Thomas Tupling hopes to prevent the closure of Mansfield Airport (8W3) in north central Washington state, despite its average of 10 operations a month.
A look down the 2,575-foot-long runway at Mansfield Airport (8W3) in 2006. [Courtesy: WSDOT Aviation]
Key Takeaways:
Mansfield Airport (8W3) in north central Washington faces potential closure by year-end due to historically low aircraft operations (averaging fewer than 10 per month).
Local resident Thomas Tupling is campaigning to save the airport, citing its past community value and potential to attract pilots for tourism, suggesting improvements like hangars could boost traffic.
The Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority, the airport's owner, is deliberating whether to continue subsidizing the underutilized facility and invest in needed capital improvements like runway repaving.
One of the most jarring headlines in aviation is, “Airport Closed.” Each year, dozens of airports cease to exist—irrespective of the support from passionate community members.
Thomas Tupling hopes to prevent the closure of Mansfield Airport (8W3) in north central Washington state by rallying the support of others.
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Grant Boyd is a private pilot with eight years of experience in aviation business, including marketing, writing, customer service, and sales. Boyd holds a Bachelor's and a Master's of Business Administration degree, both from Wichita State University, and a Doctor of Education degree from Oklahoma State University. He was chosen as a NBAA Business Aviation ""Top 40 Under 40"" award recipient in 2020.
