OAHU, Hawaii – An April 18, 2021 story in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser (subscription required) reports that negotiations to keep Dillingham Airfield accessible for civilian use is moving forward, and in one sticking point, officials have reached a “breakthrough.”
According to state officials, the airport “operated at a deficit of $624,000 in 2015 and nearly $1 million in 2019, but tenants say that includes costs for an old water supply system on Dillingham.”
That water system, the “Army and state DOT have agreed in principle … is a separate issue from the long-term lease,” an agreement that Hawaii State Senator Gil Riviere called a “breakthrough,” in the article.
While the headline of the Star-Advertiser story states “Business is looking up,” airport tenants still have in hand notices to vacate by June 30.
The other main issue affecting the airport’s fate is the length of the lease. The state would like a 25-year lease. Local army officials can sign off on a five-year lease, but it takes the secretary of the U.S. Army to approve a longer lease.
While parties to the negotiations are expressing optimism, much work is yet to be done.
See our story “Trouble in paradise” for more on the airport’s fate.
That Airport like Santa Monica airport (KSMO) should be classified as an historic land mark!
I thought of that too. But even if we got Santa Monica runway and facilities designated as an historic landmark (like the compass rose, which actually has been designated as one), they’d still close the airport and just let the runway sit there, unused.
The only thing that will save Santa Monica airport is the federal government taking it back through eminent domain as critical national infrastructure. The democrats could do it under their infrastructure push but the private jet angle could be a marketing problem unless they kept the runway short to limit the field to prop-driven aircraft.