Airport board recommends updated noise-abatement guidance, suggests voluntary traffic pattern and night-landing language

HURRICANE, Utah — The Hurricane City Airport Board recommended changes to the airport's noise-abatement policy that would add a suggested traffic-pattern diagram, clarify that safety is the primary factor in pattern adherence and discourage night landings where runway lighting is not available.

The recommendation, passed by the board in a motion approved by members present, asks the City Council to adopt language that (1) presents a visual "crop-circle" diagram showing recommended downwind/base turns for fixed-wing and helicopter traffic; (2) explicitly states that "safety of flight is the primary factor" and that pilots may deviate as required by current weather, aircraft and pilot capabilities; and (3) requests that nighttime landings be discouraged between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight in the absence of runway lighting, consistent with FAA definitions of legal night as published in the Astronomical Almanac.

The proposed diagram recommends a 1,000-foot AGL traffic pattern for fixed-wing aircraft and notes the AIM (Aeronautical Information Manual) guidance that helicopters may operate at lower pattern altitudes (the AIM references 1,000 feet AGL as a common fixed-wing pattern altitude and 500 feet AGL for helicopters). Board member Scott Freeman said the revision aims to be practical and voluntary: "Safety of flight is the primary factor," and "this is voluntary," he said, describing the diagram as a visual aid tied to existing AIM guidance.

Board members discussed a separate insertion clarifying nighttime operations. The draft language would request that, "due to the absence of airport lighting systems at Hurricane City Airport, no landings occur during nighttime hours between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight," with those times converted to local time per FAA definitions. Freeman and others said that the edit is intended as a safety recommendation rather than an enforceable ban, and that exceptions (for example, emergency medical or search-and-rescue flights) still can occur.

Board members also discussed practical steps to reduce nighttime or unfamiliar operations. Several members suggested adding a clear note to AWOS/airport facility publications and in the airport's online information so transient pilots will be alerted that Hurricane does not have runway lighting. Freeman proposed creating a short flyer or training handout that the airport or Southern Utah University (SUU) flight programs could distribute to visiting instructors and students; he said he would help deliver copies to SUU.

Several pilots and operators informally consulted by board members told them they expected most local and frequent pilots to follow the recommended patterns; board members noted that a very small minority of out-of-area trainees might not. The board discussed coordinating the policy text so it matches the version adopted in the city's rules and regulations and making a concise public-facing flyer for the airport website and for flight instructors.

The board voted to forward the proposed language and recommended edits to the City Council for inclusion in the city rules and regulations and for use as a standalone noise-abatement guidance flyer.

Background: The AIM provisions referenced (Aeronautical Information Manual, pattern altitudes and non-towered airport operations) are advisory; the board's document frames its guidance as voluntary noise-abatement measures and safety recommendations, not regulatory requirements.

What's next: The board directed staff to merge the board's proposed language into the Word version of the rules and regulations the City Council recently considered, prepare redlined changes for council review and update the airport website and AWOS/NOTAM entries to note the absence of runway lighting and to point pilots to the noise-abatement guidance.