an airport like this at night with no experience here,” he said. It’s just beyond my comfort level.”

He’s happy to hear that FDOT stepped in with the grant money needed to fund the building process. A step in the right direction he says is better late than never.

“It will increase the safety margin and that’s well worth the money being spent on it,” Brock said.

The project is still pending formal approval from the Clearwater City Council.