GORDON, Neb. -- Rural airports can be life-saving during an emergency. That’s why a small town Nebraska airport is getting a facelift.

News Channel Nebraska’s Casey Wonnenberg takes us to Gordon where they’re flying high after the government has agreed to pay for the majority of the project.

Pilot Peter Beeson is flying from Kansas City to Kalispell, Montana, but he decided to make a quick stop for gas in the middle of cattle country.

“I don’t know what my last stop was—York? In between here and York there’s not much,” Beeson said. "It’s nice to have options."

An airport option that will soon be getting a facelift. The city has approved almost $340,000 to replace and add runway end identifiers and PAPI lights.

“Basically it tells the pilot you’re either too high or too low,” Gordon City Manager Glen Spaugh said.

Spaugh said this airport can literally be life-saving. Gordon has the only critical access hospital in Sheridan County, and it flies out around 10 patients a month.

“That’s the primary concern,” Spaugh said. "The other one would be the farmers and ranchers. There are a lot of planes stationed on farms around here. The purpose for that is they can fly in and get parts or go to cattle sales or whatever they need. Flying is the way to go sometimes."

Because of the need, the FAA has agreed to fund 90% of the project--a project that will not only benefit patients with life-threatening conditions, but also pilots like Beeson flying across the country.

“To have a place to stop and get out of the weather if you need to get out of the weather and get fuel if you need to get fuel,” Beeson said. "I’d say it’s super important."

An important service that will be flying higher thanks to these improvements.