Airports in Bennington County, Vermont: Private, Municipal, Regional(All)

Logan County Airport Directory – Your Guide to Air Travel in Northern Colorado

Logan County, Colorado, sits on the eastern edge of the High Plains, bordered by Nebraska to the east and the South Platte River to the north. The county’s largest municipality, Sterling, is home to roughly 14,300 residents and serves as the primary gateway for both commercial and general‑aviation traffic. The airport in Logan County that most travelers encounter is Sterling Regional Airport (STL), a federally‑owned facility located just three miles north of downtown Sterling along U.S. Highway 6. STL handles scheduled airline service, cargo operations, and a full range of passenger amenities, making it the cornerstone of air connectivity for the entire county.

In addition to the regional airport, Logan County maintains its own public‑use field, Logan County Airport (FAA identifier 1V9), situated two miles west of the Sterling city limits. This smaller airport primarily supports general‑aviation pilots, flight‑training schools, and agricultural aviation. The presence of two distinct facilities allows the county to meet the divergent needs of commercial travelers, local businesses, and private pilots without overburdening a single runway.

Logan County Airport Directory

The directory below lists every publicly accessible aviation site within the county’s borders, complete with runway specifications, services offered, and the approximate distance from each major community. All data are sourced from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Master Record (Form 5010) and the Colorado Department of Transportation’s aviation statistics as of 2023.

• Sterling Regional Airport (STL / KSTK) – 5,800‑foot asphalt runway (15/33), instrument landing system, 24‑hour fuel (Jet‑A and Avgas), rental cars, and a small terminal serving United Express and scheduled cargo carriers. Located 3.2 miles north of Sterling’s central business district.
• Logan County Airport (1V9) – 4,100‑foot asphalt runway (08/26), self‑serve 100LL Avgas, tie‑down spaces, and a modest terminal building used for flight‑training and local charter operations. Positioned 2.0 miles west of Sterling, approximately 0.5 miles from the county fairgrounds.
• Peetz Private Airstrip (FAA: 5CO1) – 2,500‑foot turf strip located 9 miles southeast of Sterling, serving the agricultural community of Peetz (population 270). No fuel; pilots rely on 1V9 for refueling.
• Merino Grass Field (unregistered) – An unpaved landing area near the unincorporated community of Merino, roughly 12 miles west of Sterling. Used chiefly for crop‑dusting and occasional emergency landings.

Airport Serving Logan County – Commercial and Cargo Options

Sterling Regional Airport is the only airport in Logan County that offers scheduled airline service. United Airlines operates daily flights to Denver International Airport (DEN) using 76‑seat Embraer 175 jets, providing a vital link for business travelers, medical evacuations, and tourists heading to the Rocky Mountains. In 2022, STL handled 42,000 passenger enplanements, a 7 % increase over the previous year, reflecting the county’s growing demand for air travel.

Beyond passenger service, STL hosts a robust cargo operation. FedEx Express and UPS Airlines maintain nightly freight flights that transport agricultural produce, industrial parts, and e‑commerce parcels to markets across the United States. The cargo terminal occupies 12,000 square feet and offers temperature‑controlled storage for perishable goods—a crucial feature for Logan County’s wheat and cattle industries.

Communities in Logan County with Airport Access

The county’s dispersed population benefits from short driving distances to either STL or 1V9. Below are the most commonly cited travel times from each community to the nearest airport facility:

• Sterling – 5‑minute drive (3.2 mi) to STL; 8‑minute drive (2 mi) to 1V9.
• Iliffe – 15‑minute drive (14 mi) east to STL; 16‑minute drive (13 mi) east to 1V9 via County Road 49.
• Crook – 12‑minute drive (9 mi) west to STL; 10‑minute drive (8 mi) west to 1V9.
• Peetz – 20‑minute drive (9 mi) southeast to STL; 22‑minute drive (10 mi) to 1V9, plus a short hop to the private Peetz Airstrip for agricultural flights.
• Merino – 25‑minute drive (12 mi) west to STL; 23‑minute drive (11 mi) to 1V9, with the local grass field used for crop‑dusting.
• Unincorporated areas along County Road 4 – 30‑minute drive (15‑mi radius) to either airport, depending on exact location.

These travel times illustrate why Logan County’s aviation network is considered highly accessible despite its rural character. The county’s road system, especially U.S. Highway 6 and Colorado State Highway 14, provides direct routes to both airports, and the relatively flat terrain ensures year‑round operability for most aircraft.

Sterling Regional Airport – Commercial Hub Details

STL’s terminal building, renovated in 2019, includes a TSA‑screened security checkpoint, a small restaurant serving locally sourced meals, free Wi‑Fi, and a conference room that local chambers of commerce rent for business meetings. The airport’s Fixed‑Base Operator (FBO), Logan Aviation Services, offers 24‑hour self‑service fuel, aircraft maintenance, and a pilot lounge equipped with flight‑planning computers.

For passengers with special needs, STL provides wheelchair assistance, accessible restrooms, and a curb‑side pick‑up zone for rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft. The airport’s proximity to the Sterling Regional Medical Center (approximately 4 mi north) also makes it a critical hub for medical transport and air ambulance operations.

Logan County Airport (1V9) – General‑Aviation Focus

While STL handles the bulk of commercial traffic, 1V9 is the workhorse for local pilots. The runway’s 4,100‑foot length accommodates single‑engine pistons, light twins, and small turboprop aircraft such as the Cessna 208 Caravan, frequently used for aerial seeding and livestock surveys. The airport’s tie‑down area accommodates up to 30 aircraft, and a modest hangar complex provides space for private owners and flight schools.

In 2023, 1V9 recorded 12,400 aircraft operations, a 4 % rise driven largely by increased agricultural flight activity during the spring planting season. The airport’s fuel farm includes a 2,500‑gallon Avgas tank, and a pilot‑controlled fuel pump allows for after‑hours refueling, a valuable feature for emergency response teams operating out of the nearby county emergency services depot.

Transportation Links and Ground Services

Both STL and 1V9 are served by a network of shuttle buses, taxi firms, and rental‑car agencies. The county’s public‑transit agency, Logan County Transit, runs a twice‑daily route between downtown Sterling and the regional airport, timed to meet the United Express morning and evening flights. For travelers heading to Iliffe, Crook, or Peetz, the county provides a “Rural Air Shuttle” that departs from the 1V9 terminal on the hour, offering a convenient connection for business owners and agricultural operators.

Road signage along U.S. Highway 6 clearly indicates the distance to each airport, and a series of turn‑by‑turn GPS waypoints are pre‑loaded into the county’s tourism app, LoganFly, which also offers real‑time parking availability at STL’s 150‑space lot.

Future Development and County Aviation Plans

Logan County’s aviation master plan, adopted in 2022, outlines a series of upgrades slated for the next decade. Key initiatives include extending STL’s runway from 5,800 to 6,500 feet to accommodate larger regional jets, installing a second parallel taxiway to increase ground‑movement efficiency, and expanding the cargo terminal by 8,000 square feet to meet growing demand from the county’s agribusiness sector.

On the general‑aviation side, the county intends to construct an additional 10‑space hangar at 1V9 and upgrade its lighting system to LED technology, reducing energy consumption by an estimated 30 %. These investments are expected to attract new flight‑training schools and boost tourism‑related air traffic, further solidifying Logan County’s reputation as a well‑connected hub on Colorado’s eastern plains.

Frequently Asked Questions — Logan County Airport Services

What airport in Logan County, Colorado provides commercial airline service?

Sterling Regional Airport (STL) is the only airport in Logan County that offers scheduled commercial airline service, with United Express flights to Denver International Airport operating daily.

How far is Logan County Airport (1V9) from the town of Iliff, Colorado?

Logan County Airport (1V9) is approximately 13.5 miles west of Iliff, which translates to a 16‑minute drive via County Road 49 and U.S. Highway 6.

Which airports serve unincorporated communities such as Peetz and Merino in Logan County?

Both Sterling Regional Airport (STL) and Logan County Airport (1V9) serve Peetz and Merino; Peetz is about 9 miles southeast of STL and 10 miles southeast of 1V9, while Merino is roughly 12 miles west of STL and 11 miles west of 1V9. In addition, the private Peetz Airstrip (5CO1) provides a local landing area for agricultural flights.

What cargo and fuel services are available at Sterling Regional Airport for Logan County businesses?

Sterling Regional Airport offers 24‑hour Jet‑A and Avgas fueling through Logan Aviation Services, a 12,000‑square‑foot temperature‑controlled cargo terminal, and overnight freight handling by FedEx Express and UPS Airlines, supporting local agribusiness and manufacturing shipments.

Are there any public‑use helipads or private airstrips near the Logan County fairgrounds?

The Logan County fairgrounds are located within two miles of Logan County Airport (1V9), which includes a designated helipad used by medical‑air transport. Additionally, a private turf strip known as the Merino Grass Field lies about five miles west of the fairgrounds and is occasionally used for agricultural helicopter operations.