By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Great Bend Municipal Airport was among 66 airport projects across
the state selected for Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP) funding. This
year, the program awarded more than $11 million. The program typically requires
airport sponsors to participate in project costs by paying a minimum of 5% of
the total project.
The Great Bend airport received $5,588 to replace the primary wind cone
that sits between the runways. Airport Manager Martin Miller said the current
wind cone has probably been out there for 50 years.
"It's a big wind sock," said Miller. "It has a 36-inch throat and is about 12 feet long. It's used by pilots before they take off and when they're landing to determine which way to land. It's primary visual indication of which runway to use. Ours got old and the illumination is old. It's required at airfields, and it's nice to have an up-to-date model."
The Kansas Department of Transportation Division of Aviation received 153
applications this year for the KAIP grants. Projects were scored according to
impact on flight safety, economic growth and regional benefit.