Skydiving, glider and other aviation businesses at Dillingham Airfield that have long been a favorite of tourists on the North Shore are worried that the state will terminate its lease this summer and cause all operations to cease at the Army-owned airfield.

U.S. Army Hawaii was notified Jan. 23 that the state intended to end the lease early and vacate Dillingham Airfield by June 30.

Parts of the airfield — most notably the 5,000-foot runway — have been leased by the U.S. military to the state Department of Transportation airports division since 1972, the Army said.

In 2019, the Army and state agreed to a five-year lease extension that expires in 2024 to allow time to negotiate a longer-term lease as requested by the state, the Army said.

“The U.S. Army has been working with the state on such a lease for the past year; however, the U.S. Army recently received a letter from the Hawaii Department of Transportation announcing the state’s intent to exercise its right to terminate the lease early,” the service said in an email Wednesday.

The Army said it is now “analyzing the possible impacts” to determine the way forward.

The uncertainty of the situation is being felt up and down the runway, which has three glider operations, two skydiving centers, hangars for privately owned aircraft and other aviation operations, according to business representatives.

“I don’t know if it’s all speculation or what’s going on,” said Jeni Pfister, a flight instructor with Paradise Air, which has three powered hang gliders. The company has been in business at Dillingham for 18 years.

“Everyone is so confused and we’re trying not to freak out,” she said Wednesday. Pfister added that “we have hundreds and hundreds of tourists every day come to our airport.” In 2018 there were 31,163 air operations, according to the state.

The airfield’s location between a mountain ridge and beaches and surf on the North Shore makes for a dramatic backdrop. “It’s beautiful,” Pfister said.

Tim Sakahara, a state DOT spokesman, said in a brief statement that “HDOT does not own Dillingham Airfield and does not have the authority to close the facility in its entirety. If additional details become available regarding any potential changes at the facility we will be sure to share them with the public when they are finalized.”

An online petition at change.org was started about a week ago to “keep Dillingham Airfield open for public use.” The petition had generated over 6,000 signatures as of Wednesday.

The petition started by skydiver Edward Cope says there is no other option on Oahu for the two skydiving centers and glider businesses. Honolulu Soaring has been operating at Dillingham for 50 years.

“None of the other airports’ airspace permit skydiving, not even Kalaeloa (Airport),” according to the petition. “This will affect perhaps hundreds of people between the two companies.” That list includes pilots, aircraft mechanics, parachute riggers, office staff, reservation staff, drivers and editors that produce customer videos.

Three flight schools are based there. The petition also notes that “thousands of visitors and residents” use the Kealia hiking trail behind the airfield and use the facility’s parking lot and bathrooms.

The airfield is jointly used with the Army having priority for helicopter and infantry operations on the 650-acre Dillingham Military Reservation. The state leased Dillingham from the Air Force in 1962 for general aviation, with the Air Force transferring the base to the Army in about 1974, according to a state website.

“Future improvements and initiatives” were to include a new 35-year lease from the Army and joint-use agreement, taxiway extension, water system upgrade and additional hangars, the state report said.

A business operator said a “thorn in the side of the state” has been a water system that has to be maintained that services nearby Camp Erdman and a beach park, requiring costly maintenance.

In his change.org petition, Cope said he contacted state Sen. Gil Riviere and state Rep. Sean Quinlan “who thankfully understand what the airfield means to hundreds of North Shore residents.”

Pfister said there’s no definitive news yet how the situation will shake out.

“We just don’t like being in limbo, so we’ll try to be positive about it all,” she said.