Pilots Accuse California County of Neglecting Airport While Asking for Massive Rent Increase

The only general aviation FBO in Humboldt County has closed after facing a 500 percent jump.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 06:55 PM ET

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A look at Murray Field in Humboldt County, California. [Credit: Gene Joyce]

Key Takeaways:

Northern Air, the sole FBO at Murray Field (KEKA), is closing due to a 500 percent rent increase from Humboldt County, making operations financially unviable given the facility's deteriorated condition and the FBO's unprofitability.
The closure has sparked significant concern among local pilots regarding the loss of essential services like fuel (due to a rotting tank), flight training, and weather cameras, attributing the issues to decades of county neglect at the airport.
Humboldt County officials justify the rent hike by stating previous rates were artificially low and a recent appraisal was needed for FAA grant compliance, while acknowledging historical neglect and promising future improvements for the county's airports.

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Could your small business absorb a 500 percent increase in rent? Kyle Gable, the owner of Northern Air, the only general aviation FBO in Humboldt County, California, says no, he can’t, so he made the decision to close the FBO located at Murray Field (KEKA).

In January, the county informed Gable that the rent would increase from $1,536 a month to $10,088 a month beginning March 1.