The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) reported last week that Los Angeles County has unwisely added $1.3 million to its $600,000 budget for assessing how to repurpose Whiteman Airport (KWHP), despite the fact that the county has a federal obligation to keep the airport operational “in perpetuity.” That mandate comes from language that requires perpetual support of an airport that has accepted federal funding for the purpose of acquiring “real property” even if that property is only a part of the existing airport footprint.
AOPA wrote, “We have confirmed that Los Angeles County previously accepted an [Airport Improvement Program] grant to fund the addition of real property to WHP. Although the obligations associated with AIP grants typically have a 20-year duration, if the federal funds are used to acquire real property, the obligations are perpetual—and apply to the entire airport, not just the parcel acquired.” AOPA further asserted that allocating funds to explore options for repurposing the airport, which was established in 1946, constitutes a waste of taxpayer money.
Jared Yoshiki, AOPA V-P of Airports and State Advocacy, said, “Whiteman Airport financially supports the county’s other airports. Eliminating the county’s most profitable and revenue-generating airport would be disastrous for the future financial outlook of those other airports.”
