Airport features new GPS system

Access to the air transportation system plays an increasingly vital role in day-to-day safety, security and business throughout the state and the nation.

By using instruments in the plane, a pilot can fly an aircraft safely when visibility is restricted, such as flying in the clouds. When the visibility is poor near the ground, a pilot must rely upon these instruments and exact flight procedures to guide them safely to the runway.

For the first time ever, the citizens of Hot Springs County have an airport serving them with an advanced instrument approach. The old airport did not have this capability due to its location being so close to terrain.

“The surrounding terrain was a big issue at the old airport,” FBO Nate Messenger said. “When weather was bad -- low cloud layer, rain, snow, poor visibility -- you would have to land in Worland.

“Life flights, not just local aircraft, would have to go to Worland and then the ambulance service would have to drive them there. This is not only safer, but will save patients money, too.”

Messenger pointed to last Thursday when it was pouring rain. Two medical flights came in that day and both were able to land here because the new GPS gives the pilots a ‘vertical road map’ that brings them in safely.

Now, using a precision GPS, medical transports, firefighters, business or recreational pilots can approach the airport through the clouds and bad weather to within 1 mile before needing to visually see the airport.

“Our weather changes quickly, and having this state of the art technology means safer landings and takeoffs for pilots and their passengers from our airport,” County Commission Chairman John Lumley said. We planned, designed and built the airport with these advanced approaches in mind.”

The type of GPS approach developed by the FAA for Hot Springs County is one of the newest types of approaches, providing users to Thermopolis a cutting-edge way into the airport, and will provide benefit to the community for years to come.

Limiting the number of times an airport is not usable increases an airport's utility and value to the community, business users and commerce. Consequently, with this approach procedure, the airport becomes a greater safety, security and economic asset to the community and the State’s system of airports.

For the recreational pilot, missing an afternoon of flying is acceptable. However, not being able to get a medical flight in or out can be critical to a patient and family.

Pilots will see the new approaches are published in the current FAA documents and usable immediately.