VTrans reviews state airport system, safety priorities and growing use of drones for inspections

The Vermont Agency of Transportation presented an overview Thursday of the state-owned airport system, staffing, assets and an expanding unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) program that agency officials say has become a regular tool for inspections and emergency response.

Evan Robinson, aviation program manager, told the House Transportation Committee that the agency operates 10 state airports and on the agency’s last count had 263 aircraft based across those fields. He described a mix of aeronautical businesses, hangar leases and fixed-base operators that provide services such as fuel, maintenance and flight instruction.

"We do own and operate 10 state airports ... currently on our last count, we had 263 aircraft based around our 10 airports," Robinson said.

Robinson said the agency’s priorities are safety, FAA compliance and facility maintenance. He walked members through asset counts: 14 runways, 26 taxiways, nine aprons, 23 gates, nine terminal buildings and 270 acres maintained as runway safety area. Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport is the only facility with a Part 139 designation, which allows scheduled commercial air service; Cape Air operates daily flights between Rutland and Burlington.

Robinson and Michelle Boomhower, director of policy, planning and intermodal development at VTrans, described funding for airports as a mix of federal FAA entitlement and discretionary grants, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs, and state T‑fund allocations used largely for maintenance and required state matches. Robinson told the committee the airports’ total revenue for fiscal year 2024 — from leases and fuel sales — was $382,681.

The agency also detailed capital and maintenance needs. Members asked specifically about snow-removal equipment buildings, and Robinson said Rutland’s storage building is inadequate and will be reviewed with the agency’s facilities group as a near-term priority.

Robinson highlighted the UAS program — started to support emergency response during flood events — as a multi-use tool now used for airport layouts, fence-line inspections, hazard and obstruction assessments and public outreach. He said VTrans has four UAS pilots on staff and is working with the FAA to establish standard operating procedures for drone operations on airports.

"Using the UAS has become a really handy tool for the aviation community," Robinson said, adding the UAS program provides photo, video and sensor data used by the agency and local public-safety partners.

Committee members asked about privately owned public-use airports, grass strips such as John H. Boylan in Island Pond and night operations at unlighted fields. Robinson said privately owned public-use airports are not state-funded but are open to the public, and that some small, unattended fields are used at pilots’ own risk and for training.

Robinson also noted pilot- and community-focused programming — youth aviation education, airport appreciation events and local economic development tied to runway capacity — and said VTrans is beginning to plan for infrastructure to support new aviation technologies, including electric aircraft charging. He said Rutland hosts an airside electric aircraft charger and that the land‑side project included EV chargers that are used regularly.

The presentation concluded with committee members asking for follow-up on specific facility timelines and costs; Robinson said he will meet with facilities staff and provide updates.

Sources: presentation to the House Transportation Committee by Evan Robinson and remarks by Michelle Boomhower, Agency of Transportation.