Portage, Wisconsin's Common Council is voting on a resolution to explore the permanent closure of its municipal airport (C47), directing staff to investigate the necessary steps for shutdown and potential sale of the 106-acre property to a developer.
The airport's closure has been a topic of discussion for decades, driven by its prime location above a floodplain, its inability to expand due to surrounding infrastructure, and an annual operating cost of approximately $100,000.
The facility is a popular general aviation destination, particularly serving as a crucial fuel and divert stop for pilots during EAA AirVenture in nearby Oshkosh, leading to strong opposition from the aviation community against its potential closure.
A key factor facilitating this closure consideration is that the city has never accepted state or federal airport improvement grants, thus avoiding the legal obligation to keep the facility open for a specified period.
Last week two alderpersons on the Common Council in Portage, Wisconsin, proposed a resolution to facilitate the permanent closure of the city’s airport.
On Thursday night, the council will vote on a resolution, but that doesn’t mean the Portage Municipal Airport (C47) will close, stressed city administrator Michael Bablick.
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
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.
