Rifle airport closed for runway, taxiway reconstruction

Garfield County Regional Airport in Rifle, Colo., is closed for seven months 

for runway and taxiway construction. The closure applies to fixed-wing aircraft; helicopter operations are allowed during the construction project. The new runway and taxiway are scheduled to reopen November 18. Pilots flying into the airport will appreciate the elimination of the runway’s 1.2-degree slope as well as realignment of the runway for better instrument approach configuration and addition of safety areas on the runway ends. The runway project will cost $26.8 million. Garfield County FBO Atlantic Aviation will remain open during the runway project, according to a company spokeswoman, and will maintain a smaller staff at the FBO until the runway reopens.