Sometimes, relocating an airport is a good move. That’s the case for Colville Municipal Airport in Colville, Wash. The airport is boxed in by development, and for years the FAA has refused to invest money in the airport at its current location.
Instead of opting to close the airport, Colville city officials have recognized the value of general aviation to their community and are proposing to relocate the facility to an area where it can thrive. Although city officials are trying to estimate the cost of relocating the airport, the first step would be to select a location.
Selecting a new location for the airport “will result in greater safety for the citizens by enhanced emergency medical and firefighting response, removal of public gathering places from critical safety areas, and a greater ability to attract economic development opportunities not possible with the current airport,” AOPA Manager of Airport Policy John Collins wrote to the city.
AOPA encouraged the city to continue including the community and pilots in the process to address all concerns associated with relocating the airport.
