CAA: GA News, "Hawaii considers closing five small airfields"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Wednesday, October 9, 2002 

State considers closing five small airfields 
By Catherine E. Toth
The Honolulu (HI) Advertiser


The state says it may have to close five airports, including the busy
facility at Kapalua on Maui, unless it can turn them over to private
operators.

An Oct. 1 letter from Gov. Ben Cayetano to legislators says the state is
considering closing or privatizing the five small airfields - Dillingham
on O'ahu, Port Allen on Kaua'i, 'Upolu and Waimea-Kohala on the Big
Island, and Kapalua on Maui - in an effort to cut costs.

An anticipated drop in airport revenue since the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks prompted the review, with the possible closures intended to
ensure "that service is not degraded" at the state's primary airports,
according to Cayetano's letter.

State officials stressed that the review does not mean that closures are
a certainty. But they said the review underscores the seriousness of the
state's budget problems and the fact it may not be able to support the
infrastructure of airports where passenger or tourist traffic is
relatively light.

Marsha Wienert, head of the Maui Visitors Bureau, called the possible
closure of Kapalua Airport "a shocker."

"(The Kapalua Airport) is a perfect way to not have more traffic on the
highway and to be able to fly back and forth to Honolulu," Wienert said,
noting that Maui tourism officials have not been consulted about the
review of the state's airports.

Flying into Kapalua is a popular choice for travelers, especially
affluent visitors heading to the luxury hotels and condominiums on the
Ka'anapali Coast that are the mainstay of West Maui. In addition,
Wienert said closing the airport would leave residents and tourists no
option but to make the 45-minute drive to Kahului Airport on two-lane
Honoapi'ilani Highway.

Kapalua Airport also "provides easy access for those folks staying on
the west side if they choose to fly into Honolulu and transfer over to
West Maui," she said.

But the airport, which receives only small propeller-driven planes, has
seen a drop in passengers in recent years, especially with the addition
of nonstop flights between Maui and the Mainland.

The state is in the process of evaluating operations at the five
airports. By the end of the month, the state will request proposals for
management contracts to operate and maintain the facilities, while
preparing to shut them down if there isn't commercial interest.

But closing any airport won't happen immediately, said Federal Aviation
Administration spokeswoman Tweet Coleman.

"It will be a very long and arduous process," Coleman said. "The state
can't just say they want to shut down an airport."

The FAA requires the state to hold public hearings, issue public service
announcements and put a notice in the federal registry before getting
approval to shut down a facility. If an airport receives federal money,
the state would have to pay back that money to the FAA.

"It could easily take up to a year to fulfill all the obligations to the
FAA to close an airport," Coleman said. "It won't happen in Cayetano's
time."

A new governor will take office before any decision will be made on the
five airfields.

Dillingham Airfield on the North Shore of O'ahu is the state's only
authorized drop zone for skydivers and there are three skydiving
operations on site. In addition, two glider businesses use the field, as
does the U.S. Army and numerous single-engine and light twin-engine
aircraft, sailplanes, ultralight aircraft and helicopters.

Closing the airport would cost dozens of jobs and take away one of the
economic engines that drives business on the North Shore, said state
Rep. Michael Magaoay, D-46th, (Kahuku, North Shore, Schofield Barracks).

"Whatever economic drive we can sustain is a plus," Magaoay said. "Once
you start depleting it, how do you replace it?"

According to airfield staff, Dillingham has up to 400 operations -
takeoffs and landings - per day.

"I'm still in a state of shock," said Clarence Lopez, 56, who manages
Skydive Hawai'i. "There's a lot of people who work out there. It's going
to impact a lot of people."

Skydive Hawai'i has a staff of 30, 25 of whom are full-time, and about
600 customers a month.

"If they shut down Dillingham, there won't be any skydiving in the
state," said Lopez, who has been jumping at the Mokule'ia field since
1969. "(The state) says it's losing money, but they'll sell it for more
than it's worth. Well, if it's worth something, you should keep it."

Kaua'i's Port Allen Airport, also called Burns Field, has historically
made money for the state, which charges users for each takeoff and
landing and space rentals for planes, Coleman said. The Port Allen-based
Ni'ihau Helicopters is the sole provider of transportation and goods to
and from Ni'ihau.

Waimea-Kohala Airport houses an aircraft rescue and firefighting
facility, with a fair number of general aviation planes using its single
runway, according to the state Department of Transportation.

'Upolu Airport, on the northern tip of the Big Island, has little
traffic on its single runway, which is used by the Coast Guard. The
airport doesn't have a control tower or air-cargo facilities.


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