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Mike Arnold at the Aztec Airport. Photo by Katee McClure.
Yes, Virginia, there is
an Aztec Airport
By Katee McClure
There are many in this town who are surprised to find out that Aztec does, indeed, have an airport. I've known about it for years, but never had the occasion to visit it until recently. I was curious as to the function of the airport, who uses it, how the city benefits from it, etc.
The airport is owned by the City of Aztec and is privately managed by the D & M Company.
I made an appointment to interview "M" of D & M to find out more about our municipal airport. Who's "M"? "M" is former Mayor Mike Arnold. He and his partner Dan Uhl have managed the airport since 1997.
It was a cool crisp morning when I joined Mr. Arnold in his small maintenance truck to take a tour of the facility. I thought I would see a bunch of small airplanes tethered to the ground but I saw only two. The other aircraft are housed in hangers. Mike told me that covered hangers are a must for aircraft owners in this area. Our winds, rain, snow and sun can be quite damaging on small aircraft. Aztec has about twenty aircraft based here now and there is a waiting list of others that would like to be here. Mike said, "If I had ten more hangers here on a Monday, I could have them filled up by Friday."
The airport was in its heyday in 1980. At that time there were 28 aircraft here and three businesses, a maintenance shop, a paint shop and a charter operation. In 1981 things went downhill for many reasons, not the least of which was the fact that the fuel tanks were removed. Hard to refuel a plane if no fuel is available. I liken it to having a gas station with no gas available for automobiles. It might look nice but is completely ineffective.
When D&M took over the management of the airport in 1997 there were a measly five planes based here and the airport was in disrepair. Now, with the improvements that D&M have made, the Aztec Airport is on the Federalized List of Airports and therefore eligible for Federal Funding.
So, how does a small airport benefit the City of Aztec?
In three words, gross receipts tax. The summertime is the busiest with charter planes coming in at least twice a week, mainly from Santa Fe. People come here to see the Aztec Ruins and enjoy the cuisine of our local restaurants. Private pilots come here and many times spend the night in town. The airport was also used during the terrible fires a few years back in Colorado. Businessmen and lawyers use the airport. "It's a door into our city," says Mike.
I see no downside to having this airport. I know there have been criticisms in the past about the airport and how it is run, but the bottom line is, an airport is good for a town. The benefits far exceed the negatives. The Aztec Airport is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It has solar powered night runway end identifier lights that were purchased by the State about eight years ago.
One big plus is that this airport doesn't cost the city a single penny. That's right. Not a single penny. D&M takes care of all the operating costs, maintenance and insurance. In return they take in the revenue from the hanger rentals and fuel sales. It costs approximately two thousand dollars a month to keep the airport up and running.
Mike told me that general aviation has been on the upswing since 911. The convenience of commuters using small crafts as opposed to large airports and thus avoid the long waits in line has helped the industry grow. There is a chance, however, that the astounding fuel prices will put a halt to that growth.
Both Mike Arnold and Dan Uhl are pilots and therefore feel passionate about our city's airport. I know that most of us will never have the opportunity to use our small airport but hopefully we can see the benefits of having one.
For potential pilots, here's some information that makes no sense at all to me, a layperson.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Designator: Q19
Coordinates: N36o 50.08' W108o 01.70'
Field Elevation: 5877 Ft.
Facilities: GAS
CTAF: Multi-Com 122.9
Traffic Pattern Altitude: 6877 ft MSL
Reflective Landing Light System
Passive approach slope indicator to
Runaway 8
Landing Length:
Main Runaway 8-26: 4,010 x 50 ft.
Crosswind Runaway 4-22: 2,850 x 40 ft.
Caution: Intense flight training, R/C
Models, Paraplanes, Military Ops.
Hours of Operation: 24 hours
Daytime Phone: (505) 334-1002
For you history buffs, here's a little background. The Aztec Airport has been here since the early 1950s and was privately owned by Ray Atchison. The city purchased the facility from Ray in August of 1960 for $9,800.00. Such a deal!
Relay For Life
coming to Aztec
by Joel Ruiz
Relay For Life is a community gathering where everyone can participate in the fight against cancer. This year, teams of people will be camping out at Riverside Park and will be taking turns walking or running around its paths. Each team will be asked to have a representative on the path at all times during the event –because “cancer never sleeps. The remaining team members will be participating in fun activities where they can get to know one another as well as have fun with other people from their community. This will be a great way to raise money to help prevent cancer, save lives, and diminish suffering from the disease.
When the sun goes down, hundreds of luminaria will light the way under the stars to remember those lost to cancer, those fighting cancer, and those who have fought cancer and won. The light of the luminaria will symbolize the hope and perseverance with which we all continue to fight. Luminarias will be sold to remember those who have passed away in the fight for cancer and honor those who have survived.
All survivors, anyone who has faced a cancer diagnosis, will be invited to join us as our honorary guests in the Survivors Lap, which will open the Relay For Life. Their strength and courage help the community see that cancer survivorship is real.
The Aztec High School Key Club is planning the first Aztec Relay For Life which will be an overnight event that will occur June 28-29. Teams will raise money before and during the event. The team registration fees for Relay For Life will be $100 per team, which can be obtained very easily. If the money cannot be gathered, there are scholarships that can be used to allow teams to participate in the fight against cancer. The money raised at the event will support the local programs available through the American Cancer Society and research. For further details or to register as a survivor or volunteer, call Debbie Klein at 330-4631 or Cheryl Schou at 970-247-0278. No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay. Join us today!
Aztec Public Library plans better living through technology for the Four Corners area
SANTA FE – Who says libraries are places to only borrow books? If you live in the Four Corners area, Aztec Public Library plans to dispel that myth and begin a new 21st century tradition.
Digital media arts might sound like techno-babble to the casual computer user but it could mean new jobs and careers, a boost in tourism, more dollars into the local and state economy, and a huge leap ahead of other New Mexico communities to participate in Governor Bill Richardson’s plans to grow a trillion dollar New Mexico film industry.
With an impressive list of supporters, Aztec Public Library will spearhead a sophisticated program to educate and train students and residents in 3-D graphics, animation, and digital film production. One major collaborator is the UNM Digital Arts Lab/UNM Lodestar Astronomy Center who has come on board to provide mentoring and training for the three year-plus start-up project. Other eager participants are local county and state agencies that provide services to unemployed, unskilled and disabled residents. These agencies will now have an opportunity to offer specialized training to their clientele in the digital arts field. Higher education institutions such as San Juan College and East Highlands University are excited about the possibilities and will develop credit classes and certification programs. The list goes on and on.
What started out as web page training with Aztec’s Vista Nueva High School students and after-school programs run for the Aztec Boys and Girls Club and the 21st Century After-School Program, has now blossomed into a program that will connect the community and far beyond the Four Corners area. The vision of the library to create a full-scale digital media arts education and training program became bigger and bigger when they took a risk and thought outside of the box to dream the impossible dream. When the need was identified for digital arts training in San Juan County, Aztec Public Library found willing partners who pledged to provide dollars, resources, instruction, hardware, software, etc. Some of those partners are mentioned above but other notable contributors are: San Juan County, ConocoPhillips, NM Department of Labor/New Mexico Workforce Connection, NM Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Educator Support Center/Farmington School District, Aztec Ruins National Monument/Chaco Canyon National Historical Site/Salmon Ruins, the FOCUS Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Friends of the Aztec Public Library.
The Aztec Public Library is also partnering with the Bloomfield Public Library and it will be a satellite site that will offer digital arts workstations, and more modern and fun programs to encourage library usage among the “tween” and young adult library user.
Funding for the digital media arts project is being provided through many sources, including a $16,000 federal Institute of Museum and Library Services grant that is administered by the New Mexico State Library. The State Library is pleased about this particular award, which was a competitive grant, because it truly is an innovative technology project that will showcase the best in collaboration between economic development, education, training, and libraries. State Librarian Susan Oberlander said, “The availability of this funding has encouraged libraries to study the needs of their communities and create technology projects that will move library users and communities into new information access frontiers.”
Leanne Hathcock, Aztec Public Library Director added that “The Aztec Public Library’s digital arts initiative will become a specialized service component of its Aztec Community Technology Center (ACTC) which began as an effort to meet the challenges and needs of our community in the 21st Century. In fact, the Aztec Public Library was recognized in 2007 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as one of five outstanding libraries featured on a brochure and video entitled, Keeping Your Community Connected; a marketing tool designed for all public libraries to use and spotlights libraries that are developing innovative programs to meet the needs of their communities. The Aztec Community Technology Center (ACTC) is the next in the Library’s programs to bring cutting-edge technologies to the Four Corners. We are pleased that the New Mexico State Library has recognized this potential and has joined the growing list of funders and supporters that are helping this to become a reality.”
LSCA funding is awarded to states by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The New Mexico State Library administers LSCA funding awarded to the state of New Mexico and issues grants to applicants who seek funding as part of a competitive grant program. LSCA grants are available for the development of projects that specifically provide and focus on library services and library activities. All public libraries in New Mexico are eligible for funding.
The New Mexico State Library, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, is responsible for planning and developing statewide library service, administering federal and state aid to public libraries, and serving the information needs of state government and the citizens of New Mexico. It is located at 1209 Camino Carlos Rey, Santa Fe, NM.
Aztec Events 2008
(Tentative Schedules)
• Thursday, May 29th – June 1 Aztec Fiesta Days
• Friday – Sunday, June 20th – 22nd -
3rd Annual Aztec Balloon Festival
• Saturday – Sunday, June 21st – 22nd – Aztec 2nd
Annual Indian Market
• Friday, June 26th – Downtown Gallery Night: Feat of Clay Gallery, Aztec. 334-4335
• July 5th – Animas River Blues Festival www.animasriverblues.com
• Friday, July 25th – Downtown Gallery Night: Feat of Clay Gallery, Aztec. 334-4335
• Friday, August 22nd – Downtown Gallery Night: Feat of Clay Gallery, Aztec. 334-4335
• September 12th – 14th – Antique Truck Show Beverly Pepin, (505) 333-2599
• Saturday, September 13th - Founders Day. Aztec Museum, 334-9829
• Friday, September 26th – Downtown Gallery Night: Feat of Clay Gallery, Aztec. 334-4335
• October 4th – Oktoberfest
• Friday, October 24th – Downtown Gallery Night: Feat of Clay Gallery, Aztec. 334-4335
• November 28th – December 31st - Fantasy of Lights Holiday Show
• December 4th – 6th – Imagine the Enchantment Festival/Pioneer Christmas
For further information and vending opportunities, please call the Aztec Chamber of Commerce at (505) 334-9551 or visit www.aztecchamber.com.
© Copyright 1993-2008 by The Aztec Local News. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor.
The Aztec Local News is a compilation of
articles, poems, stories, opinions, etc. written by area residents. The opinions expressed in these articles are those of the individual authors, and do not
necessarily reflect those of The Aztec Local News.
If information is presented as fact and it is relevant to you, verify it. Although we strive for correctness and honesty, this community paper does not have the resources to check all incoming info.
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The Farmington Red Apple Transit
now has service to
Aztec, Kirtland, Bloomfield, and Flora Vista
Red Apple Transit Dispatch 325-3409
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