By TOM WINTER
At Crete Municipal Airport (KCEK) in Nebraska, new manager Shaun Krzycki (pronounced Kritsky) came in like the proverbial new broom.
The first change was simple, but huge: Replacing the door lock on the terminal building with a Unicom coded keypad. Don’t laugh! This gave 24-hour bathroom access.
The terminal interior got a remodeling facelift, but the biggest change in 2021 was $865,000 funding to put in two 10,000-gallon tanks, one for Jet A, the other for 100LL. Now, no matter what time you land at KCEK, your creature comforts and fueling needs can be met.
Funding was $600,000 from the FAA Airport Improvement Program program, and the rest from the Nebraska Department of Transportation. The state money included KCEK’s allotment, plus money assembled from airports that were not using their allotments.
Two new businesses on the field are Sky Dive Atlas and Star Care helicopter ambulance service.
On the strength of these improvements, the airport was nominated for Nebraska Airport of the Year. It succeeded, as KCEK received the honor at the Nebraska Aviation Symposium in January 2022.