Board: Operations rising at Hurricane as Saint George restrictions shift traffic

Airport staff told the board that Hurricane is handling a marked rise in traffic as some pilots and flight schools relocate pattern work from Saint George. Dave (speaker S4) said the airport has "already at 20,000 operations for this year" and that the surge includes many aircraft not based at Hurricane.

Board members tied part of that increase to Saint George's PPR (prior permission required) restrictions, which limit pattern practice and have led some flight schools to use Hurricane or Colorado City instead. Members discussed how the PPR was intended to reduce operations during Saint George construction but that its continuation has shifted routine training work and general-aviation traffic.

Dave and other members noted Hurricane's role as a federal "reliever airport" and said the board expects continued higher activity as temporary measures at Saint George remain in place through October and as a temporary tower is planned for Saint George.