Heber Airport Benefits from Sundance Festival

Just 10 minutes up the road, the lights, cameras and paparazzi that have turned the Sundance Film Festival into one of the world's largest are waiting.

But for flashbulb-wary celebrities looking for a moment's peace, Heber City Municipal Airport provides a moment of quiet as they arrive in Utah.

To pilots and air controllers, it's known simply as 36U -- a wonderfully anonymous identifier for the small facility located one mile south of Heber City and a short car ride from the slopes and theaters of Park City.

In recent years, the airport has become an increasingly popular destination for wealthy skiers and stars looking for a landing site that's close to Park City.

But no time of the year is as busy as right now.

"It would be fair to say we have increased traffic during the Sundance festival," said Heber City manager Mark Anderson, who also oversees the city-owned airport. "Significantly increased traffic."

Much of that increased traffic is of the famous kind -- George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston and Tiger Woods are all known to use the facility -- but most of them will never be seen there. Security is tight at the facility and many of the airport's employees don't even see who gets off each plane.

"We don't see the stars," said Tressa Stokes, facility manager for OK3 Air, which is contracted to run the airport. "The plane lands, the car goes out and the line guys help unload the plane, then the passengers get in the car and drive off. ... I think that's why (celebrities) land here. We don't let anyone out there."

Nevertheless, it is an exciting time for airport workers. Although Stokes said she has never seen anyone famous, some of her employees have, and the airport is practically buzzing right now.

"This is what we've trained for and we're really excited to strut our stuff," she said.

In addition to welcome anonymity, the airport also provides a range of services, from help with lodgings and car rentals to catering for departing flights, that have also won over many pilots and passengers.

In many ways, this week is an audition for the airport and its staff.

"What we think is that if we can get one pilot to land here and he is impressed with the facility, and his clients are pleased, then he's going to tell other clients about us," Stokes said.

And if all else fails to impress, there's always the view.

"The backdrop here is absolutely gorgeous," Stokes said. "When these planes fly in, the view is breathtaking for the pilots and for the passengers." E-mail:

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