Safety is a top priority, especially when it comes to the upkeep of Idaho’s 32 backcountry airstrips. Clear markers are key for helping pilots land safely so they can enjoy the Gem State’s great outdoors. ITD’s Division of Aeronautics is responsible for airstrip maintenance and making sure those markers are easy to see from the sky, and that involves a fresh coat of white paint every five years.

Aero Craftsmen Justin Fort and now-retired Joe Fleck worked with D3 Foreman Jerry Richards to source paint from within ITD. They found out that Central Labs disposes of about 60-70 gallons of paint each year after testing. While it costs Aero $20 to buy a gallon of paint, it costs Central Labs about $200 to dispose of a 5-gallon bucket after testing. It made financial sense for the lab to hand off excess paint to Aero instead of paying to dispose of it. Aero got in touch with Central Labs Senior Chemist Rachel Owens and decided to pick up and start using the paint at the airports.

“We have painted four airstrips this fall, all with sample or test paint that was given to us by Rachel Owens from Central Labs,” explained Fort. “We have been collecting and saving the test paint for over a year, until this August, when we got our new sprayer. It took only two hours to spray the markers and segment circles at each airstrip.”

By thinking outside the box, the two divisions are saving $4,520 a year by using paint that normally ends up as expensive trash.