Hawaii Aviation

Dillingham – In April 22, for 40 years, the U.S. Army has leased Dillingham Airfield to HDOT, allowing civil aviation operations to thrive. However, in February, HDOT announced plans to return the airport to military control, putting the future of 11 businesses and their 130 employees at risk. Initially, tenants were given until June 30, 2020, to vacate, but after strong objections from AOPA and other stakeholders who argued that the timeline was unrealistic, especially during the COVID-19 crisis the deadline was pushed back by a year.

HDOT’s decision to end the lease was surprising, given its ongoing obligations under the Airport Improvement Program grants until 2025. However, the state appears prepared to accept any penalties from the FAA for terminating the agreement early. In an April 22 letter, HDOT outlined several reasons for the decision, citing concerns over the uncertainty of the short-term lease, potential loss of federal funding, issues with the water system, and the agency’s lack of control over the facility.

Since learning about the potential shutdown of civil aviation at Dillingham Airfield, AOPA has actively advocated for the creation of an airport-specific authority through legislation to ensure continued joint use of the facility. In addition, AOPA leads a task force dedicated to developing long-term solutions to preserve civil aviation at the site.

Currently, recreational flying and skydiving businesses make up the majority of operations at Dillingham, with occasional military training flights. Many general aviation pilots depend on the airfield’s open terrain and uncongested airspacefeatures that nearby airports cannot provide. Meanwhile, glider businesses, constrained by airspace restrictions, have no viable alternatives elsewhere.

Reference

1. Walsh, Amelia. (April 23, 2020) HAWAII DOT TO FORCE TENANTS TO VACATE DILLINGHAM AIRFILED BY 2021. AOPA. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/april/23/hawaii-dot-to-force-tenants-to-vacate-by-2021