SD airports with better maintenance
The SD DOT Office of Air, Rail & Transit initiated a Best Maintained Airport award program in 2004. There was an award for "Best Maintained GA Small Airport" and another award for "Best Maintained Large GA Airport". The Office of Air, Rail & Transit inspects all public airports in SD annually.
criteria
The criteria for the annual SD Airport Awards are:
- All lights must be working at the airport, including PAPIs (Precision Approach Path Indicators) and headlights (if applicable). There must be no blown bulbs, damaged sockets, missing lights, etc.
- The airport needs to be cut in all areas that need to be cut.
- All fences must be well maintained and all gates must be closed and bolted.
- The access road must be in good condition, without holes or bumps.
- Airports need to keep their sidewalks in working condition – which means proper maintenance like crack sealing, crack repair and FOD (Foreign Object Waste) removal needs to be performed.
- There must be no obstacles in the area of the approach slope. Obstacles are usually trees but can be anything that penetrates the various slopes.
- Lane markings must meet FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) standards and be in good condition.
- All signs leading to and around the airport (airside signs) must be legible, straight, not faded and in the correct position.
- The airport must have a clean appearance, be free of debris and be properly maintained. In general, it should look good and be pleasing to the eye.
Awards Program 2018 - Present
As of 2018, four categories of airports were eligible for the Best Maintained Airport award.
Airport categories:
Basic service airports:
Arlington, Corsica, Fairburn (Custer State Park), Groton, Herreid, Howard, Isabel, Kadoka, Kimball, Lago Andes, Presho, Timber Lake, White River. [Footnote: Harrold went private in 2010; Dupree closed in 2011; North Sioux City's private sector was no longer public in 2011; McIntosh closed in 2013; Bowdle went private in 2015; Lake Preston closed in May 2019; Clear Lake closed November 2020]
Small general aviation airports:
Bison, Buffalo, Canton, Clark, DeSmet, Eagle Butte, Edgemont, Eureka, Faith, Faulkton, Flandreau, Highmore, Hoven, Martin, McLaughlin, Murdo, Onida, Parkston, Pine Ridge, Platte, Rosebud, Sisseton, Springfield, Wall, Webster, Wessington Springs.
Medium general aviation airports:
Belle Fourche, Britton, Chamberlain, Custer, Gettysburg, Gregory, Hot Springs, Lemmon, Milbank, Miller, Mobridge, Philip, Redfield, Sturgis, Vermillion, Wagner, Gewinner.
Major general aviation airports:
Brookings, Madison, Mitchell, Spearfish, Tee, Yankton.
Airline airports are excluded from consideration:
Aberdeen, Brookings, Huron, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown.
awards
| Presented at the SD Airports Conference held in Pierre on April 7, 2022 | |||
| 2021 | Basic service: | Custer State Park | Matt Synder, airport manager |
| AG small: | Believe | Dave Gebhart, airport manager | |
| GA average: | winner | Dave Howard, airport manager | |
| big GA: | Madison | Morris Riggin, airport manager | |
Tom Koch, SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit, holds the Best Basic Service Airport Maintenance Award, which will be presented to Matt Synder, Custer State Park Airport Manager at a later date.
Tom Koch, SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit, holds the Best Maintained General Aviation Small Airport Award, which will be presented to Dave Gebhart, Faith Airport Manager at a later date.
Tom Koch (left) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit presented Dave Howard (right), Airport Manager, and Tessa Howard (center), Howard Aviation, with the Medium General Aviation Airport Best Maintenance Award.
Tom Koch (left) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit, presented the Best Serviced Large General Aviation Airport award to Madison Airport; Received by Myron Downs (right) for presentation to airport manager Morris Riggin at a later date.
| Presented at the SD Airports Conference, held virtually on March 31, 2021 | |||
| 2020 | Basic service: | Arlington | Marshall Mix, airport manager |
| AG small: | clientele | Brenden Hendrickson, airport manager | |
| GA average: | Sturgis | Roger Burnham, airport manager | |
| big GA: | underwater fish | Ray Jilek, airport manager | |
Tom Koch, SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit, holds the Best Maintenance Basic Service Airport Award to be presented to the Arlington Airport Manager at a later date.
Tom Koch (links) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit, überreichte den Best Maintained General Aviation Small Airport Award an Brenden Hendrickson (rechts), Custer County Airport Manager.
Tom Koch (links) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit, überreichte Roger Burnham (Mitte), Sturgis Airport Manager, und Dave Smith (rechts), Director of Planning and Allowing, den Best Maintained Average General Aviation Airport Award.
Tom Koch (left) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit presented the Best High Maintenance General Aviation Airport Award to Ray Jilek (middle), Airport Manager Clyde Ice Field-Spearfish and Laura Jilek (right), Eagle Aviation.
| Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Rapid City on March 12, 2020 | |||
| 2019 | Basic service: | white river | Katherine O'Brien, airport manager |
| AG small: | kingfisher | Paul Noel, airport manager | |
| GA average: | lemon | Mike Ginther, airport manager | |
| big GA: | Mitchell | Mike Scherschligt, airport manager | |
Tom Koch (links) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit, überreichte den Best Maintained General Aviation Small Airport Award an Paul Noel (rechts), Martin Airport Manager.
Tom Koch (left) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit presented the Best Maintenance Medium Medium General Aviation Airport Award to Pat Bootz (right), Chair of the Lemmon Airport Advisory Board.
| Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Watertown on March 27, 2019 | |||
| 2018 | Basic service: | Groton | Terry Herron, airport manager |
| AG small: | County Harding | Will Henderson, airport manager | |
| GA average: | Hot Springs | Ed Jensen, airport manager | |
| big GA: | Yankton | Mike Roinstad, Airport Supervisor | |
Tom Koch (left) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit presented Ed Jensen (right), Hot Springs Airport Manager, with the Best Maintenance Medium General Aviation Airport Award.
Tom Koch (links) SD DOT, Office of Air, Rail & Transit, überreichte Mike Roinstad (rechts), Supervisor, Chan Gurney Airport, Yankton, den Best Maintained Large General Aviation Airport Award.
Awards program 2011 - 2017
From 2011 to 2017, three categories of airports were eligible for the Best Maintained Airport award based on the new categories of the State Aviation System Plan SD 2010-2030.
Airport categories:
Basic service airports:
Arlington, Clear Lake, Corsica, Fairburn, Groton, Herreid, Howard, Isabel, Kadoka, Kimball, Andes Lake, Preston Lake, Presho, Timber Lake, White River. [Footnote: Harrold went private in 2010; Dupree closed in 2011; North Sioux City's private sector was no longer public in 2011; McIntosh closed in 2013; Bowdle went private in 2015]
Small general aviation airports:
Bison, Buffalo, Canton, Clark, DeSmet, Eagle Butte, Edgemont, Eureka, Faith, Faulkton, Flandreau, Highmore, Hoven, Martin, McLaughlin, Murdo, Onida, Parkston, Pine Ridge, Platte, Rosebud, Sisseton, Springfield, Wall, Webster, Wessington Springs.
Medium general aviation airports:
Belle Fourche, Britton, Chamberlain, Custer, Gettysburg, Gregory, Hot Springs, Lemmon, Milbank, Miller, Mobridge, Philip, Redfield, Sturgis, Vermillion, Wagner, Gewinner.
Major general aviation airports:
Brookings, Madison, Mitchell, Spearfish, Tee, Yankton.
Airline airports are excluded from consideration:
Aberdeen, Huron, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown.
Awards:
Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Deadwood on April 11, 2018 | |||
| 2017 | Basic service: | manages See | Don Ebbers, Gerente do Aeroporto |
| AG small: | McLaughlin | Lornie Hach, airport manager | |
| Medium and large GA: | Müller | Terry Manning, Flughafenmanager | |
Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Mitchell on March 29, 2017 | |||
| 2016 | Basic service: | Howard | Tim Clarke, airport manager |
| AG small: | Canton | Bill Nelson, airport manager | |
| Medium and large GA: | Hot Springs | Ed Jensen, airport manager | |
Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Deadwood on April 6, 2016 | |||
| 2015 | Basic service: | Arlington | Amiel Redfish, Airport Mayor/Manager |
| AG small: | DeSmet | Ryan Petersen, airport manager | |
| Medium and large GA: | winner | David & Tessa Howard, airport managers | |
Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Sioux Falls on March 19, 2015 | |||
| 2014 | Basic service: | Arlington | Gene Lohan, Superintendent of Public Services |
| AG small: | DeSmet | Ryan Petersen, airport manager | |
| Medium and large GA: | nice fork | Jim & Valerie Anderson, airport managers | |
Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Spearfish on March 27, 2014 | |||
| 2013 | Basic service: | Arlington | Gene Lohan, Superintendent of Public Services |
| AG small: | Parkston | Brenda Hüther, Chief Financial Officer | |
| Medium and large GA: | underwater fish | Ray Jilek, airport manager | |
Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Oacoma on March 27, 2013. | |||
| 2012 | Basic service: | Presco | Dustin Smith, airport manager |
| AG small: | DeSmet | Ryan Petersen, airport manager | |
| Medium and large GA: | milk bank | Jason Kettwig, City Administrator | |
| Presented at the SD Airports Conference in Deadwood on March 14, 2012. | |||
| 2011 | Basic service: | Fairburn (Custer State Park) | Augie Heyne |
| AG small: | No time | Terry Barber, airport manager | |
| Medium and large GA: | winner | Don Bice, airport manager | |
Awards program 2004–2010
Airport Categories
Small general aviation airports:
Arlington, Bison, Bowdle, Buffalo, Clear Lake, Córsega, Custer, Custer State Park (Fairburn), Dupree, Edgemont, Eureka, Faulkton, Flandreau, Harrold, Herreid, Highmore, Howard, Isabel, Kadoka, Kimball, Lago Andes, Lago Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Murdo, North Sioux City (privado), Onida, Parkston, Platte, Presho, Redfield, Timber Lake, Wall, White River.
Major general aviation airports:
Belle Fourche, Britton, Canton, Chamberlain, Clark, DeSmet, Eagle Butte, Faith, Gettysburg, Gregory, Hot Springs, Hoven, Lemmon, Madison, McLaughlin, Milbank, Miller, Mitchell, Mobridge, Philip, Pine Ridge, Sisseton, Spearfish, Springfield, Sturgis, Tea, Vermillion, Wagner, Webster, Wessington Springs, Winner, Yankton (Yankton was first eligible in 2007 and previously classified as an airline airport).
Airline airports are excluded from consideration:
Aberdeen, Brookings, Huron, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown.
awards
| Again | AG small | big ga | |
| 2010 | Wand | Mitchell | Presented at the SD Airports Conference 2011 in Watertown |
| 2009 | Custer Co. | Yankton | Presented at the SD Airports Conference 2010 in Deadwood |
| 2008 | Wand | Yankton | Presented at the SD Airports Conference 2009 in Aberdeen |
| 2007 | manages See | winner | Presented at SD Airports Conference 2008, Deadwood |
| 2006 | Parkston | Mitchell | presented at the SD Airports Conference 2007 in Yankton |
| 2005 | Eureka | Mobridge | Presented at the SD Airports Conference 2006 in Deadwood |
| 2004 | Wand | Madison | Presented at SD Airports Conference 2005, Huron |