Pangborn prepares for growth with fuel, parking improvements

EAST WENATCHEE — As Pangborn Memorial Airport prepares for expanded commercial service this fall and continues to support regional wildfire aviation, the Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority is investing more than $1.2 million in fuel infrastructure while evaluating future parking improvements.

Commissioners on June 24 approved a contract awarding the airport fleet fuel project to Peak Environmental LLC and authorized additional engineering services from Ardurra, establishing an overall project budget not to exceed $1.286 million.

The project will replace aging fuel infrastructure with a new fueling facility designed to better serve airport operations while modernizing fuel inventory management across the airport.

Port staff said the project will increase diesel fuel storage for airport maintenance vehicles from 1,000 gallons to 3,000 gallons, improve fueling rates for larger equipment and consolidate fuel monitoring under an electronic inventory and transaction system.

The new system is expected to streamline fuel accounting, provide more accurate inventory tracking and reduce the amount of staff time spent reconciling invoices, fuel tickets and check sheets while helping prevent over- and under-fueling.

The project also includes a new fueling apron, stormwater improvements and upgraded spill-containment measures designed to work with the airport's existing oil-water separator. Existing above-ground tanks that have reached the end of their useful life will be decommissioned and replaced with new dual-wall tanks.

Commissioners questioned whether the project had been reviewed for fire marshal requirements, citing previous permitting issues in Douglas County. Project representatives said plans had been submitted to the county and preliminary comments had been minor, but agreed to follow up directly with the fire marshal.

The fuel project comes as Pangborn's fuel operation is seeing heavy use from firefighting aircraft stationed at the airport.

FBO Manager Colby Goodrich told commissioners that in the 10 days after water-scooping aircraft arrived at Pangborn, the airport pumped about 37,000 gallons of fuel. More than 24,000 gallons went into firefighting aircraft, including more than 16,000 gallons directly into the scoopers.

Goodrich said the airport pumped about 6,000 gallons the previous day alone, much of it supporting aircraft responding to a growing fire near Coulee City.

CEO Jim Kuntz said the wildfire aviation activity reflects an increasingly important role for the airport.

"That's huge for us," Kuntz said.

Staff also told commissioners they are evaluating parking capacity ahead of new Portland air service scheduled to begin this fall.

Airport Director Trent Moyers said staff have begun tracking daily parking availability across the airport's approximately 380 parking stalls while working with consultants on short- and long-term options. Possible improvements include restriping to add capacity, leasing temporary space, paving additional parking areas and eventually replacing the airport's current payment system with a more modern automated parking gate.

Kuntz said the airport wants to avoid parking problems if passenger volumes increase with expanded commercial service.

"We don't want to be put in a situation that the October-November flights are a big hit ... and all of a sudden we're getting jammed with parking," Kuntz said.

Airport officials have previously said Pangborn's current parking system can be confusing for travelers and requires significant staff time to manage. Earlier this year, the airport introduced a prepaid parking option intended to make the process easier while longer-term improvements are considered.

Commissioners also discussed the possibility of off-site parking or shuttle options if demand grows beyond what the airport lot can comfortably handle.

The discussions around fuel, wildfire aviation and parking all pointed to the same broader issue: Pangborn's infrastructure is being asked to support more aircraft, more passengers and more aviation activity.

While much of the recent public attention has focused on the new Portland route, port officials said the airport's evolving role also includes wildfire response, military operations, air ambulance service, general aviation and cargo.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media