Dillingham Airfield Will Stay Open For Skydiving At Least 3 More Years | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.23.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.25.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Fri, Sep 24, 2021

Dillingham Airfield Will Stay Open For Skydiving At Least 3 More Years

The Community Came Together, Passion For Aviation And Skydiving Prevails

USPA informs the sport parachuting community of some great news for general aviation and skydiving enthusiasts in Hawaii. September 17, the Hawaii Department of Transportation - Airports Division revoked its termination of the lease of Kawaihapai (Dillingham) Airfield.

The news gives tenants and businesses at least three more years to utilize the airfield, while the US Army and HDOT work on finalizing a joint-use agreement that will look towards a long term lease.

Located on Oahu’s North Shore, the atmosphere boasts steady trade winds, opening landing areas and stable, clear weather. Now, there are currently 11 businesses operating at Dillingham Airport that employ more than 130 people. If this airfield closed, the Civil Air Patrol Operations and air-sports programs like the Young Eagles would have had to pack up and close down.

The announcement follows a year and a half of advocacy meetings and a passionate display of love for aviation and skydiving.

“At USPA, it’s our mission to ensure continued rightful access to this incredible sport we love while supporting safe skydiving and all those who enjoy it. Skydivers know that we who share the air are family and, more than anything, that feeling and connection is what saved Dillingham Airfield,” USPA Executive Director Albert Berchtold said. “We’re thrilled that the Hawaii DOT is supporting general aviation in Hawaii, and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with them and with the Army.”

More than 50,000 tourists and locals visited the airfield in 2019 for skydiving, and all of those people contribute to the local economy in the surrounding areas via shops, restaurants and places to stay. Dillingham Airfield is the only airport on Oahu that can accommodate skydiving and is the only suitable airport in Hawaii for large-scale skydiving businesses.

HDOT manages the Dillingham and leases the land from the military, and in January 2020 gave notice that it would terminate its lease effective June 30, 2020. After the efforts of USPA and others, HDOT subsequently postponed the lease termination to June 30, 2021, and then again to December 31, 2021.

In a letter sent to the U.S. Army on September 17, that decision came: The DOT revoked its termination of the lease exercised on January 6, 2020, and with this revocation, the termination date of the lease is now the original term-end date of July 5, 2024.

USPA gives credit to the many who helped in saving this airfield, thus saving the recreational activities and boost to tourism that have created memories for so many people over the years, and now can continue to do so.

FMI: www.uspa.org

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 06.30.25: US v ADS-B Misuse, Nat’l STOL Fire, Volocopter Resumes

Also: Netherlands Donates 18 F16s, 2 737s Collide On Ramp, E-7 Wedgetail Cut, AgEagle's 100th In S Korea The Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act was introduced in the House by Represent>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23

Pilot Also Reported That Due To A Fuel Leak, The Auxiliary Fuel Tanks Were Not Used On June 4, 2025, at 13:41 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N2109P, was substantially damage>[...]

ANN FAQ: Submit a News Story!

Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: One Man’s Vietnam

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Reflections on War’s Collective Lessons and Cyclical Nature The exigencies of war ought be colorblind. Inane social-constructs the likes of racis>[...]

Klyde Morris (06.30.25)

What Goes Around, May Yet Come Back Around, Klyde FMI: www.klydemorris.com>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC