I bought a neglected airport and brought it back to life

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Hear the story of how global traveler, pilot, author and businessman Robert DeLaurentis brought an airport back to life on Whidbey Island in Washington State.
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[cincinnatusjeffery]

While visiting family on the island, I stopped by to see what the airport was like. I got a nice tour of the current setup and future projects, and was very impressed. The owner seemed very down-to-earth, and legitimately excited about the project. I wish him and the airport the best.

[ArloReeves]

AOPA what happened? Anyone paying attention knows the transformation of Eisenberg/Oak Harbor hasn’t been good for the local pilots or transient aviators but has instead removed OKH from flight plans for many. I’ve been an AOPA member for 30 years and know there are good stories to be told about airport restoration, like the one you ran recently on L88 New Cayuma. Had you done a little more research, you would know this is not one of those stories. Please reconsider spending your members dues on promoting developments like this.

[BonanzaPilot]

The problem with this airport is that is nothing more than a locals "stamp" airport. We transit to Whidbey Island from California and this airport isn't even a consideration. No services for true transient operations. Their local bus is the recommended form of transportation. It is currently a better experience and arguably faster to fly into Skagit and drive to Whidbey.

[markvarljen]

If it came down to a choice between closing an airport for good and this model, I think we would all take this model any day. But thats not what happened here. Neglect occurred in the hands of a previous private owner, and when the community attemped to put this facility into public ownership to rehabilitate it, it is true - this guy sued to block the effort by the public. Sure, he has put his owm money into it, and it is better now than it was, no question about it. But is it better than it could have been? Did this guy really do a service to the community? What happens when he gets bored or runs out of money or worse? At the end of the day, I'll give credit where credit is due...he put up his own money and hasn't neglected it like the last owner, and I respect his right as a private owner to charge whatever he wants or feels he needs to charge to keep the place operating. But lets be honest about the situation here - there was a public option to ensure community benefit forever, to allow aviators who pay fuel tax and businesses who benefit from aviation to enjoy use of those funds, and this guy blocked it.

[MichaelCarrPilot]

I thought AOPA was fighting for no/reduced landing fees but then uploads this with a $20 landing fee? If he wanted contributions to your tax credit, you shouldn’t have bought an airport because it “maybe sounded like fun.” What. A. Joke.

[jd]

Owner is as egotistical as they come, but he does put on a good disguise behind the screen.

[gregcharest]

As soon as I heard him say he is “an equatorial and polar circumnavigator” I suspected the worst. It was confirmed when he publicly criticized the airport as a “dark place” and started to complain that people disagreed with his plans. And why is AOPA supporting landing fees anyway?

[DrBrianKeating]

What a wonderful story! Thanks Robert and AOPA

[Jmbueller]

What was a fun little airport has become a monument to this guy’s ego. Look up the history of the sale of the airport. It could have been publicly owned with no landing fee. Luckily, there are lots of examples of just that in the area.

[rogerclarke]

Hi from the UK. Beautiful video. You are living the dream.

[WAHOI]

Nice little airport we have been to many times in the past in our Ercoupe. There is a short walk south down to the water which is nice. I remember looking into the closed lobby of the tiny terminal that was used by maybe Island Air or some other long ago defunct airline. It was like looking back in time, with old big PC monitors and raincoats hanging on the wall. Kind of like a museum itself. The runway has quite a slope to the west that really gets you going on takeoff! I find it hard to believe so many pilots grumping about a lousy $20 landing fee! Been to your local Starbucks recently? Maybe time for them to get another hobby! ;)

[TobyMcVinn]

When you name an airport after yourself, I am immediately suspicious.

[fighterbomberMiG]

It is my dream to have my own small airport near my home. And I don't stop achieving my dreams. Excellent presentation and camera work from the drone. My support to your channel and full respect

[solgoode]

Wonderful video! Congratulations. I would love to do what you've done in buying and restoring the airport.

[tymechling]

Great job renovating and renewing this little airport and striving to get kids interested in aviation. I’d love to be involved and help make our community better.

[brianb]

This is great AOPA but where were you in the fight to keep the airport from closing in St. Marys, Georgia? We know have no airport there anymore.

[navion]

New slogan, AOPA: your freedom to pay user fees.

[floatingmallows]

Let’s talk about how this guy who casts himself as an “angel of peace” throughout the world actually sued the county to prevent the public from taking ownership and improving it within the public domain. Grab some interviews with former and current tenants who have had the displeasure of dealing with this guy. There are many and they aren’t hard to hide. The constant self promotion from this guy is nauseating.

[Thegriam-pt]

Smart move getting this property. May God’s blessings go with you. 🙏🏻

[desertviews]

I fly in the Seattle area out of one of the many private owned, public use airports that help make the PNW one of the most interesting areas to fly in. None of them that I know of charge landing fees and overnight parking fees are rarely more than $20, and even the private owned, private use runways that need prior permission to use typically don't charge anything. By charging a landing fee what he's doing is basically saying "this airport is for me to show off my toys in "a museum" and write off on my taxes and for my friends and I and other desirable people who are significantly well off that a $20 fee doesn't bother them to use" while at the same time claiming it's for the community.

For those of us who don't have unlimited aviation budgets and are dealing with some of the highest avgas and maintenance prices in the country to start with, paying $20 to land at an airport with no services surrounded by other airports with better runways and locations without landing fees is basically a non-starter. And I kind of think that's his intent.

I've been to one airport that charged a landing fee. It was a dual use commercial / GA airport and they had a "follow me" truck to get me to a tucked away parking space, the driver / line guy helped me tie down and unload, dove me to the FBO and dropped me off at the courtesy car which they had ready for me, and when I left later in the day the process was reversed. The airport and FBO split the $30 fee and I didn't mind paying that for that level of service.


I also find it interesting that the airport is owned by "DFF LLC" out of San Diego, not locally.