Wed, Aug 26, 2009
Seller Hopes New Owners, Whoever They May Be, Will
Keep The Airport Open
Daryl Habich is a retired dentist with a love for flying. After
taking lessons in 1968, he bought a small airfield near the
Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Washington State. Now, with
financial concerns and health problems, he's hoping to sell the
airport. His asking price is $6 million. After a few years shopping
the property, he's had no firm offers.
First Air Field Sectional
Snohomish County has considered buying the property, but not
necessarily for an airport. Because of it's proximity to the
fairgrounds, it is included in some of the county's long-term
plans. But other projects have been more pressing, so First Air
Field sits on the market. “There is no plan at this point for
its potential use,” County spokesman Christopher Schwarzen
wrote in an e-mail to the Everett, Washington Herald.
“It’s simply listed in the plan (because) it is for
sale.”
FAA figures show the number of airports shrinking, down to 5,202
last year from 5,352 10 years ago, the paper says.
First field is open for public use even though it is privately
owned. The uncontrolled field is home to about 70 airplanes, and
the tie-down fee is a modest $5. Habich says that's less than
people pay to park their car for the state fair. “It’s
cheaper to fly in than it is to drive in,” he said. The
airport averages 50 take-offs and landings per day.
The $6 million price tag for the airport does include Habich's
house and dental office, which the retired dentist now rents to
colleagues. He hopes whoever buys the airport will continue to
operate it for that use, but there is no guarantee that it won't
wind up as an industrial park, housing development, or parking lot
for the fairgrounds. “As long as it’s mine, it’ll
be an airport,” Habich told the Herald. “I would like
to see it as an airport. If I don’t own it, I don’t
have any control over that.”
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