Good news for skydivers on Oahu: The state Department of Transportation has rescinded its previously announced Dec. 31 pullout from Dillingham Airfield, which would have ended general aviation at the popular North Shore airport.
Citing progress on a long-term lease with the Army, which is the airfield’s owner, DOT Director Jade Butay said Sept. 17 in a letter to the Army that the agency is no longer terminating the lease early. It now reverts back to a previous July 5, 2024, end date.
In the meantime, talks are continuing with the Army toward a new lease of more than 20 years — which would allow the DOT Airports Division to qualify for Federal Aviation Administration airport improvement grants.
“As a result of the combined efforts of our staff, area legislators, the Army and the tenants operating at Dillingham, HDOT is confident that the concerns prompting the transfer of the airfield back to the U.S. Army can be resolved,” Butay said Thursday in a release.
Dillingham Airfield is the only location on Oahu where skydiving and glider flights are possible. Pre-
coronavirus, Pacific Skydiving and Skydive Hawaii were among the busiest operations in the world for first-time jump students and provided the bulk of an estimated $12 million economic impact, officials said.
Also known as Kawaihapai Airfield, Dillingham “really is a gem of the North Shore, and it’s so unique,” said state Rep. Lauren Matsumoto, whose district includes Mokuleia, Waialua and Mililani.
“With COVID-19 there are so many places that are shutting down or businesses that are struggling,” she said Thursday while visiting the airfield. “This is how we can diversify our economy — have something different here. The airfield really brings that.”
Jeni Pfister, a skydiving pilot at the airport who also has a flight school, said, “I am very excited that we get to stay here — I don’t have to move.”
She had just returned from a flight in a Beechcraft Musketeer with Omri Yosef, also a pilot, to the runway, which has ocean views on one side and the Waianae range on the other. “It’s gorgeous. The view is amazing,” Yosef said.
Ben Devine, executive director of Save Dillingham Airfield, said that on a good day the two skydiving operations can see about 200 tandem jumpers. With the previous uncertainty, some skydiving staff left, and the businesses are trying to rebuild.
As a result, skydiving is currently available on Wednesdays and Friday through Monday — when it used to run seven days a week.
“Bars, restaurants and shops in the area — they really do notice the folks from the airfield when they come in, and are happy to have them stay,” said Devine, a master parachute rigger.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association said those fighting to save Dillingham Airfield “celebrated a significant victory” with the news of the lease continuance.
“The latest reprieve buys much more time — years rather than months — to sort out a plan for the popular airport’s future,” the group said in a release.
Civilian use of the airport — which is closed periodically for Army training — provides $12.6 million in direct economic benefit and draws about 50,000 visitors a year while employing 130 people at 11 airport-based businesses, the aviation group said.
The state sought and received multiple lease renewals from the military since 1962. A couple of 25-year leases were obtained in 1983 and 2009, but the local Army realized in 2012 it did not have the authority to execute a lease beyond five years without approval from the secretary of the Army, the Airports Division said.
A series of short-term leases followed. As a result, the Airports Division said it has not been able to obtain new federal grants to make improvements.
DOT Airports more recently indicated it would terminate its lease early, but then extended the end date as landlord for civilian operations from June 30, 2020, to June 30, 2021, to Dec. 31.
Along the way, the state cited additional concerns that the airfield operated at a deficit of $624,000 in 2015 and nearly $1 million in 2019.
But tenants say that was due to some airport neglect and includes costs for an old water system that not only supplies the airfield, but also a number of nearby homes, the YMCA of Honolulu’s Camp Erdman, a city beach park and the nearby Air Force satellite tracking station. In 2012 the state estimated the on-airport replacement costs alone were as much as $10 million.
Butay said in the Friday letter that “we restate DOT’s understanding that DOT will not be obligated to operate the water system outside the boundaries of the leasehold” under a new agreement with the Army.
“I think there are many options going forward,” whether that’s a water cooperative or something else, Matsumoto said. “We have to bring the system up to standard. But I think in those conversations there’s been a lot of hope and movement and potential for grants and things.”
Scott Blackley, who owns North Shore Aviation, a fuel supplier at Dillingham, said it’s “great news” that the state lease allowing general aviation has been extended beyond December.
“Buys some time for negotiation. Got to figure out the water system. That’s probably the biggie in the whole deal,” he said.
Devine said he is “100% confident” a long-term deal will be negotiated. The Army, which uses another section of the military reservation for near-nightly helicopter insert training, “is very supportive of keeping the airport open for civil access,” he said.
