AOPA Enters Fray Over Plans to Close a Connecticut Airport

Aviation advocacy group urges members to contact local politicians.

Jonathan Welsh

Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 05:28 PM ET

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Hartford-Brainard Airport opened in 1921. [Photo: Al Braden]

Key Takeaways:

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has joined efforts to prevent the closure and redevelopment of Hartford-Brainard Airport (KHFD) in Connecticut.
AOPA warns that closing the airport would violate federal grant obligations, hinder safety and infrastructure investments, and jeopardize its estimated $59 million annual economic impact.
The organization argues that closure plans ignore a 2016 study confirming the airport's optimal use and is mobilizing local members to contact lawmakers to amend Senate Bill 463.

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The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has joined the effort to keep a Connecticut airport open as local officials consider targeting it for closure and redevelopment.

Earlier this year, a proposal to close Hartford-Brainard Airport (KHFD), which is located on the Connecticut River in the state’s capital, led to the mobilization of pilots who use the airport and businesses that operate there.