Western Nebraska Regional Airport Western Nebraska Regional Airport ( William B . Heilig Field ) is a public airport three miles east of Scottsbluff , in Scotts Bluff County , Nebraska . The airport is owned by the Airport Authority of Scotts Bluff County . It sees one passenger airline , subsidized by the Essential Air Service program . The airport is named after William B . Heilig . Known as " Scottsbluff ' s Mr . Aviation , " he was a World War II United States Army Air Force primary flight instructor , a civilian flight instructor , and manager of the city ’ s airport . Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 10 , 608 passenger boardings ( enplanements ) in calendar year 2008 , 9 , 221 enplanements in 2009 , and 9 , 864 in 2010 . It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011 – 2015 , which categorized it as a " primary commercial service " airport based in enplanements in 2008 ( over 10 , 000 ) but it is " non - primary commercial service " based in annual enplanements in 2009 and 2010 . History . Western Nebraska Regional Airport was established in 1934 . The original airport had a hangar , commercial airline connections , air mail service , lighted fields , a weather bureau station , and a record as a pilot training facility . With the United States entry into World War II Scottsbluff promoted its municipal airport for military / defense purposes . On September 5 , 1942 an announcement was made that Scottsbluff was selected as one of seven satellite air bases to be in Nebraska . Twenty - eight farms were vacated so construction could begin at a cost of 5 . 5 million dollars . The original Scottsbluff Municipal Airport was forced to close to make way for the new airfield ; the old airport later became a prisoner of war camp . Construction began on September 7 , 1942 . A temporary railroad spur was constructed and some of concrete for three runways was poured in forty - five days . There were about 108 buildings on the ground including barracks , mess halls , officers ' quarters , warehouses , a hangar , a camouflage instruction building , and a bombsight storage building . Scottsbluff Army Airfield . The base was occupied as early as 11 October 1942 and was assigned to Second Air Force . Initially , Scottsbluff Army Airfield was a satellite to Casper Army Air Field , Wyoming . The first troops arrived December 4 , 1942 . The 4190th Army Air Force Base Unit was the host organization at Scottsbluff AAF . The original mission was to train crews of Boeing B - 17 Flying Fortress es and Consolidated B - 24 Liberators bombers . Crews based at Casper AAF Wyoming final training at Scottsbluff . All training aircraft at the airfield were assigned to the 4190th AAFBU . In 1944 base command was transferred from Second Air Force to the 1st Troop Carrier Command , and became a satellite field of Alliance Army Airfield . The 1st TCC used the facility training Douglas C - 47 Skytrain and glider crews . Aircraft and radio maintenance personnel also trained here . Civil use . The airfield closed on December 31 , 1945 and the War Department handed over control to the City of Scottsbluff in 1947 . Buildings and structures which were not part of the transfer were sold by the U . S . Government in separate agreements and most were removed . The USAF continued to use the airport for military training until 1950 . Western Airlines DC - 3s were at Scottsbluff by 1945 and United appeared about 1953 ; both left in 1959 , replaced by Frontier . In July 1970 Scotts Bluff County took control and has had it since . The county continues to operate the facility as the William B . Heilig Field . In the summer of 2003 the county created an Airport Authority Board which has made major improvements around the airport property . New improvements include a new terminal building , wildlife fence , fire equipment , and remodeling the fire station . Future projects include runway lighting and resurfacing . The board is currently working with local law enforcement and the TSA for security screening . Facilities and aircraft . Western Neb . Regional / William B . Heilig Field covers 1 , 806 acres ( 731 hectare ) at an elevation of 3 , 967 feet ( 1 , 209 m ) above mean sea level . It has two asphalt runways : 12 / 30 is 8 , 279 by 150 feet ( 2 , 523 x 46 m ) and 5 / 23 is 8 , 002 by 150 feet ( 2 , 439 x 46 m ) . In the year ending May 31 , 2011 the airport had 28 , 138 aircraft operations , an average of 77 per day : 89 % general aviation , 8 % scheduled commercial , 2 % air taxi , and 1 % military . 43 aircraft were then based at this airport : 86 % single - engine , 12 % multi - engine , and 2 % jet . Airline and destinations . One airline stops at Scottsbluff :