December 06, 2012 // Facility Spotlight: Boise, Idaho

Boise Airport is a medium density airport serving southwestern Idaho, eastern Oregon, and northern Nevada with five airlines providing non-stop service to 16 cities. In 2011, 2.7 million passengers passed through the airport.

Boise Tower/TRACON (BOI) is a 100 percent NATCA membership facility. The members at this facility provide quality service for commercial, military, and private pilots, with 22 Certified Professional Controllers (CPCs), and seven developmentals. The BOI NATCA members will move into a new facility in September 2013 and will also commence providing approach control services at Bozeman, Mont. (BZN). BOI was recently downgraded to a level 7 facility, but will regain its original level 8 when BZN is added to its airspace.

BOI is a 24-hour facility, providing approach services to three additional general aviation airports. BOI NATCA members see a variety of air traffic, with a full-time National Guard Base on the field that flies A10s, as well as the National Interagency Fire Center, which provides fire support for the western states. They work aircraft ranging from F16s to Cessnas, and everything in between.

The weather in Boise is fair, but there is the occasional inversion during winter, resulting in low-visibility operations at BOI. There are two active skydiving operations in BOI’s airspace, and Boise State football games bring standard restrictions.

BOI NATCA Facility Representative Mark Griffin said the NATCA BOI local is well represented nationally, with three different controllers in Article 48 positions. Mike Bowles is the National Airspace System (NAS) Information Display System (NIDS) Representative, Andy Marosvari is a Professional Standards Representative, and Griffin is the Terminal Automation Modernization and Replacement (TAMR) Segment 2 Representative.

“We are honored to be able to help NATCA in our positions,” said Griffin.

Griffin said BOI has one of the best labor-management relationships in the nation, which makes being the FacRep very enjoyable. He also said Boise is an excellent city to live in, with low housing costs, short commutes, low crime rates, and excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation.

It’s not hard to believe it’s an excellent city to live in, once you learn all the “City of Trees” has to offer. The city is located along the Boise River and is nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It boasts one-of-a-kind museums and urban parks, including the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, Idaho Black History Museum, and the World Center for Birds of Prey. Boise offers a number of recreational opportunities, including hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, and swimming as well as alpine skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snow tubing at the Bogus Basin ski area.

“A lot of people choose to spend their entire careers in Boise, as the combination of the work environment and lifestyle make it a great place to raise a family,” said Griffin.