Pangborn Memorial Airport Seeks Van Well Land Needed for Instrument Landing System

Mar. 10—EAST WENATCHEE — A 9.24-acre slice of Van Well Nursery property could soon become part of Pangborn Memorial Airport. It's the final piece of land needed for the installation of a new instrument approach lighting system that will allow planes to land when visibility is low.

"It's the key linchpin needed to finish the project," Chelan Douglas Port Authority CEO Jim Kuntz told commissioners Tuesday. The port authority owns and operates the airport.

The commissioners authorized Kuntz to finalize the purchase-and-sale agreement on the property based on the $836,000 appraised value. The acreage, along North Stark Avenue, will be carved from two existing parcels that total 62.4 acres, according to port documents. Discussions have been underway for at least six months.

Initially, the airport requested 9.91 acres plus an air space easement on another 6.72 acres.

The air space easement is no longer part of the deal.

The Federal Aviation Administration will reimburse the airport for 90% of the costs of the property, which is needed to secure the runway protection zone and obstacle free zone for the medium approach landing system. The system will allow pilots to fly into the airport when visibility is a half-mile rather than the current mile.

Kuntz has said previously that the project will improve commercial air service reliability during the foggy winter months by 60%.

The design of the estimated $3.7 million project (which includes the property acquisition) is 60% completed and waiting for the FAA to sign off on the environmental assessment. Once that report has been received, the airport will schedule a 30-day public notice period, Airport Manager Trent Moyers said.

Kuntz said the airport is front-funding some of the design costs, with the expectation that the FAA will reimburse 90% of those costs as well. It's a slight risk, but deemed necessary to be ready to avoid any construction delays.

He said the FAA's determination on the environmental assessment is expected in the next few weeks.

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