Southwest Wyo. Regional Airport plans for future

While continuing to struggle with pilot shortages and industry challenges, the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport is looking to the future and hopeful in finding ways forward to continue improving service.

Airport Director Devon Brubaker recently gave updates on the airport's current situation and future plans to Sweetwater County residents during an Airport Master Plan Community Meeting and to the county during Tuesday's Board of County Commissioners meeting.

The airport has had "another year of stifled recovery" according to Brubaker. He explained that the SWRA, like many other airports, is still experiencing "a post-pandemic honeymoon of sorts," facing an increased demand for travel. However, meeting this increased demand remains a problem with a crisis-level shortage of pilots around the nation, as well as shortages in other positions, from flight crews to maintenance to traffic control to customer service. The SWRA is one of many airports around the country that has lost more than 25% of their services.

There is hope for the future, however, according to Brubaker. He noted that some of the problems in the supply and demand of pilots are leveling out, and several major airlines are working on growth plans in markets that support our community, such as Denver.

Currently the SWRA is operating at nine weekly round-trip flights to Denver, but Brubaker hopes to see the return of a second daily flight by this summer. Passenger numbers and demand also remain strong, even outpacing pre-pandemic demand, so the airport will continue to work on having the capacity to meet the demand.

"Getting these flights back will be really, really important," Brubaker said.

The downside, however, is that Brubaker anticipates initial billings to be higher, and he expects new contract rates with SkyWest starting in July, which means there will likely be a cost increase for air service.

"Very transparent today - there's going to be some good news and some news that's not so welcome, but I want you all to not be surprised by it when I do come back and there are number increases," Brubaker told the commissioners.

The project to build a new commercial terminal at the airport is also still in the works, but has been slowed down due to legal proceedings, Brubaker explained. The airport has selected a new construction company for the project and is working with Q&D Construction, which specializes in airport terminal projects. The airport board is working on the possibility of having Q&D Construction start early work constructing temporary facilities.

Other projects the airport is working on include water and sewer upgrades, runway and taxiway lighting rehabilitation, a snow removal equipment building, a high speed runway broom acquisition, and conversion of a building into an aircraft hangar space.

Looking to the future, the airport is also working with cell phone provider companies on a lease for the construction of a new cell phone tower, working with a new aircraft maintenance business coming to Sweetwater County to provide a lease for hangar space, and working with Frontier Carbon Solutions to look at opportunities to develop a decarbonization hub at the airport.

"We would be the first airport in the world to have an airport-based decarbonization hub," Brubaker explained, adding that it's "a phenomenal opportunity for the airport to meet our customer's needs while supporting an industry that's growing in Sweetwater County while also monetizing the assets of the airport."