Omak Airport , also known as Omak Municipal Airport or Omak City Airport, is a regional airport located north of Omak, Washington, a city in the Okanogan region of United States. It is owned and operated by the Omak City Council and serves Omak, although it is situated in nearby town Riverside's city limits rather. The airport was built by the United States Army Air Forces around 1942 and was approved for public use the following year. After World War II ended, it was closed and turned over for local government use by the War Assets Administration (WAA). Throughout its history, a number of improvements and expansions have occurred with its terminal, runways and taxiways, specifically in June 1979, when improvements made around that month were celebrated with an air show presentation.
Numerous airlines have previously served the airport, including Omak Airlines which had its headquarters and hub based at the terminal around 1980. Historically, it has also suffered from financial difficulties, specifically due to budget restrictions having been leased numerous times. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released demographics relating to the airport, including historical aircraft movements, based aircraft and passenger boarding statistics. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the highest number of aircraft movements it has handled annually is 142,000 and lowest is 4,254, while the most based aircraft at the Omak Airport was 658. It has seen no major accidents or incidents throughout its history.
The Omak Airport, which covers an area of of city-owned property and overall at an elevation of , has a runway aligned 17–35, making it the third largest runway in Central Washington. Military aircraft are permitted for the airport. The terminal maintains a pilot lounge, as well as a medical facility, accommodation areas and administrative buildings; food and snacks are also offered. Its weather station is used to determine the local and upcoming weather of Omak and Riverside, as well as historical climate recordings. This data differs significantly from central Omak's recordings.
The airport does not support commercial flights or charge non-commercial payments, but does provide three daily charter flights or general aviation services to other destinations from Monday to Friday which are commonly used for commuter purposes. These offerings are provided by a number of charter airlines, including Ameriflight and Empire Airlines. Cargo flights are also offered to fellow airports using packages from FedEx and the United Parcel Service (UPS) by a number of airlines. For the 12-month period ending on May 30, 2012, it garnered 23,750 aircraft movements and maintained three based aircraft. The Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center, based in Auburn, manages the traffic at the airport, in addition to all other airports in Washington.
History
Origin The United States Army Air Forces built the airport around 1942, when it was known as the Okanogan Flight Strip and Omak Flight Strip.Shaw (2005) The initial construction, which was completed in 1943, consisted of a long, wide paved runway running north and south, with graded sides and overrun areas which were wide. It was constructed around the Donald Dodge and Grace Bell ranches, and served as a long hard-surfaced emergency landing airfield strip primarily used by military aircraft on training flights, for which purpose it was approved by the United States Armed Forces.
By December 1943, bomber aircraft commonly used the flight strip. It was closed after World War II and turned over for local government use by the War Assets Administration (WAA) in 1954. – via Google News Archive In 1956, the airport's ownership was transferred to the Omak City Council under the condition that it be maintained properly. – via Google News Archive According to the city council, it has been expanded since then with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
Improvements After being considered for upgrading in December 1956, the Omak City Council thought that the boundary lighting of what would become known as Omak Airport required improvements, and estimated that the cost would be around $16,000. – via Google News Archive By March 1957, the improvements were seen as a high priority, but all of the bids from the seven companies interested in carrying out the work exceeded the estimate. The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) was notified, with the city council suggesting that the contract should be awarded to Wenatchee's Regan Electric, who bid $17,672. In addition to the lighting, of electric cables were to be installed, and the work was to be completed within 120 days of signing the contract. – via Google News Archive A tour sponsored by the Wenatchee Chamber of Commerce was provided to enable aviators to see the improvements being made. – via Google News Archive The work, which included an aerodrome beacon, was not completed until 1958, and a dedication program was planned for May 1958, jointly organised by two flying clubs and the city council. All of these improvements ultimately cost $18,000. – via Google News Archive The city council approved an ordinance which made an extra $1,000 available towards their share of the cost, which amounted to 48.28 percent of the total; the remaining 52 percent was paid for by the CAA.
With the state given $994,938 in 1960 for airport improvements across Washington, the Omak City Council was granted $12,172 for their Omak Airport. – via Google News Archive – via Google News Archive A radio navigation aid was proposed for the Omak Airport around 1961 by affiliated city council members because it would increase aircraft traffic according to supporters, although the FAA suggested that nearby city Brewster gain an aid for their local airport: Anderson Field. The former now maintains a navigation aid, while the latter does not. In June 1979, a terminal, air traffic controller and fuel tanks containing of jet fuel, 100 octanes of general aviation fuel and 6,000 octanes of fuel for older aircraft costing approximately $237,000 at the Omak Airport began to construct, having completed in August 1979; its newly paved runway was at that time. The terminal was dedicated to Arno Hopfer, a former city councilman who positively spoke for the airport when others considered it to be a stale project; the then-new Okanogan Valley Pilots Association, which is no longer existent, gave it an aircraft presentation on September 30, 1979.
Numerous aircraft took off after an air show celebration at the terminal, which contained a breakfast service for aircraft pilots and a dinner service later that day. Precision aircraft takeoffs and landings were also provided at the presentation, which flew around the Okanogan County, in addition to flour bombing runs which involved flour dropping onto selected targets on the ground. These services were initially announced by Bruce Burk, the then-new spokesman for the Okanogan Valley Pilots Association. Members of this organization parked their aircraft at the Omak Airport, at their permanent high-downs. According to The Spokesman-Review, these services were provided in the hopes that Omak Airport may become a commercial airport in the future. – via Google News Archive There were plans later that month by a member of the no longer existent flight school Omak Aviation which operated at the airport, to create an airline between Omak, Portland, Seattle, Spokane and Wenatchee. – via Google News Archive It served as the largest airport in the Okanogan County that supported Boeing B-17, Boeing B-26, Cessna,Johnson (1994), p. 19 Douglas DC-3, – via Google News Archive and helicopter landings since historical dates; some of these aircraft were operated around the local community during World War II. – via Google News Archive The Omak Airport's taxiway and runway lighting was expanded in 1993, and 1997 with approximately $662,400 in funds the latter year. – via Google News Archive The Omak Flying Club and Norcewa Flying Club, both pilot training clubs, formerly operated at the Omak Airport around the 1960s. – via Google News Archive
Around the early 2000s, the Omak Airport was the subject of significant improvement with over $750,000 worth of funds. Its runway and taxiway was reconstructed as a priority around 2002 with about $100,000 of the funds; the runway's main width was reduced to . While an FAA survey was also conducted in the early 2000s due to consideration for upgrades, a transponder landing system was requested for the airport in 2003, as per a city request with a contract agreement of $2,000,000 recorded by the United States Congress.United States Congress (2006), p. 3455United States Congress (2003), p. 1251 That same year, a Spokane government person proposed navigational equipment being added to the Omak Airport. In 2007, the Omak City Council was granted $142,500 to improve the airfield's taxiway and parking area, some of which was provided by the FAA. This would improve its infrastructure that would ensure aircraft safety. The following year, a crack sealing concern was addressed.
Airlines and difficulties Throughout its history, a number of airlines have served the airport. Flights have been provided since historical dates to Omak for access to the Omak Stampede using charter airlines. – via Google News Archive 30 private aircraft came to the airport from locations in Eastern Washington in 1949, for an air show presentation around the Okanogan County. – via Google News Archive Commercial airlines have also previously served the airport. West Coast Airlines offered their services at this airport from 1954 to 1960 as a trial. In July 1960, the airline provided 149 flights to other destinations. According to the then-airport manager Jim Davenport, if five more flights were provided that month, then it would have been about five flights given to other airports daily. However, as this was a trial, West Coast Airlines stated that five was the minimal amount for their services to continue. – via Google News Archive In September that year, Taquan Air also began testing their services at the Omak Airport to Wenatchee and Seattle for a period of three to six months; – via Google News Archive this did not continue after because of a consensus against it. Omak Airlines operated its services and maintained its hub and headquarters at the airport, having provided flights to destinations such as the Spokane International Airport and there was consideration then to offer flights to other airports around Washington, while its runway was also improved in 1980. – via Google News Archive Operations to Seattle or Spokane and Wenatchee were considered around 2005 by the Omak City Council in response to offered information to Harbor Air, but no further action was taken.