Sam Carver has been named the new director at the Rifle Garfield County Airport, bringing nearly three decades of experience in the aviation industry to the burgeoning airfield. Carver, IAP, C.M., who was most recently airport director for the City of Fernandina Beach, Florida, takes over the role on October 7, 2024. Garfield County conducted a robust hiring process that yielded five highly qualified candidates, out of which Carver rose to the top. “Sam is joining the county at an exciting time when there is tremendous activity occurring at the Rifle Garfield County Airport, including launching the next Airport Master

August 14, 2024 update: The deadline for applications has been extended to September 2. The Rifle Garfield County Airport is extending the date for applications for a single at-large seat on the Airport Master Plan Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The committee advises airport staff and consultants on future needs over the next 20 years and makes recommendations on the master plan. Applications from interested Garfield County residents are available from the airport and are due by 5 p.m. September 2, 2024. The TAC serves as a non-voting body to advise the airport and consultants on the contents of the plan,

The Rifle Garfield County Airport and Armstrong Consultants, Inc., have begun the process of preparing a business plan for a new airport master plan that will guide the facility for the next decade. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that an airport master plan be updated approximately every 10 years. Rifle Garfield County Airport Director Brian Condie told the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in a recent work session that the scope of work is now underway that represents the vision of the airport and its tenants, Garfield County, and the public, and will provide a “30,000-foot view” of the

Garfield County has selected Armstrong Consultants, Inc., to prepare a new master plan for the Rifle Garfield County Airport. Armstrong, which specializes in airport engineering and planning services, scored the highest out of three candidates in the request for qualifications search. The county’s procurement process found Armstrong to be the most responsive and qualified consultant. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) authorized staff to create a professional service agreement (PSA) with Armstrong for all airport master planning-related services at the airport. Rifle Garfield County Airport Director Brian Condie told the board that the airport is still six to eight weeks

Garfield County has approved an updated concept plan from Dark Horse Aviation to construct two large hangars at the Rifle Garfield County Airport. The Board of County Commissioners accepted the revised concept plan submitted by Dark Horse Aviation, which is constructing two new hangars proposed at 49,000 square feet (parcel A-2) and another of approximately 40,000 sq. ft. (parcels A-5 and 6). “Commissioner Samson said once we get the new development guide approved, we’ll have lots of developers coming to the airport to build, and I think this is just one of the many that will be coming before the

The Rifle/Garfield County Airport, in cooperation with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) and the DFPC-Colorado Center of Excellence (COE), is conducting prescribed burning operations at the Rifle/Garfield County Airport early next week. Please do not call 911 to report smoke at the airport. Burning will only be conducted under specific guidelines and plans established by the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, including having acceptable weather forecasts and fuels conditions that meet guidelines for safe and effective burning and adequate smoke dispersal. The previously planned date in September was unable to proceed due to an unexpected

The Rifle Garfield County Airport, in cooperation with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) and the DFPC-Colorado Center of Excellence (COE), is conducting prescribed burning operations at the airport. Burning operations will occur as weather conditions permit, and could begin in September and extend into the fall months. Please do not call 911 to report smoke at the airport. Burning is only conducted under specific guidelines and plans established by the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, including having acceptable weather forecasts and fuels conditions that meet guidelines for safe and effective burning and adequate smoke dispersal.

Garfield County agreed to convert a private hangar lease to a commercial hangar lease for Rifle Aviation LLC to operate at the Rifle Garfield County Airport. The base term for the commercial space runs through May 31, 2052, and includes two five-year extensions. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) also approved a Rifle Aviation conceptual plan, which aims to construct two new hangars on shovel-ready parcels of land for the purpose of renting out the heated hangar space, helping to grow the client base at the airport. “They’re requesting to lease Alpha 5 and Alpha 6 for the construction of

Garfield County has leased space at the Rifle Garfield County Airport to a local business to build and operate hangars for at least the next 20 years, in an agreement that includes the option for two additional 10-year renewals. GarCo Premier Hangars has proposed constructing a five-unit hangar in the airport’s east development area, which covers roughly 20,400 square feet, and is planning to build a second such facility in the near future. “The Rifle airport is underutilized with hangars, and this is something the community can use,” said Dan Guggenheim, part owner of GarCo Premier Hangars. “Phase one includes

The Federal Aviation Administration has offered the Rifle Garfield County Airport a $59,000 Airport Rescue Grant that may be used toward operations. The grant is provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) and is designed to assist airports to “prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.” The grant fund can be used for “operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, combating the spread of pathogens at the airport, and debt service payments,” according to the grant conditions. “The grant will be used for employee expenses,” said Airport Director Brain Condie to the Board of County Commissioners. “It does

The Air Force Reserve is scheduled to conduct a special fuel operation training exercise at the Rifle Garfield County Airport from September 12 – 15. This training exercise takes place on the ramp and not in the air, though military aircraft will be flying into and out of the airport during this time. “This ramp operation is in a secured location and the training is unfortunately not open to the public,” said Rifle Garfield County Airport Director, Brian Condie. Increased military aircraft traffic is expected throughout the Rocky Mountain region, and more than 50 military ground crew are scheduled to

Garfield County has agreed to a land lease with fixed base operator Atlantic Aviation for space at the Rifle Garfield County Airport to allow for the construction of an approximately 30,000-square-foot new facility. The plans include a new 50- by 150-foot apron, a 7,500-square-foot private parking area, and a new hanger on the main flight line, all of which is slated for completion in summer 2024. The new commercial lease is separate from the existing fixed based operator (FBO) lease and is in place for between 43 and 50 years. The 2021 lease rate for the land is $14,548, with

The Air Force Reserve is conducting a special fuel operation training exercise at the Rifle Garfield County Airport from Sept. 12 through 15. More than 50 military ground crew are scheduled to take part in the training exercise, which takes place on the ramp and not in the air, though military aircraft are to be stationed at the airport. The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners has approved a letter of agreement (LOA) approving the training exercise. The ground crews are taking part in classroom exercises and “hot fueling,” during which an aircraft engine is running. The airport will experience

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County has secured a $3.1 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) toward a project to expand the Rifle Garfield County Airport apron, allowing for additional parking space for aircraft. The total cost of the project, which has been contracted to Scott Construction and Armstrong Engineering, is $3,763,741. Garfield County had already committed $644,000 toward the project out of the airport’s land improvement capital fund. The expanded parking apron will provide an additional 18,000 square yards, up from its current apron square yardage of 81,300, creating space for up to an additional 18 large

Rifle Garfield County Airport Director Brian Condie has been honored the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Division of Aeronautics and the Colorado Aeronautical Board by being named the state’s “2020 Aviation Professional of the Year.” Dave Ulane, Colorado Division of Aeronautics director, offered soaring praise, saying Condie is “innovative, forward-thinking and collaborative.” He told the Board of County Commissioners that his organization recognizes aviation professionals each year for their outstanding contributions to the “aviation world.” “I don’t have to tell you what Brian has done for your community. That award is given to those that have shown very longstanding and outstanding

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – The Rifle Garfield County Airport, Board of County Commissioners, and local and national pilots are celebrating the commitment and investment by Atlantic Aviation, the airport’s fixed base operator (FBO), of nearly $9 million in upgrades to facilities at the airport. Atlantic Aviation recently completed construction on a new state-of-the-art, 30,000-square-foot heated hangar. The hangar includes 6,000 square feet of office space, and 1,200 square feet for ground service equipment. The FBO also redesigned its lobby, pilot’s lounge, and office spaces with an elegant mountain lodge dècor. Nationwide, Atlantic serves as an FBO at 69 locations in

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – A new single-engine air tanker (SEAT) base is up and running at the Rifle Garfield County Airport that shortens ground time for pilots battling wildfires in Garfield County and beyond. The base allows fire crews to pump flame retardant, also called “slurry,” to the aircraft in as little as five minutes, according to Adam Goeden, air tanker base manager for the Bureau of Land Management. It previously took 10 to 15 minutes to fill the aircraft using an old, labor-intensive system of mixing powder-based retardant near the runway. The new station can accommodate six planes at

The Garfield County Regional Airport is making available to the public approximately 48 acres of fenced ground for a five-year agricultural land lease. The lease premises is located on the southeast corner of airport property along Mamm Creek Road, one mile south of I-70, Exit 94. Interested parties may obtain a bid packet from at right, or may make arrangements to pick up a packet from the airport administration office by calling 970-625-1091. This property is available for self-guided inspection from Monday, December 12 through Friday, December 23, 2011. Sealed bids are due at the Airport Administration Office by 3

The bright June sun was reflected in 3575 panels at the Garfield County Regional Airport during the ribbon cutting for the community owned solar array June 14, 2011. Organizers for Clean Energy Collective are calling the solar farm the largest of its kind in the nation – it allows members of Holy Cross Energy to purchase power from the panels and reap the benefits for their homes without placing solar panels directly on their homes. Former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter gave the keynote address during a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site, saying that this project is laying down the

The annual Garfield County Air Show is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, July 8 & 9, 2011 at the Rifle Airport. Admission and parking are free. Airshows are all about fun memories with family and friends. To celebrate the completion of the new airfield, the airport staff has arranged a spectacular airshow that will entertain and amaze you with aerial acrobatics, ground displays, a country music concert, kid’s attractions, food, games and aircraft rides that will make this year’s airshow the most memorable to date. The highlight of the event will be Aaron Tippin’s Red White & Loud concert sponsored

The Clean Energy Collective has received final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to install a utility-scale solar array on five acres at the Garfield County Regional Airport in Rifle. This solar array will be the second community-owned clean energy facility in the company’s portfolio, and will be the largest private array in Colorado, said Clean Energy Collective owner Paul Spencer. The FAA approval gives the collective a green light to begin construction on the 1.5 megawatt array and to begin taking reservations from Holy Cross Energy household and business customers ready to make the switch to clean, affordable renewable

Being on a roll is great at the Garfield County Regional Airport in Rifle, Colorado, where six straight days and nights in the hot sun rolling asphalt has resulted in possibly the most perfect runway ever developed in Colorado. The timing was just right for the paving of the new runway at the airport, and the result was a seamless runway. All of the regular interruptions that cause concern for runway reconstructions never surfaced – not bad weather, not trucking delays, not paver breakdowns, not human error, not even Murphy’s Law intervened for six beautiful September days. “This is the