Airport manager: Aviation critical to Wyoming

Aviation is critical to Wyoming’s economic vitality, and a 2020 Aviation Economic Impact Study puts that reality into perspective.

That’s according to Devon Brubaker, director of the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport in Wyoming and the 2017 Airport Manager of the Year.

Brubaker was a member of a panel that met via Zoom Wednesday to unveil the results of the joint Wyoming Department of Transportation and Wyoming Airports Coalition study. The study was done to determine the annual impact of the state’s 34 public airports.

According to Jim Elwood, director of the Jackson Hole Airport and emcee for the panel presentation, Wyoming has nine commercial service airports – those served by commercial air companies. The remaining 25 are general aviation airports.

But Elwood said those airports also meet important needs including air ambulance service, air freight, agricultural needs such as aerial spraying and firefighting.

Also on Wednesday’s panel were Diane Shober, director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism; Josh Dorrell, CEO of the Wyoming Business Council; and Mike Wandler, president of L&H Industrial. Sheridan Media will have more on their comments in future stories.