KDOT Aviation

06/03/2026

Very well written article about the importance of community engagement for airports. Strong outreach and community engagement statewide is vital for aviation stability and growth. We are working with our local and industry partners to develop an Aviation Outreach and Community Engagement framework that will provide local aviation champions the tools needed to share their value with their community, engage with the next generation, communicate with airport users, and attract businesses into the community.

More to come over the next few weeks.

Airport Directors: Stop Telling Aviation Stories May 15, 2026May 15, 2026 Kim Stevens National News By Eric Blinderman Something recently said to an airport director caused a cocked head and a puzzled look. “Your story is not an aviation one,” he was told. For someone who lives and breathes airp...

06/01/2026

*Public Service Announcement*

This is a reminder that all pilots, including remote pilots, should check for temporary flight restrictions (TFR) before every single flight and that the World Cup is a No Drone Zone.

https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=map

05/28/2026

Join the NASAO Center for Aviation Research & Education on Thursday, May 28, for “Connecting Students with $20 Million in Aviation Scholarships to build the Next Generation of the Aviation Workforce” with Jamail Larkins!

With a national pilot and mechanic shortage on the horizon, the question for state aviation programs isn't whether to invest in the next generation — it's how to connect them to the resources already available. This FREE webinar walks through how AviationStart founder and FAA Ambassador for Aviation & Space Education, Jamail Larkins helps states, schools, and students unlock more than $20 million in aviation scholarships, and how the DreamLaunch Tour is turning awareness into measurable workforce outcomes - with practical takeaways for states looking to strengthen their own aviation talent pipelines.

Register here 👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mC_M5B2jSNa7mmPhShp6Dg #/registration

05/21/2026

Another amazing use for aviation!

Beginning in late May and continuing until late July, residents of southwest Kansas may see a low-flying helicopter towing a large hexagonal frame. This aerial arrangement is part of a project to map groundwater conditions in the Ogallala aquifer in Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District (...

05/20/2026

Sharing notice for The City of Great Bend and the Great Bend Municipal Airport:

Great Bend Municipal Airport is seeking interested parties to provide FBO services:
- Retail sales of 100LL Avgas & Jet A
- Lease of Airport’s facilities
- Terminal Lobby & offices
- Main Hangar 19,000 sq. ft.
- A & P shop hangar 4,800 sq. ft.
- Self-service fuel pumps & fuel storage (12K gallons each)
- A & P Services

The airport has 42 based aircraft and has averaged 7,000 – 11,000 gallons total fuel sales per month over the last 12 months.

For more information, follow the link below and contact the airport manager.

https://www.greatbendks.gov/departments/municipal_airport/index.php

05/20/2026

05/14/2026

***Public Service Annoucement***

05/14/2026

Great article covering the importance of community engagement for airports. Many airports struggle with maintaining an active community engagement effort and their lack of engagement typically leads to wavering community support for the airport.

I've seen the direct results of having an active community engagement and outreach effort at both of the airports I managed previously. Through my role as the Director of Aviation, I've also witnessed the struggles linked to airports that don't have a consistent and ongoing community engagement and outreach effort.

KDOT Aviation has grant funding that can help public airports with vital infrastructure projects, but our efforts cannot end there. Helping airports show the value they bring to the community through active public engagement improves the community's awareness and acceptance of the airport. Airports are not a place for rich boys and their toys, but an access point for air ambulance, aerial applicators, businesses, flight training for our next generation, response to an emergency or natural disaster, cargo and logistics, medical deliveries for hospitals, and so on.

We believe in the power of community engagement empowering airports to connect with their communities so much, and how vital that is to the strength of aviation statewide, that we are working to develop a community engagement framework that can serve as a resource for airports. More to come shortly.

Ray Seif
KDOT Director of Aviation

05/07/2026

05/06/2026

Sharing grant opportunity available through our sister agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce;

Zip codes shouldn't determine access to opportunity.

That's the mission behind Kansas's Broadband Acceleration Grant program — and today, $16.3 million in new funding is available to keep that work going.

For six years, the BAG program has been closing the digital divide in underserved, rural, and economically distressed communities across the state. The results? Over 12,000 homes and businesses connected. 37 counties reached. $38M in matching investment unlocked.

We're just getting started.

Applications are open now through June 12.

To learn more and apply, click here: https://kansascommerce.my.site.com/Grants/s/login/SelfRegister?startURL=%2FGrants%2Fs%2F