Pangborn Construction Underway; Runway to Close for Several Weeks in 2025 for Rebuild

Apr. 2—EAST WENATCHEE — Dirt is moving at Pangborn Memorial Airport — for just one of several projects lined up at the site.

The 576-square-foot equipment storage building is being moved from one side of the apron, or ramp — the area planes park — to the other. It will be 640 square feet and costs $108,000.

But that's just the beginning.

"We are just absolutely booming at the airport," said Jim Kuntz, Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority CEO, at the March 29 Chelan County Tri-Commission meeting. "We've got record investment. It's hard to keep track of all of these projects. We're completely rebuilding our aviation ramp in the back of the airport terminal building. It's asphalt. It's used up its useful life."

The apron reconstruction will be about $11 million and completed by the end of July, he said. It also will change size, from 95,000 square feet to 160,000 square feet.

It's funded by a Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant of $10.1 million and the FAA Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Program, which allows the collection of PFC fees up to $4.50 for every eligible passenger at commercial airports controlled by public agencies, according to a recent airport presentation. The latter is providing $372,991 for construction. The port is kicking in another $471,622.68 from its reserve fund for the project.

Cracks and holes run throughout the apron and can no longer be repaired, said Trent Moyers, director of airports for the port.

He pointed to one square patch of concrete where a Q400 aircraft parked on a sunny afternoon. The apron's asphalt sank and was dangerous, so it was patched.

But there have been too many patches, he said. The apron will be reconstructed using concrete instead of asphalt because the latter is too porous, Moyers said.

"The board basically said, 'We're not replacing an aviation ramp with asphalt," Kuntz said. "We're going concrete and we're going to do it right.' "

"The board insisted that we are going to be growing airline service eventually."

The ramp will hold three airplanes, including a Boeing 737, and have electrical conduits throughout, so there are electrified aircraft, the ramp won't need to be dug up.

"We're also going to try to improve the passenger experience going inside the terminal building," Kuntz continued. "It doesn't look great. We're going to do some stamp concrete, a little fencing and some signage."

Another project for increasing visibility is still in its design phase, and will cost $4.4 million. The port likely will be reimbursed for buying $1.98 million-worth of land and $2.4 million for construction through the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Program. Once completed, the FAA will take responsibility for the system.

"We're also proceeding now with this intensive lighting system into Pangborn," he said. "Too many lost flights in the winter time because of low visibility and Alaska has to turn around."

The Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (MALSR) allow pilots to see an additional one-half mile through any inclement weather, he said, and improve chances of airplanes landing by 60%.

"It is a game-changer," he said.

The lighting goes across Grant Road and in the property nearby, he added.

"When they turn on those lights, it's like lighting up a Christmas tree, but it'll get you into Wenatchee," he said.

Another project is completely redoing the main taxiway, Taxiway Alpha, for $20.8 million. It will be paid through FAA Discretionary/Entitlement Funds of $18.7 million and a port 10% match, which is Passenger Facility Charge eligible, of $2 million

The taxiway will go from 70 feet wide to 75 feet and will be done over two summers, Kuntz said at the meeting.

One project will make Pangborn inoperable for an as-yet undetermined time.

"We're going to rebuild the main runway" in about 2025, Kuntz said. "The FAA said it needs to be replaced. So we are going to replace the main runway at Pangborn. And the question is, how do you do that and have commercial air service at the same time? The answer is, you don't. There's going to be part of the time that Pangborn will not be operational, so we'll just have to figure out how many weeks that is and give everybody advance notice."

The project will cost about $2 million in 2024, coming from FAA entitlement funds of $1.8 million and a port 10% match of $200,000. In 2025, about $20.1 million will be spent, from FAA discretionary/entitlement funds of $18.09 million and a port 10% match of $2 million.

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