The Portage, Wisconsin Common Council is voting on a resolution to explore the permanent closure and potential sale of the city-owned Portage Municipal Airport (C47).
The airport site is considered valuable for development due to its elevation above the floodplain within the city, but its current location is hemmed in by infrastructure, limiting expansion.
Local pilots and the EAA chapter are strongly opposing the closure, highlighting the airport's importance as a base for 21 aircraft, a popular cross-country stop, and a crucial divert/fuel location for EAA AirVenture traffic.
The city has historically avoided state and federal airport improvement funds, meaning it is not bound by long-term agreements that would require the facility to remain open.
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.
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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.
