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The Airparks

Four Colorado Front Range fly-in communities

Boulder County is Jacob Baer's home base, and four residential aviation communities ring the Boulder and Denver region. Each brings the runway into daily life in a different way. One connects residential property to a Town-owned public airport. Three are private communities with their own operating procedures, access requirements and shared responsibilities.

The right choice depends on more than the house. It depends on the aircraft, hangar, runway, access documents, association, ownership costs and the way you expect to fly.

Compare the four communitiesTalk with a broker who flies
BoulderDenverEIKErie Air Park7CO0Parkland Estates AirparkCO15Kelly Air ParkCO12Van Aire Skyport

Boulder and Denver, and the four airfields, on the Front Range. Choose a marker.

Which fly-in communities are near Boulder and Denver?

The four communities profiled here are Erie Air Park, Parkland Estates Airpark, Kelly Air Park and Van Aire Skyport. They are located across Colorado's Front Range rather than within one county, and each represents a different relationship among the homeowner, hangar, runway and airport operator.

Erie Air Park sits beside a Town-owned public-use airport. Parkland, Kelly and Van Aire are private residential aviation communities with distinct rules governing visitors, shared infrastructure and airport use.

Choose an Airpark

Four places to live with a runway

  1. A contemporary flat-roofed residence at dusk seen from the air, with a pool terrace, lawn and the plains of the Front Range beyond.

    Erie, Colorado

    Erie Air Park

    Residential aviation beside a Town-owned public airport

    Erie Air Park sits beside Erie Municipal Airport, a public-use general aviation airport owned by the Town of Erie. EIK has a 4,700 by 60-foot concrete runway, on-field fuel, aircraft rental, flight instruction and weather reporting.

    The defining issue is aircraft access. A buyer should verify which property documents, easements and Town agreements establish the right to move an aircraft between the residence and airport.

    N
    Airport model
    Town-owned, public use
    Primary runway
    16/34, 4,700 × 60 ft concrete
    Field elevation
    5,119 ft
    Begin with
    Access documents and Town requirements

    What property and Town documents establish access?

    Explore Erie Air Park
  2. The Parkland Estates runway looking west toward the Front Range.

    Weld County, near Erie and Boulder

    Parkland Estates Airpark

    A private airpark with resident responsibility behind the runway

    Parkland is a private residential aviation community centered on a 4,200 by 50-foot paved primary runway. Its private-airpark structure means owners may share responsibility for the runway, taxi routes, lighting, reserves, maintenance and future assessments.

    The defining issue is governance. A buyer should understand the taxi easement serving the property and the financial structure supporting the airport.

    N
    Airport model
    Private, resident oriented
    Primary runway
    8/26, 4,200 × 50 ft paved
    Field elevation
    5,050 ft
    Begin with
    Taxi easements, reserves and assessment authority

    How are runway costs, rules and reserves shared?

    Explore Parkland Estates
  3. Gliders and light aircraft parked on the ramp at Kelly Air Park beside two hangars.

    Elbert County, Colorado

    Kelly Air Park

    A private day-VFR community with airplane and glider operations

    Kelly is a private residential aviation community with a 3,800 by 44-foot asphalt primary runway. It operates as a day-VFR airfield without a control tower, runway lighting or public fuel. Glider activity is part of the operating environment, and visiting aircraft must be invited by a lot owner and briefed by a resident.

    The defining issue is mission fit. Aircraft performance, field elevation, available daylight, alternate airports and household expectations should all be considered before the property itself becomes the deciding factor.

    N
    Airport model
    Private, day VFR
    Primary runway
    17/35, 3,800 × 44 ft asphalt
    Field elevation
    7,040 ft
    Begin with
    Aircraft mission, density altitude and operating schedule

    Does the aircraft and operating mission fit the airfield?

    Explore Kelly Air Park
  4. The edge of the Van Aire runway with homes and mature trees beyond.

    East of Brighton, Colorado

    Van Aire Skyport

    A private residential skyport with community governance

    Van Aire is a non-towered private residential airpark centered on a 3,681 by 50-foot asphalt runway. The community is governed through Van Aire Skyport Corporation, which maintains the runway, taxiway environment and shared property. Its location beneath Denver Class B and its private visitor procedures are important parts of the ownership experience.

    The defining issue is the complete operating structure. A buyer should review membership rights, guest procedures, runway rules, shared expenses, airspace and the recorded aircraft route serving the property.

    N
    Airport model
    Private, community governed
    Primary runway
    12/30, 3,681 × 50 ft asphalt
    Field elevation
    5,061 ft
    Begin with
    Membership, procedures, airspace and shared obligations

    Do the airspace, procedures and corporate obligations fit the buyer?

    Explore Van Aire Skyport
At a Glance

One region, four different purchases

The four communities compared by ownership model, primary runway and the question that decides each one.
CommunityOwnership modelPrimary runwayDefining question
EIKErie Air ParkResidential property beside a Town-owned public airportN16/34, 4,700 × 60 ft concrete5,119 ft field elevationWhat establishes and transfers aircraft access?
7CO0Parkland Estates AirparkPrivate resident-oriented airparkN8/26, 4,200 × 50 ft paved5,050 ft field elevationHow are runway costs and decisions shared?
CO15Kelly Air ParkPrivate day-VFR airplane and glider communityN17/35, 3,800 × 44 ft asphalt7,040 ft field elevationDoes the aircraft and schedule fit the field?
CO12Van Aire SkyportPrivate residential skyport governed through a corporationN12/30, 3,681 × 50 ft asphalt5,061 ft field elevationDo the airspace, procedures and governance fit?

Read the complete Colorado airpark homes guideAirport data verified 2026-08-17

The Decision

Choose the ownership model before the kitchen

A polished residence can be changed. The airport structure behind it may be much harder to change.

  1. Aircraft access

    Determine what legal document creates access, how it transfers, what approvals are required and whether the right can be suspended or terminated.

    Residential access from private property to a federally obligated airport may involve a formal through-the-fence agreement with fees, infrastructure responsibilities and use restrictions.

  2. Aircraft and runway fit

    Compare the aircraft with runway length, width, surface, field elevation, lighting, fuel, weather reporting, operating restrictions and alternate-airport needs.

    Runway length alone does not determine whether an airport supports a particular aircraft or mission.

  3. Hangar and taxi route

    Verify the clear hangar-door opening, interior dimensions, apron, every turn, gate opening, taxi-easement width and possible obstruction between the hangar and runway.

  4. Governance and ownership cost

    Review dues, access fees, reserves, insurance, runway plans, assessments, meeting records and the authority of the airport owner or association.

  5. Residential life and resale

    Consider the home, land, privacy, noise, guests, commute, utilities, maintenance and the next buyer who may eventually need to understand the same aviation rights.

Read the fly-in home due-diligence guide
The Opportunities

Homes and land in Colorado fly-in communities

Available aviation properties do not appear on a predictable schedule. Search current homes, residential lots and hangar properties across the four communities, or ask Jacob to establish a focused search based on your aircraft and residential requirements.

EIKErie Air Park

No public listings here today.

7CO0Parkland Estates Airpark

No public listings here today.

CO15Kelly Air Park

No public listings here today.

CO12Van Aire Skyport

No public listings here today.

Jacob can monitor new inventory and help you prepare the property, hangar and access criteria before the right opportunity becomes available. Public inventory in these four communities is thin by nature: a handful of homes and lots, and long stretches with none at all.

Browse aviation propertiesBuild a private search
The Questions

Comparing Colorado fly-in communities

No. Jacob's aviation practice is based in the Boulder County and Denver region, but the four communities extend across the Colorado Front Range. Erie Air Park is in Erie, Parkland is in Weld County, Kelly is in Elbert County and Van Aire is east of Brighton.

They are Colorado Front Range fly-in communities near Boulder and Denver, rather than four Boulder County airparks.

There is no universal best community. The right choice depends on the aircraft, runway requirements, day or night schedule, fuel and service needs, guest access, ownership model, preferred home and tolerance for shared airport responsibility.

No. Airport proximity does not establish a legal or transferable right to use the runway. Buyers should verify title, easements, membership, licenses, airport agreements, fees and the physical aircraft route for the specific property.

A public-use airport serves the broader aviation community under the airport sponsor's rules and applicable federal obligations. A private airpark can generally limit use to owners, members and authorized guests.

The difference affects guest access, services, governance, maintenance responsibility, fees and the control residents have over the airport environment.

Begin with current aircraft dimensions and performance requirements, then compare runway, field elevation, surface, lighting, fuel, weather reporting, operating restrictions, hangar clearance and taxi geometry. Final performance and operating decisions remain with the pilot using current official information.

Jacob can establish a property search based on the aircraft, hangar dimensions, preferred community, residential needs and timing. He can monitor public inventory and relevant professional opportunities, but no off-market property or future availability can be guaranteed.

Yes. Aviation-property marketing should document the home, hangar, aircraft access, airport, association, fees and operating environment accurately. It should reach residential buyers and qualified aviation buyers without promising access or aircraft compatibility that has not been verified.

Selling an aviation property
The Next Leg

Tell Jacob how you fly

The right search begins with the aircraft and the life you want around it.

Tell Jacob what you fly, what the hangar needs to accommodate, how you use the aircraft, which airport services matter and what you need from the home. He can help narrow the communities before you spend time pursuing the wrong property.

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Your brief

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Prepared by

Jacob Baer

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colorado Real Estate
Colorado Real Estate Broker · FAA Commercial Pilot · CFI / CFII

Airport information last verified · 2026-08-17

Airport information, runway conditions, access rights, community rules, fees and property availability can change. This page is educational and is not legal, title, airport-operating, aircraft-performance, engineering, insurance or flight-planning advice.

FAA airport dataTown of Erie airportParkland pilot information