The remoteness of the Wet Mountain Valley extends to more than just the time, altitude, and distance required to reach the region, traveling along the jagged crust of the earth. The same remoteness of land also applies to the air for fixed-wing or rotorcraft. The Sangre de Cristo and Wet Mountains create their unique atmospheric conditions for aircraft, and, if possible, many lower-flying craft choose to go around rather than over these mountains. However, there are situations where time is of the essence to reach critical care and emergency facilities along the Front Range, and the Wet Mountain Valley is the fastest route to those urban areas.
For years, the Custer County government has been working to build and install a jet fuel tank and pumping station at the SilverWest airport, located 10 miles south of town along Highway 69, which will enable the sale of higher-grade aviation fuel than is currently available. The term âjet fuelâ is somewhat misleading, as helicopters are the primary users of such fuel in this region. And on June 12, the newly completed jet fuel tank served its first emergency purpose.
According to the SilverWest Airport Manager, Clyde Butler, an emergency Bell 207 Helicopter was transporting a critically ill patient from New Mexico to Denver when a mechanical error prevented the crew from transferring fuel from the aircraftâs auxiliary tank to the main fuel tank that feeds the engine.
This left the pilots with a limited range to refuel, and the only location was the new jet fuel tank at the SilverWest airport. The press release stated, âThey determined the best way to deal with this issue would be to make a fast fuel stop to refill the main tank. A quick search of the air navigation app known as Fore Flight indicated the closest airport with Jet Fuel available would be the SilverWest Airport. The crew made a normal landing and refueled the aircraft with the engine running. A procedure commonly known as a âhot refueling.ââ
Fortune would find that the Chairman of the Airport Board, Brian Anderson, was at the airport and was able to quickly help the helicopter get back in the air after the hot refueling. According to Anderson, the helicopter was carrying a crew of three: a pilot, a trauma nurse, a flight paramedic, and the one patient. The helicopter quickly departed with a very short delay thanks to the new fuel tank.
The subject of the jet fuel tank has been contentious, with some locals questioning whether the $450,000 price tag of the system was worth it. However, most of the money came from various grants and organizations that saw a need for a refueling location somewhere in the region. Approximately one-third of the funds came from the COVID-19 relief measures, specifically the American Rescue Plan of 2021, which aimed to stimulate investment and boost the economy with $1.9 trillion in spending. Capital projects to modernize infrastructure was a priority for the rescue package.
The rest came from the Colorado Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration grant designed to help small airports upgrade their infrastructure.
One of the benefits of the jet fuel tank is that helicopters fighting local forest fires will not have to return to a distant airfield to refuel. In other situations, a jet fuel tanker truck is dispatched to a landing zone near the fire; however, this is expensive and takes a considerable amount of time for the tanker truck to arrive. The same also applies to the many search and rescue missions in the region, as it often takes multiple trips to insert and remove victims and rescuers alike.
Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith stated, âThe Sheriffâs Office is pleased that jet fuel is now available to support local critical public safety needs. The helicopter is an essential tool for both critical medical calls and search and rescue missions. Just recently, we requested a total of three medical helicopters to support a motorcycle crash on Highway 165.â Robyn Knappe, Custer Countyâs Director of Emergency Management, added, âHaving jet fuel available will save time and lives.â
To cover the costs and maintenance of the pump and tank, SilverWest Airport is selling fuel to recreational flyers, and it is hoped that this will bring increased traffic not only to the airport but also to serve the local economy. Â
Jordan Hedberg
