Desert Aire Airport needs public support to complete upgrade

DESERT AIRE - Desert Aire Airport (DAA) commissioners and its manager say the landing-takeoff strip is in dire need of replacement, and they are appealing to the South County public to pitch in.

According to the commissioners, they need to raise $200,000 by Sept. 1 in matching funds to receive a a grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation/Aviation for $250,000. A grant and loan ($20,000) totaling $155,495 from Grant County is also contingent on the matching.

"They want us to have community stakeholders," Commissioner Dick Skogerson said.

The grants and community funding that are sought would make it possible to complete an upgrade project started last winter. So far, $345,238, mostly from the WSDOT, has been spent on preparing for the runway replacement.

Design engineering and survey took up $44,387, Construction Phase 1 (earthwork) required $235,073 and Construction Phase 2 (electrical materials used up $65,778.

These numbers do not include the large amount of donated volunteer labor and equipment from commissioners, the manager and friends of the airport.

"All this was accomplished by hired contractors and the hard working men and women in our community who contribute their talents to our Airport," Manager Carl Gruber said.

The total needed to complete the more than million dollar (including donated time and equipment) upgrade is $628,684.

If the $200,000 is raised by stakeholders, the state and county matches would make the total $605,495. The Port of Mattawa would put up $10,000, and the airport district would add $13,189, bringing the total to $628,684.

The goal of the commissioners is a first class landing strip. The one at Desert Aire has several cracks the width of the tarmac, and they are becoming dangerous.

So commissioners believe it would be best to replace the strip. That would accomplish other goals that would increase the stature and value of the airport. Twin engine planes would land easily.

Goals - some already met - of the upgrade are:

* Widen the runway to 60 feet to meet the FAA standard for small A1 airports.

* Move the centerline of the runway 16 feet to the north to meet runway/taxiway separation requirements of the FAA standard.

* Remove six feet of earthen obstruction (19,000 cubic yards) from the safety area of the runway approach to meet the FAA standard.

* Replace existing disintegrating pavement as recommended by the airport's engineer.

* Increase runway weight certification to 16,500 pounds for heavier King Aire and Citation type business aircraft.

Desert Aire Airport is important to the community for recreation and business purposes and critical for emergency medical evacuation, the commissioners said.

"In medical emergencies, the older population at Desert Aire and the agricultural workers especially depend on the life saving fast airlift capabilities provided by the airport," former Commissioner Cliff Naser said. "Kadlec Hospital in Richland is only eight minutes away via the MedStar Pilatus airplane and MedStar helicopters."

Naser listed several reasons why the business community and general community should want an upgraded DAA. Some are:

• Visitors to Desert Aire who arrive by air spend about $70 a day in the local area. They come here for golf, boating, winery visits and other recreation.
• The airport is important to the agricultural business community which participates in national and international markets. The fruit growers, packers, vineyards and wineries fly in potential buyers, inspectors, biologists and marketing personnel.
• It has been important to construction activities in the area. Engineers, managers, supervisors and specialty craftsmen have arrived here via their corporate planes to support construction on the dams, fish hatchery, and fish ladders.
• The airport reduces the travel costs and time costs for businesses and for those who use it for private purposes.
• The airport is used by neighboring flight schools from Richland, Moses Lake and Ellensburg for training future business and airline pilots.

DAA is one of a few Airports in the country that depends on donations for survival. There are no local taxes associated with it.

And there are no salary costs. All commissioners are volunteers. All the work to operate and maintain the airport is done by volunteers.

So far, about $40,000 has been raised. There must be $160,000 more by Sept. 1.