Tue, Jan 05, 2021
GA Airport Is Located Outside Of Honolulu’s Congested Airspace
We've heard the story before... great airport is under attack by the powers that be... hoping to close the thing down. The latest variant of the story comes from Hawaii, where a popular airport, known for extensive GA and skydiving activity is under the gun.
Kawaihapai Airport, more commonly known as Dillingham Airfield, is Hawaii’s most versatile airport and home to a variety of sky-related activities. It is located on the North Shore of Oahu and the only public use airport on the northern part of the island. The airport is located outside of Honolulu’s congested airspace and has a 9000 ft runway, making it an ideal spot for pilot training, skydiving and powered hang gliding. Additionally, due to the geography of the island, it is the Oahu’s only possible gliderport.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) Airports Division currently manages the Airport and leases the land from the military. In February 2020, the DOT gave notice that it would be terminating it’s lease with the military effective June 30, 2020. In April of 2020, they announced they will be extending the lease termination to June 30th 2021. This action would evict all private and commercial tenants within a matter of months, an unreasonable time frame for tenants who have operated on the field for decades. If the airport were to close, there would no longer be a place for skydiving or glider operations on the entire island of Oahu.
Points To Consider:
- A valuable community resource; offering access to general aviation education and aviation career opportunities.
- A draw for tourism; bringing tens of thousands of visitors from around the world to the North Shore for air tours and skydiving.
- A major source of employment; employing more than 130 people at the various on site operators.
- A valuable public space offering access to hiking trails, biking, and walking area off the highway.
A 20-minute documentary film has been created, which shares the stories of all those who call Dillingham Airfield home and conveys what will be lost if the Hawaii legislature chooses to close the airfield.
Special responses forms have been created and placed on the program's website -- It takes just ONE MINUTE to send an email to Hawaii legislators asking them to save Dillingham Airfield. The folks attempting to save Dillingham have made taking action easy by setting up a specific form (each) for skydivers, aviators and Hawaii residents.
More News
Option Approach An approach requested and conducted by a pilot which will result in either a touch-and-go, missed approach, low approach, stop-and-go, or full stop landing. Pilots >[...]
"Emirates is already the world's largest Boeing 777 operator, and we are expanding our commitment to the program today with additional orders for 65 Boeing 777-9s. This is a long-t>[...]
(Pilot) Reported That There Was A Sudden And Violent Vibration Throughout The Airplane That Lasted Several Seconds Analysis: The pilot was returning to his home airport at an altit>[...]
“This recognition was evident during the TBMOPA Annual Convention, where owners and operators clearly expressed their satisfaction with our focus on customer service, and enc>[...]
Overhead Maneuver A series of predetermined maneuvers prescribed for aircraft (often in formation) for entry into the visual flight rules (VFR) traffic pattern and to proceed to a >[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (11.19.25): Option Approach
See All