Broadwater County airport board votes to request charted name change to Townsend to reduce radio confusion

At a regular meeting, the Broadwater County airport board voted to ask the state/FAA aeronautics authorities to change the airport's charted name from Broadwater County (8UA/8U8) to Townsend Airport, aiming to reduce radio-call confusion for visiting pilots.

Board members said the airport currently appears on electronic charts as Broadwater County with the local place name Townsend printed in smaller type, and that pilots flying in from outside the area may not recognize local references used by people in the traffic pattern. A board member urged the change to avoid mismatches between what appears on a pilot's moving map and what locals commonly say over the radio.

Supporters argued the change is primarily a safety and clarity measure rather than an ownership statement: county ownership and operation would still be noted in chart supplements. The board moved and voted in favor of the request; the chair said staff would contact the aviation authority and the FAA to initiate the formal charting request.

Board members noted practical limits: chart updates take time (sectionals are revised roughly every six months) and physical markings painted on the ramp (the local "Townsend" text painted on the surface) would not change automatically. The board instructed staff to follow the aeronautics/FAA process and report back.

The decision was procedural; the board did not adopt any ordinance or contract. The request to change the charted name is to be submitted through the appropriate aeronautics or FAA channels; Dwight, the airport manager, was asked to follow up with the responsible authorities.