Riddick Field, a public-use airport in western Montana, has become the focus of an aviation dispute after county commissioners voted to effectively limit nighttime operations by restricting use of the airport’s rotating beacon.
On Jan. 9, the Granite County Commission unanimously approved an ordinance designating Riddick Field (3U5) as “daytime use only.” Under the measure, the airport’s recently installed LED rotating beacon may be activated at night only for emergency landings and only by designated local authorities, according to local news source Citizen Portal. Commissioners and some residents cited concerns over light spill and community impacts from the beacon.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Montana Pilots Association (MPA) sharply criticized the decision, warning that the restriction could compromise safety and jeopardize future funding. The groups noted that Riddick Field has supported nighttime operations for decades with a beacon and runway lighting, and that limiting beacon use effectively reverts the airport to daytime-only status.
AOPA Northwest Mountain Regional Manager Brad Schuster urged officials to reconsider, calling night restrictions at a lighted public-use airport “likely unprecedented in the century of U.S. public airport history following the Air Commerce Act of 1926.”
AOPA and MPA also cautioned that the move could negatively affect eligibility for state and federal airport improvement funding, though they acknowledged that only the FAA and Montana Aeronautics Division can determine grant impacts.
Despite those concerns, county officials said the decision reflects local authority and citizen input and will remain in effect.