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WORLAND – GDA Engineers of Cody will hold the second Worland Airport Master Plan meeting on Monday at the Worland Airport Terminal. The meeting will convene at 4 p.m. and focus on the firm’s aviation forecast and the results of an Airport User Survey supplied by GDA earlier this month. The meeting is open to the public.

According to meeting minutes from the first Master Plan meeting on May 12, Rick Patton, GDA Principal Planner, provided an overview of the funding available to airports, highlighting federal funding sources from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), such as non-primary entitlement funds and discretionary funds. He also discussed state apportionment funds available to Wyoming airports statewide. He explained that federal funds are derived from user fees. Patton noted that when projects are funded with federal dollars, 90 percent of the costs are covered by the FAA, leaving 10 percent to be split between the state, which pays 6 percent in Wyoming, and the sponsor, which pays the remaining 4 percent.

Patton explained that 34 of the 40 airports within Wyoming are funded through the AIP. He then went on to explain the commercial service program and mentioned the EAS. Patton mentioned how the airport is struggling to keep services due to loss of pilots similar to much of the state. In the case of the Worland airport, Patton noted that the facility could use a few improvements, although it is meeting most of the needs of the current users.

Monday’s forecast discussion will examine the overall planning process for the airport, based on demand, which ultimately defines the airport’s ability to accommodate existing and future air traffic. Forecasting determines the type and size of development. Forecast predictions for the Worland Airport through 2034 will be presented at Monday’s meeting.