Columbia Airport To Receive New A.W.O.S.

By Bill Johnson Published May 27, 2008 12:30 pm Updated Jan 31, 2009 01:37 pm

Sonora, CA — By a 5-0 vote this morning the Board of Superviors agreed to accept an FAA grant that will drastically upgrade Columbia Airport.

Airport Director Jim Thomas stated that the FAA had offered Columbia a grant totaling $111,240 as part of the agency´s Airport Improvement Program. Columbia will then apply for a 2.5 percent matching grant from Caltrans which means the County will only have to spend $1,800. Thomas added that the County has already spent in excess of $5,000 for repairs to the Automated Weather Operating System (A.W.O.S.).

Thomas added that the new system will allow landings and takeoffs during inclement weather. Currently whenever A.W.O.S. is non-operational Air Med is grounded. In addition the new AWOS will allow pilots to go on-line to check on Columbia Airport weather conditions.

Written by Bill Johnson