In the March 2015 issue we described how the Salina Regional Airport was fashioned out of the remnants of Schilling Air Force Base, which was closed in 1965 and then deeded to the city via the surplus property act.

We noted that the loss of the base was a severe economic blow to the city, and its transformation into a renewed and thriving center of aviation excellence was the result of a long and arduous effort by civic and community leaders who, through their vision, determination, courage, and sweat, guided the project through its many hurdles.

The support of the Schilling Development Council (precursor to the Airport Authority), Kansas Power & Light, and the Salina Journal newspaper, were all instrumental in keeping the vision intact and efforts focused to move forward as the airport evolved into a force of attraction that brought together aviation, education, industry, and jobs.

Since our initial report was two years ago, we were interested to find out what's been happening at SLN. To do so we caught up with airport management intern Elliot Rogers, who provided a wealth of current information on operations, support services, business tenants, and overall economic activity generated by the airport and its industrial center.

Known as "America's fuel stop," Salina Airport's primary runway 17/35 is 12,300x150 feet and it, along with primary taxiways and parking apron area are capable of handling all large, heavy cargo and passenger aircraft. The C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster, and C-5 Galaxy, as well as the civilian B-737 and B-747 all use the runway routinely.

SLN has 2.7 million square feet of ramp space along with an array of buildings available for lease at competitive rates. Hangars of various sizes suitable for both aircraft basing and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) operations are available, as well as landside and airside storage facilities. In addition, a number of prime land parcels are ready for development.

Aircraft, passenger, crew, and ancillary services are provided by Avflight Salina, one of its fifteen world-class FBO facilities offering a wide range of specialty handling and support for airlines, cargo, and large-scale military operations.

Great Lakes Airlines provides daily scheduled passenger service to Denver International (KDEN). The airport also serves as the Forward Operating Location (FOL) for military aviation units that deploy to Saline County, the Great Plains Joint Training Center, and the Kansas Regional Training Institute operated by the Kansas National Guard. With the Smoky Hill Weapons Range Restricted Area being in close proximity, SLN is an ideal location for the guard unit's training activities. 

Airport management and unmanned aircraft systems students from the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus are receiving national recognition for their interdisciplinary research on a current airport industry challenge.

The Airport Cooperative Research Program, which is managed by the Transportation Research Board and sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration, has selected the team of Kansas State Polytechnic students as second place winners in its annual University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs. The five students submitted a project examining an alternative to typical aerial data collection methods at airports titled, "Airport Imagery and Geospatial Data Collection Through the Use of UAS."

The contest, now in its 11th year, invites collegiate students from across the country to propose innovative designs and practical solutions to various airport issues facing the industry today. All of the proposals, which do not have to originate from an aviation-related degree program, were entered into one of four categories in the competition - Airport Operation and Maintenance, Runway Safety/Runway Incursions/Runway Excursions, Airport Environmental Interactions, and Airport Management and Planning - and awards went to the top three schools of each group. Kansas State Polytechnic took second in the Airport Operation and Maintenance category behind Tufts University.

"This is the first time that any K-State student has entered the ACRP competition, so taking home second place is quite an honor and it reflects strongly on our students' work ethic, ambitious ideas and ability to problem solve," said Tara Harl, airport management associate professor and option coordinator at Kansas State Polytechnic. "I think the award also demonstrates the caliber of rigor that the airport management and UAS curriculum provides, giving students the opportunity to engage in real-world projects and gain multiple perspectives by collaborating between majors."

The research project began when Harl and her counterpart in the UAS degree option decided to merge one of their upper level project-based courses so students could gain a better understanding of each other's fields of study and how they connect in industry. Four airport management students and one UAS student formed a team and decided to explore if unmanned aircraft are a viable supplement to an airport's current means of gathering aerial data.

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