Seller Hopes New Owners, Whoever They May Be, Will Keep The Airport Open

Daryl Habich is a retired dentist with a love for flying. After taking lessons in 1968, he bought a small airfield near the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Washington State. Now, with financial concerns and health problems, he's hoping to sell the airport. His asking price is $6 million. After a few years shopping the property, he's had no firm offers.

First Air Field Sectional

Snohomish County has considered buying the property, but not necessarily for an airport. Because of it's proximity to the fairgrounds, it is included in some of the county's long-term plans. But other projects have been more pressing, so First Air Field sits on the market. “There is no plan at this point for its potential use,” County spokesman Christopher Schwarzen wrote in an e-mail to the Everett, Washington Herald. “It’s simply listed in the plan (because) it is for sale.”

FAA figures show the number of airports shrinking, down to 5,202 last year from 5,352 10 years ago, the paper says.

First field is open for public use even though it is privately owned. The uncontrolled field is home to about 70 airplanes, and the tie-down fee is a modest $5.  Habich says that's less than people pay to park their car for the state fair. “It’s cheaper to fly in than it is to drive in,” he said. The airport averages 50 take-offs and landings per day.

The $6 million price tag for the airport does include Habich's house and dental office, which the retired dentist now rents to colleagues. He hopes whoever buys the airport will continue to operate it for that use, but there is no guarantee that it won't wind up as an industrial park, housing development, or parking lot for the fairgrounds. “As long as it’s mine, it’ll be an airport,” Habich told the Herald. “I would like to see it as an airport. If I don’t own it, I don’t have any control over that.”

FMI: www.firstairfield.com