DEL NORTE – The Kent Rominger Airport in Del Norte has had a successful year, first rolling out the red carpet for their new fueling system and then launching a new program that helps track airport traffic 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Rio Grande County Airport Manager Brian Burrell stated that the Colorado State Aeronautics Division is looking to install this new tracking system in airports around the state and Burrell was the first to volunteer to try the system. “When we heard about the new tracking system called Runaway Stats, I volunteered to allow the system to be installed here.”
It wasn’t long before data began pouring in from the system, showing Burrell and Rio Grande County Commissioners that the airport was seeing a higher volume of flights per day than they originally believed. “This system captures flights in the area within a 15-mile radius and that fly lower than 4,000 feet above ground level. After the data was collected, we found that we were averaging about 15 flight per 24-hour period, which was exceptionally higher than what we originally anticipated.”
Burrell stated that based on the data from the tracking system they estimate that each plane that lands carry about two to three people per plane. “Once you crunch the numbers, that means that we are bringing in roughly 30-40 people per day. Most of those people go into town to utilize services in Del Norte and the surrounding Rio Grande County. That is a huge success for us.”
Other data collected by the system also breaks down transient vs local traffic. “We were also surprised to learn that most of the traffic coming into the airport is coming from out of town. We see more transient flights than we do locals, and that is really great for an airport this size.”
Burrell also reported that many of the planes flying into Del Norte are Air Taxi’s. Companies like Flex Jet, Net Jet, and Jet Pro are bringing people to the area either as a layover to fuel or to summer homes in the area. “Basically, people buy blocks of flight time and these companies chauffeur them to different locations throughout the world. Having the fuel available has brought more of these companies here.”
With the new fuel systems in place, flights that would have had to fuel in Pueblo or other surrounding airports are now coming to Del Norte and the increase in traffic is a welcome sight. “Bringing the fuel in has been a huge benefit to the economy. One thing I think most people don’t understand is the medical benefits this also brings. Medical helicopters, Flight for Life and other medical flights are cutting response times down by at least 30-minutes. That is huge when you’re in a medical emergency and are needing special care.”
In addition to the fuel and tracking systems, Burrell has also increased marketing at the airport utilizing social media to spread the word and share how wonderful this little mountain airport really is. “We are very fortunate to have the support of not only the community but the Rio Grande County Commissioners as well. We have a great resource here and we are starting to see its potential.”
For more information or to stay up to date on the Kent Rominger Airport, please follow them on Instagram at KRCV_airport or on Facebook under Astronaut Kent Rominger Airport.
