Rifle Garfield County Airport

Rifle Garfield County Airport landing fee portal

Effective December 1, 2024, landing fees are managed by Vector Airport Systems via the PLANEPASS© service, on behalf of the airport. This is a new fee billing and collection service for pilots and plane owners utilizing Rifle Garfield County Airport.

If applicable, any fees charged by our fixed base operators (FBOs) are separate from the fees billed and collected by Vector.

Landing fee billing and collection service

Request for Concept Plans period has ended

The Board of County Commissioners of Garfield County, Colorado, owner, and operator of the Rifle Garfield County Airport (RIL) issued a Request for Concept Plans on August 27, 2024, from which one proposal was submitted by the October 23, 2024, 2 p.m. deadline. The sole purpose and intent of this process was to make available airport land for aeronautical use in an open and fair manner to all interested aviation users.

Request for Concept Plans questions answered

Carver named new Rifle Garfield County Airport director

Sam Carver has been named the new director at the Rifle Garfield County Airport, bringing nearly three decades of experience in the aviation industry to the burgeoning airfield. Garfield County conducted a robust hiring process that yielded five highly qualified candidates, out of which the former airport director for the City of Fernandina Beach, Florida rose to the top.
Carver named airport director

Airport user meeting notes

• Collision Avoidance

• Beginning in 2024, the Airport Administration Office must have updated car insurance for all airport users. It is the airport user’s responsibility to send in current proof of insurance. If current proof of insurance is not sent to the Administrative Assistant, all gate cards on the permit will be deactivated. There is a $20 reactivation fee per card.

• Piggybacking charges go to the user who opened the gate AND the user who followed through the gate. The first infraction is $50, second and third infractions are $250 each.

CareFlight

We are proud to host CareFlight here at RIL. CareFlight started providing medical care to Western Colorado in 1976. In 2017, CareFlight brought out a helicopter to the Rifle Garfield County Airport to be closer to the patients in the surrounding counties. The Astar 350 helicopter is staffed with a mountain-trained pilot, a critical care nurse, and a paramedic. For more information, please visit
CareFlight

Airport Master Plan and Airport Layout Plan

Weather

Rifle Garfield County Airport RIL weather

For current reported weather, please call:
RIL ASOS t 970-625-2206

Rifle weather averages

Average temperature (high) 64 degrees F – (low) 31 degrees F
Average precipitation 11.61 inches
Average snowfall 38.6 inches
January (high) 37 degrees F – (low), 10 degrees F
July (high) 90 degrees F – (low), 52 degrees F

RIL Obstruction Survey & FAA Instrument Procedure Update: 02APR21

The FAA is currently working with the Armstrong/LEAN/Woolpert team to finalize the processing of the latest aeronautical survey and implement the obstacle information into the next available instrument procedure update. (Then please include the table below)

Procedure

Current Minimums*

Highest Anticipated Minimums*

Lowest Anticipated Minimums*

CAT
D

RNAV (GPS) Y Rwy 8

1922ft – 3 mi

1000ft – 3 mi

Yes

ILS Rwy 26

1263ft – 4 mi

900 ft 2 ½ mi

673ft – 1 ¾ mi

Yes

RNAV (GPS) X Rwy 26

763ft – 2 ¼ mi

665ft 2 mi

296ft – ¾ mi

Yes

RNAV (GPS) W Rwy 26

1643ft – 3 mi

1643 – 3 mi

Yes

LOC DME-A

2243ft – 3 mi

Yes

*Minimums shown above are for CAT C approach speeds

UAS training facility

A new facility designed to house small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and a flight-qualification course is located at the Rifle Garfield County Airport. The CoE will proctor drone training in the building.
UAS training-|

Call before using drones

Drones are growing in popularity, but they may cause conflicts with local aircraft. Enthusiasts are asked to phone first to check on whether or not they may affect aircraft flying to or from Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs.
Federal Aviation Administration-|

Business jet airfield

Rifle Garfield County Airport was the third busiest general aviation airport in Colorado in 2016, because of diversions from higher mountain airports which sustain frequent weather delays. The FBO is Atlantic Aviation.
Airport video-|