Aviation View | Volume 2, Issue 1

166 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 and goes. We are excited to see the number of transits stopping. Four helicopters have stopped for Jet fuel while in transit across the country, one was a medevac helicopter transporting a patient. We were excited to be able to help these pilots out by having Jet fuel available” says Johnston. During the extensive renovations at the airport, the aircraft stationed at the airfield needed to relocate. While the work took a few months, pilots are already thankful and excited about the completed upgrades. Johnston gives credit to Paulsen Inc. and Olsson Engineering – two firms that were vital to the success of the project. Like all rural airports across the country, space for aircraft parking is at a premium, and there are plans to build additional hangars in the future. According to Johnston, “Many young people are interested in getting a pilot’s license, which we hope will bring more planes to our field.” Jack was a CFI in the past and instructed eager new pilots himself, one of his past students now flies 737 MAX aircraft for UNITED AIRLINES. He has now decided to take a back seat in that particular area. But he won’t be resting. Since the airfield has no fixed base operators (FBOs), Johnston and his lean crew are responsible for picking up the slack. He adds, “I’m retired and live ½ mile off the west end of the runway ,so I know when a lot of the planes come in and go out over my house. If I know a plane is coming in, I like to go meet and greet the pilots and passengers and welcome them to Thedford.” While Thomas County Airport is small, the management team have started to work on their 20-year master plan for KTIF. Overall, the projects will cost in the millions. In the near future, possably as early as November of 2022, the airport will be installing a glide slope lighting system called PAPI. This system will inform pilots, on landing, if they have the correct glide slope, or whether they are too high or too low.