Airport finds cheap fix for broken beacon

When the beacon at Kalispell City Airport broke in November, officials started bracing for a costly $7,500 replacement.

But with some legwork, they found a much cheaper fix.

An electrician with E. Thomas Electric was called out and climbed the beacon tower. He found a worn-out brass screw drive in its motor, Airport Manager Fred Leistiko said.

Parts for the 50-year-old, hand-me-down beacon have been out of production for years, the manufacturer in Minnesota said.

Leistiko notified the Federal Aviation Administration that the beacon would be out of service.

The 450-pound device and its blue-and-white lights help aircraft find the airport at night without having to circle the area.

Leistiko also called the Montana State Aeronautics Division, which operated the beacon for decades on the top of a mountain before it was handed down to Glacier Park International Airport and then to Kalispell City Airport.

After some scrounging around, one last spare of the part was found in Helena.

“I couldn’t have it, because it was the only spare part left, but they took a picture of it and sent it to me,” Leistiko said.

The picture was given to Riebe’s Machine Works in Evergreen.

The company said it could make a new part for about $220.

With about $340 of labor to diagnose the failure, pull the old part and install the new one, the beacon is running again for less than $600.

“We dodged a bullet,” Leistiko said.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.