Mayor's Community Update

Mayor – Lee Leiker

Recently, Diane and I traveled to Georgia to visit our son in Athens.   While sitting in the airports and observing, it was easy to understand how important air travel is for both personal reasons and business viability.  Whether it be families on vacation, people traveling for business or professional reasons, or travel for other reasons, air travel is essential for many reasons.

Air transportation may seem like a luxury to some people, while others may consider it as an essential element in their business and personal lives.   Whatever the case, we know that the Colby Municipal Airport, at Shalz Field, is a vital economic catalyst that directly contributes to lives and businesses both in Colby and within the surrounding area.  By facilitating air traffic and connectivity to the region, the airport is supporting existing businesses and enabling growth opportunities in the future.

The City of Colby has made significant changes and improvements to the airport recently that are creating and enhancing economic growth in Colby.  New airport manager, Dustin Stephenson, along with his wife, Stephanie and two of their employees, Brysen Barton and Luke Cox, bring a plethora of knowledge and experience in aviation to the Colby Airport.  They have increased air traffic and aircraft services at the Colby Municipal Airport.  Dustin’s knowledge of available aviation grants and other airport enrichment opportunities has and will continue to promote the Colby Airport in the aviation sector.

Currently, there isn’t any vacant hanger space to house and protect planes and building additional hanger space is a high priority at the airport.  Individuals, as well as the City of Colby, are working to build additional hanger space to satisfy the current needs associated with the desire and ability to fly into Colby and to store planes in Colby.  With the new hospital being built in Colby and its ability to provide broader medical services and connectivity to the area, being able to house a medical plane in Colby also becomes increasingly important.  Currently, doctors are flying into Colby every week to provide medical services, and those flights will likely continue to increase as the new hospital becomes operational.  

The City of Colby recently completed resurfacing a significant portion of the taxiway and apron between the hangers and the runway.  This project was a $655,000 project in which 90% of it was covered by a Kansas Department of Transportation grant.  One of the major ways airports are graded is on the condition of their runways and taxiways, so maintaining these surfaces is important in order for our airport to be published across the aviation industry as a high-quality airport and an attractive place to land and receive services.

Another enhancement to the Colby Airport is the addition of two certified mechanics, Brysen Barton and Stephen Barrios.  With the additions of Mr. Barton and Mr. Barrios, the Colby Airport can offer maintenance and mechanic services, annual inspections, and flight instruction.  Providing these services not only serves the local community, but provides an economic impact that attracts aircraft owners and pilots regionally as well.

One additional service that has been enhanced at the airport are the refueling options.  We now have full service fueling during business hours and anytime self-service fueling available during non-business hours.  The refueling services also include the ability to refuel military aircraft.  This anytime refueling capability has also increased traffic at the Colby Municipal Airport.

To give you an idea of the air traffic activity at the Colby Municipal Airport, here is a summary of the air traffic and fuel sales for the month of September:

  • Single Engine Landings – 215
  • Multiple Engine Landings – 33
  • Jet Landings – 29
  • Helicopter Landings – 10
  • Airplane fuel sold – 1,573 gallons
  • Jet fuel sold – 3.076 gallons

That is 287 aircraft landings at the Colby Municipal Airport and nearly 4,650 gallons of fuel sold in one month.  

The City of Colby, along with Dustin and Stephanie and their staff, are committed to working with pilots, the hospital, and businesses to enhance the airport as we “work together for a more prosperous community.”