National aircraft owners group says closing Piper Airport would cost Lock Haven economy $13 million

LOCK HAVEN, PA – While the dialogue continues on the future of the William T. Piper Memorial Airport, a national aircraft owners group has told the City of Lock Haven that in the event of an airport closing there would be a $13 million loss in annual economic activity.

The airport status was discussed briefly at Monday night’s City Council meeting. Information released included a letter from the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, the world’s largest aviation membership organization. In that letter, Sean Collins, AOPA Eastern Regional Manager, wrote that Lock Haven has accepted more than $4 million in federal airport improvement grant funding over the past 20 years. A portion of that grant money remains a city obligation forever, he said; also, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has never released a public airport sponsor from its obligation to remain open.

Collins said it is the AOPA’s recommendation that Lock Haven instead “seek to maximize the economic impact potential of the airport.” He suggested the creation of an authority to operate the airport, an option which local pilots and plane owners have discussed in recent months.

City Manager Greg Wilson also provided council with updated information showing that the airport has operated at a loss over 32 of the last 36 years. Since 1984, he wrote, the city has spent $3,842,905 “in tax dollars to subsidize the airport’s operations.” Over the last ten years, that amount has jumped to an average of $190,000 a year, according to the city manager. He wrote the city’s airport advisory committee will continue to discuss options with the FAA and PennDOT’s Bureau of Aviation and will be meeting again with representatives of the pilots based at Piper Memorial Airport.

The city, including council members, have not indicated any interest in pursuing nonaviation use for the airport.