Improvements at the Colfax County Angel Fire Airport continue this fall as part of the airport master plan.
Over the past year, the county has dumped lots of recourses into the high-altitude airport to make it more user friendly for aviators.
The latest project to be completed was a repair job to the apron at the facility.
³We completed work on the runway and apron repair,² Don Day, Colfax County Manager said. ³These projects were combined.² Day added there was also a crew on site making some finishing touches to the airport¹s much need game fence.
The cost of the runway and apron repair project was about $275,000. The total cost of the game fence was about $175,000 for the project.
³These are rough estimates from memory,² Day added.
The projects are part of the airport master plan, which, identifies and outlines improvements needed or wanted at the airport.
County officials are also taking steps to have aircraft hangars built at the Airport. Although still in the early stages, construction on the hangers isn¹t likely to began until late spring or summer 2011. Colfax County Commissioner Bill Conley says, the county still needs to figure out exactly were it would build the hangars and how many it would be willing to build.
Once the county gets everything in place, private owners would also have the option to build hangar space if they wish. Conley went on to say, any hangar built by a private contractor would have to conform to county specifications.
The addition of aircraft hangars, also part of a master plan, has been in demand by aircraft owners who want to keep their investment out of the elements. Additional hangar space would allow aircraft to be stored in a controlled environment and lessen the risk of damage to the aircraft in the case of a storm or other natural events.
³The runway portion of the project was brought up early due to need,² Day explained.
The game fence was needed due the large game animals that congregate around the airport, causing risk to the animals and to aircraft trying to land and the airport.
Another project on the long-term list for the airport improvements is the construction of a permanent fueling location on site. Currently, fuel trucks are brought in to refuel aircraft.
Colfax County Manager Don Day says nothing will happen too fast due to budgets and available money.

Story written by By Eric Fincher Staff writer
Printed by permission of the Sangre de Cristo Chronicle