Aviation Research

Wingtips

Gateway to Development Winston Field Airport Accommodates Economic Boom in Snyder

By Chris Sasser
Texas A&M Transportation Institute

group photo of Winston Field development leaders

Snyder’s economic development team (L-R): Rodger Sullenger, Scurry County Airport Manager; Bill Lavers, Executive Director of The Development Corporation of Snyder; Daniel Schlegel Jr., Director Scurry County Museum; John Rogotzke, General Aviation Enthusiast; Terry Martin, Mayor of Snyder; Ricky Fritz, Scurry County Judge; Dennis Westmoreland, DCOS Board Member.

National leaders in oil and wind energy development, thriving construction, new businesses, population growth—this may sound like the description of a historic Texas boom town such as Houston or Midland/Odessa, but it actually describes Snyder, a town located an hour and a half south of Lubbock.

For the past year, Snyder has enjoyed an unprecedented economic resurgence thanks in part to the upturn in the energy market and the tireless efforts of an economic development team lead by Bill Lavers, the executive director of the Development Corporation of Snyder. Lavers is also a big proponent of Snyder’s Winston Field Airport (KSNK) and recognizes the value of having a top-notch general aviation airport to serve the town.

“The business done at the airport is very important for economic development,” says Lavers. “It’s a great tool for us to have this facility in our community.”

Recently, the economic leaders of the community flew out of the Winston Field Airport to visit a plastics plant in Bowie. The results of the visit yielded a new $15 million plastics plant in Snyder. The plant makes pipe for the oil field, and is the company’s sixth location in North America.

“We were the only city that took the time to go do that,” says Lavers. “The only reason we could is because we had the ability to get across the state and back in the morning because of the airport. We also had another business prospect in and with (local pilot and aviation enthusiast) John Rogotzke’s help, were able to do aerial surveys of potential business locations, which was impressive to them. This business could potentially bring in another $25 million facility to this area.”

All this business development needs hangar space, and Lavers recently visited with Texas Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division on available grant options for future development.

“Bill struck me right away as an individual who understood how the airport could be used as a tool to lure potential business to Snyder and is hard at work to bring additional activity to the airport as well,” says TxDOT Airport Planner Daniel Benson. “Bill’s plan for a new proposed county owned hangar was well organized and resonated with us because it will bring outside visitors and local residents to the airport as a result of the new tenant.”

Rodger Sullenger is the longtime airport manager, a respected veteran in the general aviation community. He assures that daily operations run smooth for their clients, whether they are business leaders or military personnel flying Blackhawk helicopters and stopping in for a bite to eat. Sullenger notes that pilots flying cross-country find his airport a good place to fuel up and stretch their legs.

“When someone lands, we are immediately out there to assist them,” says Sullenger. “Whether it’s to gas up their plane or hand them the keys to our courtesy car so they can head into town to eat, we work hard to make sure they have a good experience at our airport. We have a reputation for quick turnaround service at this airport that makes it convenient for business jets.”

Almost 50 percent of the operations at Winston Field Airport are corporate/business activity and aerial inspections. Other operations fall into several categories, including recreational flying and military exercises. The airport’s function as a fueling stop for the U.S. Army is very important to the community. In fact, the chamber of commerce often provides snacks for crew members during the refueling process.

Some of the business jet traffic in the past few years has included businesses such as Walmart, which is currently building a Super Walmart in Snyder, and representatives from the oil industry. Snyder sits on the third highest producing field (cumulative historical total) in North America and receives a $3 billion tax base because of the mineral deposits. “Snyder is more difficult to get to than Lubbock or Abilene, so it means a lot of driving unless you have a good general aviation facility for them to land their corporate aircraft,” notes Snyder Mayor Terry Martin.

Beyond economics, the airport serves the community in other ways, as Rogotzke explains. “A few years ago when we had the grass fires, the fire bombers were based here. They refueled and performed maintenance here. They used our airport as a base for a much larger area. I have friends who would have lost homes if those fire bombers had not been here.”

The airport also has a maintenance depot for the MedEvac facility at the hospital.

“If not for them, I would not be here today, since I had to take an emergency flight a few years back because of a heart condition. I’m lucky. I barely made it.” continues Rogotzke. “We’re very fortunate to have an icon like this airport. We need to keep it, develop it and continue to improve it.”

The airport hosts a fly-in breakfast and air show every other year on the third weekend of June, and is the future site of the third Texas Air Museum, which is scheduled to open the spring of 2013.

For more information on Winston Field Airport in Snyder, please visit: http://www.developsnyder.com/index.php/site_selection/transportation/airport or http://www.airnav.com/airport/KSNK.

At a Glance

FAA INFORMATION EFFECTIVE 26 JULY 2012
FAA Identifier: SNK
Lat/Long: 32-41-36.2000N / 100-57-01.7000W
32-41.603333N / 100-57.028333W
32.6933889 / -100.9504722 (estimated)
Runways:
17/35 – 5,599 ft. x 100 ft.
8/26 – 4,200 ft. x 75 ft.
Elevation: 2430 ft. / 740.7 m (surveyed)
Variation: 08E (1990)
Location: 2 miles SW of Snyder, Texas

2010 Economic Impacts

Economic Activity: $ 3,268,394
Salary, Wages, and Benefits: $ 1,286,783
Employment: 29
Source: https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdotinfo/avn/avninfo/eco-impact/2011/eco_snk.pdf

 

Navasota Municipal Airport Celebrates Improvements

By Rick Davenport
Texas A&M Transportation Institute

B-25 airplane

A B-25 Mitchell Bomber was a popular attraction during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Navasota Municipal Airport improvements.

How do you turn a $100,000 investment into $4.5 million? By all accounts, it’s a great return, but the city of Navasota is not taking its good fortune for granted.

After the east-central Texas town — located between College Station and Houston — committed funds for airport improvements, a landowner donated 18 acres of his property. And when that happened, it represented the 10 percent obligation necessary to trigger grant funding from TxDOT. As a result, the Navasota Municipal Airport (60R) now has a new 5,000-foot runway with a full-length parallel taxiway, runway lighting, beacon light and security fencing complete with keypad entry.

“All of these improvements are nice, but to have a facility that will accommodate corporate jets, it represents a real growth potential for us,” says Airport Manager Gary Johnson. “Now that we have a 5,003-foot runway, we can accommodate a wide variety of users.”

One person who will surely use the airport is the businessman who donated the land for the expansion. He, like many others in and around the airport, wanted his corporate jet to be able to land somewhere closer than Brenham or College Station.

“We really do have quite a few business owners and franchise corporations excited about this,” Joe Fultz, the chairman of the Navasota Airport Advisory Commission, says. “I remember when the runway at the airport was only good for practicing touch-and-go landings. We really have come a long way since then.” He points to the current waiting list of people who want to build hangars at the airport as proof of the continued growth potential.

But Fultz and Johnson realize they still have a way to go. To really compete with surrounding airports, they need a fuel station. But again, money is an obstacle. It will cost nearly $250,000 to build such a facility. To be considered for another grant, they have to prove that enough people will actually buy the available jet fuel.

“One step in determining that is a survey that will go out shortly to area business and property owners,” Johnson says. If enough people indicate they would purchase the fuel if it’s available, chances are good they will get it.

“An airport can be a real asset for a community, and we are trying to do everything we can to move forward.”

Dave’s Hangar–Fall 2012

For this issue’s column, I would like to take the opportunity to welcome three new staff members at the Aviation Division.

Matthew Felton, Airport Planner

Matthew graduated from Auburn University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in aviation management and logistics. His first position out of college was for a small/med-sized A&E consulting firm as an aviation planner. He conducted planning studies for a variety of airports throughout Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi ranging in size from general aviation to nonhub primary commercial service.

In 2007 he accepted a position with the Department of Aviation at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the Planning Division. While at Hartsfield-Jackson he aided in the development and management of planning studies (directly related to over $2 billion in capital improvement projects) such as the consolidated rental car center, new airport feasibility study and the new international terminal.

“Relocating to Austin and taking a position with TxDOT has given me an opportunity to continue working closely with local governments while still enjoying my love of aviation,” says Felton. “I am truly excited to be a part of the great work being conducted in the Aviation Division.”

Molly Lamrouex, Environmental Specialist and Airport Planner

Originally from Ohio, Molly spent most of her childhood in Michigan’s upper peninsula. She attended a small liberal arts college on a track/cross country scholarship and graduated with
a bachelor of science degree in biology/chemistry. After college, she spent several years working for an environmental consulting firm as a chemist/bobcat operator. She then worked for over 10
years with the state of Michigan’s environmental protection agency. Hoping to get another chance at operating a bobcat, she transferred to the State of Michigan’s Department of Transportation (MDOT) where she worked primarily on aviation projects.

“From a hangar project that might improve an airport’s revenue generation to a runway project that improves conditions for the flying public, I think general aviation is a huge asset to the communities being served,” says Lamrouex.

Sophia Gonzales, GIS Analyst

Sophia earned a bachelor of science degree in geography in 2006 and in 2009, a master of applied geography degree in geographic information science (GIS) from Texas State University-
San Marcos. Her graduate study focused on integrating GIS in water resources and land use planning.

She began her career as a geographer for the U.S. Geological Survey Texas Water Science Center in Austin. At the USGS, she worked on national water resources studies including the High Plains Groundwater Availability Study as well as local land use studies for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and numerous other data-intensive projects integrating GIS.

“I’m excited to be joining the Aviation Division team and bring in a new flavor of geo-spatial data integration,” says Gonzales.

Collin County Regional Airport Celebrates Grand Opening

Aerial photo of Collin County Regional Airport showing their new runway

An aerial shot of the recently completed 7,002-foot runway, the airport’s perimeter road and the relocated
Farm-to-Market road (FM) 546.

By Chris Sasser
Texas A&M Transportation Institute

The new runway at Collin County Regional Airport (KTKI) was christened in memorable fashion on July 26 as three corporate jets carrying area representatives were the first to take off from the 7,002-foot runway. The passengers were treated to a 15-minute ride around the county as part of the events commemorating the runway’s opening.

The $52 million runway replaces the airport’s original runway built in 1979 and is expected to be connected to all of the taxiways by November. It comes one year after the airport built a 78-foot control tower,  replacing its dated 33-foot tower. The runway is the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT’s) largest aviation construction project ever and incorporated significant sub-projects such as the relocation of a Farm-to-Market road, stormwater management system that generated a letter of map revision with the Corps of Engineers, enhanced perimeter fencing and access control and monitoring, a new perimeter road and AOA safety enhancements.

“It’s all about thinking toward the future,” said Collin County Regional Airport Director Ken Wiegand. “Last year we opened our air traffic control tower, and this year we opened our new runway. Our future plans include expanding our terminal building. I’ve always believed if you make a facility better, you’re going to attract more business, and that is certainly the goal of our airport.”

That theme resonated throughout the morning’s proceedings, as local officials echoed Wiegand’s sentiments about the importance of the airport to the city of McKinney and the surrounding areas.

“When we first started meeting 10 years ago to plan the airport’s future, we made a conscious effort to bring this airport forward as a regional asset,” said McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller. “We felt that if we were going to reach out to our sister cities, the county and the Dallas/Fort Worth area as a place for corporate aviation, then we had to be a regional airport. We are going to continue to grow as a regional asset because of the investments we have made in this airport.”

Collin Country Regional Airport air traffic control tower

Area representatives gather on the tarmac at the Collin County Regional Airport to commemorate the opening of airport’s new runway.

The regional impact of the airport is evident in the economic numbers. For 2010, the airport generated $44,248,730 in economic activity, $17,709,560 in salary wages and benefits and 378 jobs. The airport also saw an increase in flights last year from 79,170 to 83,001. Among the airport’s corporate clients are Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard, Crossmark, Horizon, Independent Bank, Flamingo Air, Jack Henry, Target, Van Tyl, Cabela’s, Kroger, Walmart and a host of fractionals and charters.

The runway was built to commercial standards in anticipation of continued growth. Officials said the goal is to offer commercial passenger flights out of the regional airport within 10 years.

“Business aircraft make business executives more efficient. It’s as simple as that,” said Collin County Judge Keith Self. “And I think the companies that move to Collin County and this region are going to experience the convenience of coming to this airport, hangaring their aircraft, and being able to fly wherever they do business. Looking into the future, we are in the center of the growth pattern of the Metroplex, and I believe this airport will eventually offer passenger service.”

The project’s completion was celebrated with a dedication ceremony on November 9, 2012, from 11:30 to 1:30.

For more information about Collin County Regional Airport, visit its website at http://www.flytki.com/.

Facts and Figures — Construction of Runway 18/36 at KTKI

  • The runway is 7,002 x 150 feet with a 450,000-pound weight-bearing capacity.
  • KSA engineers have engineered, designed and inspected the project since day one.
  • TxDOT managed the construction of FM 546 to accommodate the runway and a future extension.
  • Aviation funds paid for 100 percent of the FM 546 relocation.
  • The project required the acquisition of approximately 164 acres.
  • Project crews moved 1,226,000 cubic yards of soil.
  • Project crews placed 52,614 tons of concrete covering approximately 30.5 acres.
  • Project crews laid 25 miles of electrical wire for 202 runway and taxiway lights, signs and the airport’s instrument landing system.
  • Stormwater management required 1.13 miles of drainage culverts and pipe as well as a 16-acre, 8-foot-deep central detention basin.
  • Craftsmen applied 7.1 acres of paint for runway and taxiway markings.
  • The project was $5 million under budget and was completed 30 days earlier than scheduled.
  • It took four prime contractors plus more than 20 first-tier sub-contractors and a host of secondary sub-contractors to complete the work.
  • The project is the single largest in TxDOT Aviation history.

Airport Statistics

  • FAA Identifier — TKI
  • Latitude/Longitude — 33-10-40.6000N/096-35-25.9000W
  • Elevation — 585 feet
  • Location — 32 miles north of Dallas, Texas

New FAA Report Available for Download—General Aviation Airports: A National Asset

General Aviation Airports: A National Asset documents an 18-month study of the nearly 3,000 general aviation (GA) airports, heliports, and seaplane bases identified in the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). This in-depth analysis highlights for the traveling public the pivotal role GA airports play in our society, economy, and the aviation system.

http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/ga_study/media/2012AssetReport.pdf

Pilots Plight to Save Pups

This is a photo of Mike Solomon, Dianna Stanger and Cheryl Burris along with a dog.

(L-R) Mike Solomon, Dianna Stanger and Cheryl Burris along with “Sista.”

Being a pilot is much more than about having a passion for flight. True aviators and aviatrixes enjoy the opportunity to utilize their passion to help others. In this case, local pilots are taking flight to complete a very special mission and help two organizations, Pilots N Paws and Great Escape Rescued K9s.

Each year, the volunteers of Pilots N Paws save thousands of lives. Those lives come in the form of any animal that can be transported using a plane.

The flight began at Calhoun County Airport (KPKV) with pilots, Dianna Stanger and Mike Solomon departing into a clear beautiful sky on an IFR (Instrument flight rules) flight plan. The mission: to transport a German Shepherd that was four years old named Sista to Cleburne Regional Airport (south of Fort Worth) and transport a second dog, Buddy, who was rescued from a kill shelter in Arlington on the return flight.

Cheryl Burris, co-founder/co-director of Great Escape Rescued K9s brought the German Shepherd to the Calhoun County Airport.

“We started Great Escape last summer when we were made aware of the plight of hundreds of German Shepherds being killed in ‘kill’ shelters in Los Angeles, California,” said Burris. “We decided we were going to try to help save some.”

Since then they have rescued 50 Texan and 39 Californian dogs. They also rehabilitate the rescue dogs to save in order to help them find a great forever home.

“Sista was a very sweet girl who seemed to sense that any journey she was on was taking her to a better place than the list she had been on to be euthanized. The little girl who got Sista will have a friend for life, as Sista touched everyone the day we moved her,” said Stanger.

Stanger also noted with a smile that their return passenger, Buddy, was “a sweet little guy who took the back seat over and then insisted on trying to join us in the cockpit while flying to his new family back in Victoria.”

As this was the first time for both pilots to fly for Paws N Pilots it is easy to see that it will become de rigor in Calhoun County.

“It’s something I hope to do often. It’s doing something I love, and at the same time helping bring a deserving animal that would otherwise face euthanasia, to a loving family,” said Solomon. “Who wouldn’t want to do that?”

For more information about this event please contact Jasmine Gordon at 361-746-8846 or via email at [email protected].

TSTC-Waco Opens State-of-the-Art Aerospace Center

by Jim Rank
Texas Aviation Association Board of Director Member

Texas State Technical College (TSTC) has a strong aviation program.  Students are offered five different aviation tracks:  aviation maintenance, aircraft pilot training, avionics, aircraft dispatch, and air traffic control.

On May 3rd, TSTC Waco cut the ribbon to its newest building, the Col. James T. Connally Aerospace Center.  The program consisted of:

  • Welcome by Dr. Elton E. Stuckly Jr., President of TSTC Waco
  • Remarks by Mr. Mike Reeser, Chancellor of TSTC
  • History of Aviation at TSTC, Jim Rowland, Director of Aerospace Division of TSTC

I toured the building and saw labs and classrooms for students of airframe and powerplant mechanics, avionics, pilot training (including labs for flight simulators), aircraft dispatch, and air traffic control.

Classes will begin in the new building on Monday, May 7.

The 82,000-square-foot building will house state-of-the-art classrooms, labs, simulators, and a public airport terminal.  The new building is located adjacent to the TSTC Waco Airport, the largest airport in the U.S. owned and operated by a two-year, public education institution.

“We envision the new Aerospace Center as a hub of the TSTC Airport, not only for our students, but also for the general aviation and business aviation communities of Texas,” said Dr. Elton Stuckley, President of TSTC.

The new facility provides space for ongoing proficiency training for general aviation pilots and aviation professionals, pilot continuing education and recurrency training, FAA-sanctioned aviation safety training, educational and community conferences, aircraft and avionics maintenance, and historical displays to honor the rich history of the airport.
The new center will address the future needs of the college’s industry partners in areas such as composite materials, air logistics, aircraft interior and aerospace operations.

For more information, please visit: http://www.waco.tstc.edu/airport/.

Reprinted by permission of The Texas Flyer e-newsletter, copyright May 2012.

Texans for General Aviation

A recently-formed organization seeks to tell the story about the importance of general aviation to Texas communities.

Texans for General Aviation (TFGA) is a state wide general aviation (GA) advocacy organization with two specific and related purposes: to promote and protect GA at the state and local level of government and to promote GA careers to students through education and by creating opportunity.

According to TFGA President and Director John White, the idea for a GA advocacy organization at the state level was spawned during the recent economic downturn.

“As we watched the country suffer through this deep, lingering economic depression, it became clear that GA issues may switch from national to state and local level in scope,” says White, who is also director of corporate aviation for Valero Energy Corporation and a member of the Texas Aviation Advisory Committee. “While there is a national caucus, we felt the need existed for the establishment of a Texas caucus to fairly represent GA interests and promote the economic benefits these airports provide.”

The organization is still in the process of working out start-up details but already has an eye on the future by creating a legislative caucus to be chaired by Rep. John Kuempel, who represents District 44.

“The economic impact of GA to Texans is $12 billion and 55,000 jobs,” says White. “GA has a powerful story, and we want to be the quiet but persistence voice that tells its story.”

For more information on Texans for General Aviation, visit their website at http://texansforgeneralaviation.org/.

The Road to Riches and Why No One is Laughing Now: The Story of the Van Zandt County Regional Airport

By Rick Davenport
Texas A&M Transportation Institute

This is a photo of representatives from the Van Zandt airport.

Representatives from the Van Zandt Regional Airport accept their award for most improved airport.

Years ago, if you stumbled upon the entrance to (what was then) the Wills Point Municipal Airport, you were greeted by a stop sign that dangled from a chain which stretched across two posts of an old barbed wire fence. If you were lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the discolored, cracked runway beyond a 78 acre pasture of overgrown Doveweed and Johnson- grass. Besides that, there was little evidence that you were even at an airport.

Today, the few folks who seemed to care about the airport’s potential are no longer embarrassed. They are proud of recent accomplishments and — most importantly — optimistic about its future. Those newfound feelings made statewide news when the Van Zandt County Regional Airport was named the 2012 Most Improved General Aviation Airport at the 30th Annual Texas Aviation Conference in Galveston.

“Several years ago, the airport was dying and it was the subject of ridicule. People pointed to it as an example for other airports of what not to be like,” Weldon Massey, a local rancher and flying enthusiast, says. “We’ve come a long way since then, but more importantly we have a plan in place to make a lot more improvements. There is hope on the horizon.”

Back then, the airport was a drain on the city budget. There was no money for improvements and little desire to fix it.

“Because of its reputation, I visited the airport about 7 years ago,” Mike Reagan, who was the TxDOT Routine Airport Maintenance Program (RAMP) coordinator, says. “I discovered that their runway really had a pretty good foundation, so improvements would not be as costly as they figured. But the biggest positive was the fact that some people — like Massey and Paul Addison — wanted to make things better. And that really got the ball rolling.”

Addison, a local business owner and now a Wills Point City Councilman, was among the biggest proponents of airport improvements. “After Weldon Massey’s son gave me a plane ride, I was hooked on aviation. I began to realize that if we could somehow turn this blight into a benefit, we could actually attract new business here.”

In late 2007, the city turned over the airport to the Wills Point Economic Development Council, which formed an airport advisory board. Massey and Addison were named vice president and president, respectively.

This is a photo of the sign in front of the Van Zandt Regional Airport.

The sign in front of the Van Zandt Regional Airport.

After receiving grant funding, a beautification project got underway and the runway was brought back to life. Striping was added and the dilapidated lighting system was replaced. The airport’s old rotating beacon was repaired and restored. The entrance now consists of an electronic gate and keypad. The old, grown up fence row was improved and the barbed wire was replaced with pipe and rail. Lighted masonry signs were added and wildflowers were seeded along FM 64. A parking lot was built last summer and a courtesy car for incoming pilots was donated by the City of Wills Point.

Instead of a liability, the Van Zandt Regional Airport is quickly becoming an asset.

And it’s about to get even better. The airport has received a grant for an aviation fuel storage tank. The ability to sell gas to pilots is a boon to the airport.

Also, plans are in the works for a terminal building, new boundary fencing and hangar construction.

“As we’ve made these improvements, we have been reaching out to the community,” Pam Pearson, who is the administrator of the Wills Point Economic Development Corporation and serves as the airport manager, says. “Slowly, residents are coming around, knowing that a good airport is good news for our economy.”  In October, residents will be invited to the first annual Van Zandt County Regional Airport Open House.

By then, there could be hundreds of new Van Zandt County residents since a business has recently announced the start of operations there.

If the newcomers are able to attend the open house, they will never know that the airport was once guarded by an old faded stop sign that dangled from a chain.

Airport in Uvalde “Garners” Airport of the Year Award

By Chris Sasser
Texas A&M Transportation Institute

This is a photo of the Garner Field Airport terminal building

Garner Field Airport terminal building.

The Garner Field Airport in Uvalde has been named the 2012 General Aviation Airport of the Year during a ceremony at the 30th Annual Texas Aviation Conference in Galveston.

Garner Field, which generates more than $55 million in annual economic activity, was honored for preserving its past, maintaining its long-standing relationships and keeping an eye on the future.

The airport was developed in the 1940’s when the site opened as a training field for the U.S. Army Air. One of the original hangars from that era is still being used — housing an Aviation Museum. The local community has also encouraged the establishment of a WWII aircraft restoration business at the airport.

Several businesses at Garner Field have been tenants for more than 20 years, making the airport a one-stop-shop for state of the art modifications to a wide variety of private, corporate and military jet aircraft. In the past year, the city has supported the expansion of these businesses by investing over two million dollars in infrastructure improvements, new hangar construction, and renovations to existing hangars, while the tenants invested over one million in hangar expansion alone.

In addition to those businesses, Garner Field supports a section of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Operations. The city of Uvalde has accommodated their growth and expansion on the airport with $750,000 in hangar improvements.

The award winning airport had a critical role during last summer’s record drought by housing the Texas Forestry Service aircraft during drought season for fire surveillance and fire fighting activities. To support airfield business expansion as well as overall safety, one of the airport’s industries purchased a small aircraft rescue and firefighting truck and worked with the community to certify 5 of their employees as volunteer firefighters. These cooperative efforts created the airport fire department, a requirements for emergency response for military contracts. When combined with a resident Air Life helicopter, and the city’s fire department three minute response time, this facility has outstanding airport emergency services.

Garner Field is also considered one the premier soaring sites in the world, attracting pilots from across the globe as it hosts the World Gliding Championships. Glider operations are difficult to coordinate with powered aircraft, but this airport has mastered the task.

Congratulations to TxDOT’s 2012 Airport of the Year!