Grimes Field Manager Carol Hall said there is a concern that placing a "localizer" navigational aid at the municipal airport would put an existing navigational aid in jeopardy. "About 90 percent of pilots here aren't instrument-rated," said Hall, adding this means they are not certified to use the localizer navigational aid.

Grimes Field Manager Carol Hall said there is a concern that placing a "localizer" navigational aid at the municipal airport would put an existing navigational aid in jeopardy.

"About 90 percent of pilots here aren't instrument-rated," said Hall, adding this means they are not certified to use the localizer navigational aid.

She said pilots learn to use the VOR (VHF omnidirectional range) navigational aid as a part of basic training and that many pilots approaching Grimes Field use Rosewood VOR-Alpha, located in the Quincy area in Logan County.

Hall, a pilot who is not instrument-rated, said many "instrument-rated" pilots obtain this additional training because they fly for business, which means they at times must fly in bad weather, something recreational pilots avoid. She said about eight local pilots fly for business reasons.

Hall explained that VOR, localizer and GPS aids enable pilots to tune into a radio frequency and obtain information that leads them into an airport when they are lost or visually impaired due to weather or darkness.

She said pilots unaccustomed to landing at Grimes Field use Rosewood VOR-Alpha when approaching the airport and that even pilots who fly here often use Rosewood VOR-Alpha for practice.

Editor's note: A number of wind turbines proposed to be erected near the Grimes airport have received 'hazard determination' notices from the FAA indicating the towers will interfere with flight navigation. The fix for this problem could involve installing new equipment at the airport, the subject of this article.

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