MEEKER | Built in 1946 as a dusty gravel strip, Coulter Field Meeker Airport has evolved into a modern general aviation hub — and it’s still growing. Decades later, the airport remains an important connector for the isolated northwest Colorado community.
While Rio Blanco County owns the airfield, which includes the ramps, taxiway, and runway along with the surrounding land and building in which there is a pilot’s lounge and residence, the business side of operating or managing the airport arose from Gary Coulter’s desire to provide an airport for the use and benefit of the public. In that spirit, Meeker Airport, Inc. was established as a private business and in June of 1960, Meeker Airport contracted with Rio Blanco County to operate a Fixed-Based Operation (FBO) to provide aviation services for the flying community and manage the airport in its entirety.
When his son, Lanny Coulter, joined the business full time in 1976, the two of them formed Coulter Aviation, as a dba under Meeker Airport, Inc. Following Gary’s death in 2013, Lanny has continued to manage the airport alongside his wife, Danette, and daughter, Brianne.
“My dad operated it for 50 years, and we’ve kept it going ever since I became a full time employee with Coulter Aviation,” said Lanny Coulter.
Today, Coulter Field Meeker Airport is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week as it has been for the past 65 years. When it comes to funding, the airport is federally funded, which is a 90/10 split. Lanny Coulter went on to explain the split and how it works.
“Whenever you’ve got a major construction project coming up, like this large or this small aircraft apron, it’s a 90/10 split. The federal government picks up 90%. With the state of Colorado, and our ties with them, they pick up 5%, and the county will have to pick up 5%, so the county funding will be 5% for the 95% match,” Coulter said.
In 2013, the airport went through a major reconstruction project; and had to shut down for a full year. Thanks to the complete reconstruction, the airport boasts a widened runway and a large aircraft apron.
“It can now accommodate basically any size business jet,” Coulter said.
On a typical day, Lanny Coulter arrives at the airport before 8 a.m. in the morning, and then it is business as usual. During the winter months, it slows down, but Coulter and the rest of his staff still keep the airport 100% operational during those slower months.
“We keep the airport 100% operational, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but there’s not much traffic other than us small guys in the winter. In the summer is when all of the jets and small aircrafts come in, visiting all of the lodges up the river and bringing in private landowners and their guests. We have a lot of smaller aircraft that come in as well sometimes just for breakfast, lunch, or special events such as the Sheepdog Trials. With the new flight school on the field, we also have many locals who have their airplanes based here so there can be a lot of pilots in the air on any given day,” Coulter said.
As for what they offer at Coulter Field Meeker Airport, manager Lanny Coulter explained:
“We offer maintenance, hangar rentals, and fuel sales (both jet and 100LL AvGas) as well as a courtesy car for those who need to get to town. My daughter takes care of any catering orders that may be requested. We just brought in a new flight school, Blunt Aviation, so we are pretty much a full-service FBO, which Meeker and Rio Blanco County is just so fortunate to have. This airport will rival any airport on the Western Slope of Colorado other than your airline airports like Grand Junction and Eagles,” Coulter said.
When it comes to partnerships, there are no partnerships whatsoever. Coulter explained that the airport is a public-use airport and that it serves a critical role in public safety, such as Flight for Life, which uses the airfield regularly.
“I’d be willing to say there’s not a week go by during the year we don’t have an emergency services aircraft using the airport — the Flight for Life for example. It’s a huge central hub when we’re in fire season. They usually use this airport as a helicopter base. They base the heavy helicopters here if there’s fire in the vicinity,” Coulter said.
In addition to the aviation services, Coulter Aviation provides private entity recently built four new 100-by-120-foot hangars at the far end of the airport, adding to the hangar space available for sale or rent. All the hangars at the airport are privately owned. Another major upgrade is just around the corner, which will include a full reconstruction of the small aircraft apron this summer. This will be the first heavy maintenance it will receive in 40 years.
Despite the progress, they don’t know what’s in store for them as for long-term goals, due to the fact that the future of the airport is closely tied to the future of Meeker itself.
“With the coal mine and power plant shutting down, it’s a little worrisome. It could impact growth and funding,” Coulter admitted.
Above all, the airport remains a point of pride for the region.
“Rio Blanco County and Meeker, Colorado, are extremely fortunate to have an airport of this category,” Coulter said. “You just don’t see many small-town airports with the services and facilities that this one has. Between emergency response, business aviation, and general use — it’s a great community asset. The county has done a great job with it, and our town should be proud.”
As the aviation landscape continues to evolve, Coulter Field Meeker Airport stands as a testament to community commitment, local leadership, and long-term vision. Whether it’s welcoming business jets, supporting emergency response, serving as a hub for summer tourism, or training future pilots, the airport continues to prove that even in a small town, aviation can make a big impact.
