HUMBOLDT — It will soon be safer for air ambulances and other aircraft that have to land at the Humboldt airport in low visibility weather.
The city has received $36,500 from the provincial government’s community airport partnership to replace a nondirectional radio beacon and make repairs to the runway. The city will match the funding.
“The nondirectional beacon is an older technology, which is no longer being used,” said Peter Bergquist, Humboldt’s public works director. “We're replacing it with a GPS approach system, which is critical for low visibility situations. When an air ambulance needs to land, they can get closer to the runway with guidance when they can't see.”
Funding will also be used to repair the runway, which has had damage to it caused by the recent wet years.
“Part of the funds that have been approved include installing a drain pipe across the runway, so we don't have water issues there anymore,” Bergquist said.
The provincial government is providing $700,000 in cost-shared grants to nine community airports through the community airport partnership this year.
