Heber City Municipal Airport

HCR originated in 1946 when the City of Heber acquired the land to build an airport. Unfortunately, the city did not have the funds to build the airport, so the project was in limbo until a group of residents formed the Heber Valley Flying Service, Inc. in 1947. There were six equal partners: Russell McDonald, Elmo Jacobsen, Guy McDonald, Rex Whiting, Lloyd Lawton, and Sperry Rollins. Together they acquired a $10,000 loan, and the property was fenced in by hand. A 3,300-foot runway was graded out, and an access road, hangar, and office building were constructed.
Furthermore, a power line was acquired, and a 1,000-gallon water tank was buried nearby, with water hauled in every two weeks. What remained of the funds was used to purchase a 1946 Aeronca Champion with a 65 horsepower engine. The corporation opened as a flight school on September 7th, 1947, with Russell McDonald as a chief flight instructor, head mechanic, and general manager. The following year, three more aircraft were added (another Champion, an ERCO Europe, and a Cessna 170). During this period, 75% of business came from WWII veterans learning to fly on the GI Bill. In 1949, Heber City received funds from the Federal Aviation Funding program, which allowed for improvements. The runway was extended to 4,400 feet and paved, while the taxiway, access road, and parking areas were also paved.
Furthermore, a 90-foot well was drilled to replace the water tank. Unfortunately, by January 1952, most of the training from the GI Bill had dried up, which necessitated the sale of the aircraft and equipment. Heber City acquired the hangar, and Russ went to work for United Airlines as a pilot (although he still had two airplanes at Heber City Airport, which he continued flying). Although the Heber City Flying Service had reached its conclusion, the airport continued to conduct business with private aviation and gliders. By 1956, their airport once again had a full-time FBO (over the years, there have been five airport operators, all working for five years or more). In 1992, the runway was extended to 6,900 feet, while some old buildings were taken down for paved aircraft parking. In 1996, the airport was renamed Heber Valley Airport - Russ McDonald Field, honoring his work in getting the airport started, his partnership in the first FBO, and his years of flying.

The airport is located one mile south of Heber City, east of Salt Lake City. 

• The current FBO is OK3 Air. 
• The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has cited the airport for its egregious prices and fees. The Association has asked the airport to consider increasing competition by bringing on more FBOs, but this and the possibility of self-service fuel have been shelved until the completion of a new master airport plan. 
• While gliders and sailplanes have been at the airport since 1955, David Robinson started Soar Utah in 1991 as a full-time summer operation.