Erie Municipal Airport

Erie · Est. 1977

KEIK

Overview Key Issues Legal Cases Studies News Resources

45,000

Annual Operations

144

Jobs

$23.5M

Business Revenue

138 (2018)

Based Aircraft

About Erie Municipal

Erie Municipal Airport (EIK) is a town-owned general aviation airport on Colorado Highway 7, about 20 minutes north of downtown Denver. It opened as a private airfield with an adjoining residential airpark in 1977, and the Town of Erie bought it in 1994. It has a single 4,700-foot concrete runway and handles roughly 45,000 operations a year (2023), most of them flight training. According to CDOT's 2025 Colorado Aviation Economic Impact Study it supports 144 jobs, $8.4 million in payroll and $23.5 million in total business revenue. Current issues include noise from training traffic, which the town manages through a voluntary noise-abatement program because FAA grant assurances rule out mandatory limits; the transition away from leaded avgas; and proposed fee increases, including for airpark residents with through-the-fence access, now under legal review.

Economic Impact — 2025 Colorado Aviation Economic Impact Study

Brochure (PDF) Presentation (PPTX)

144 jobs

$8.4M payroll

$13.2M value added

$23.5M business revenue

Key Issues

Flight-Training Noise

Pattern and flight-training traffic, much of it from larger nearby airports, draws most complaints. The town manages it through a Voluntary Noise Abatement Policy (updated 2025), noting that mandatory limits would conflict with federal law and FAA grant assurances, and has installed ADS-B tracking to inform discussions with flight schools.

Unleaded Fuel Transition

Under HB24-1235, Erie is one of five Front Range airports required to file an unleaded avgas transition plan with CDOT. Erie's plan was accepted; the town plans to add an unleaded fuel tank in 2027. Erie was among 12 airports in CDPHE's 2024 study of children's blood lead levels, whose results were reported across all airports combined.

Airport Finances & Fees

The town subsidizes the airport from its general fund. In 2026 an advisory board proposed higher base, hangar and through-the-fence (TTF) fees. Commercial fee changes are expected before council late in 2026; changes for airpark residents with TTF access are deferred pending legal review.

Hangar Development & Land Use

The town is weighing sites for new hangars and a proposed north–south airport connector road, which would have to meet FAA safety standards. The current master plan is the 2016 Airport Plan.