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Puyallup Tribe and Kenmore Air Open Seaplane Base in Tacoma

Partnership plan announced last year becomes a reality

Meg Godlewski
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City and county officials, tribal members, and Kenmore representatives prepare to cut the ribbon [Meg Godlewski]
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Key Takeaways:

  • The Puyallup Tribe and Kenmore Air have successfully launched new floatplane operations on the Tacoma waterfront, opening a dock and terminal for public scenic flights starting August 11, 2023.
  • This partnership is a significant development for the South Puget Sound, honoring the Puyallup Tribe's heritage and sovereignty on land historically inhabited by them.
  • The new seaplane base on Ruston Way offers daily 20-minute scenic flights over local landmarks and features a terminal building that will house a restaurant by Chef Roy Yamaguchi.
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In May 2022 the Puyallup Tribe of Washington State and Pacific Northwest seaplane giant Kenmore Air announced a partnership to bring floatplane operations to the Tacoma waterfront along land once inhabited by the Puyallup Tribe. 

On August 10, 2023, a ceremony was held to announce the mission has been accomplished. The new dock and seaplane terminal are open, and flights for the public begin this weekend.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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