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Wyoming Lawmaker Calls for Continued Airport and Workforce Investment to Sustain Rural Air Service
Summary
Representative Harriet Hageman urged sustained Airport Improvement Program funding and support for aviation workforce development to preserve and expand rural air service in Wyoming.
WASHINGTON — Representative Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) told the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development that rural air service is vital to Wyoming’s economy and asked that federal aviation and workforce programs receive sustained funding in fiscal 2026.
Hageman said Wyoming had more than 1.6 million passengers in 2024 and that commercial air service supports an estimated $1.5 billion in annual economic impact and more than 17,000 jobs statewide, citing figures she attributed to the Wyoming Department of Transportation.
Nut graf: Hageman recommended robust Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding, sustained management of federal aviation programs according to statute and investment in FAA workforce development and the Small Community Air Service Development Program to help rural communities compete for air service and contain fares.
Details from testimony
- Airport infrastructure: Hageman praised the AIP increase in the recent FAA reauthorization and urged continued funding to rehabilitate aprons, taxiways, runway lighting and to acquire snow-removal and firefighting equipment.
- Workforce development: Hageman highlighted a shortage of aviation professionals—pilots and maintenance technicians—particularly acute in rural states, and urged investment in FAA aviation workforce development programs and in K–12 and postsecondary pipeline programs.
- Small community air service: She asked the committee to support the Small Community Air Service Development Program, which can help smaller communities obtain or sustain commercial routes using revenue guarantees, marketing agreements and planning studies.
What was not decided: The subcommittee took testimony but did not adopt funding levels or direct specific program allocations. Hageman offered to provide further details if committee members asked for information on which Wyoming airports receive essential air service subsidies.
Ending: Hageman urged appropriators to preserve and prioritize programs that enable rural airports to maintain infrastructure and attract reliable commercial service.
