General Information

Pangborn Memorial Airport is jointly owned and operated by the Ports of Chelan and Douglas Counties. Under a joint operating agreement, the Port of Douglas County is responsible for the management of the airport’s business park and non-aviation facilities. The Port of Chelan County is responsible for aviation operations, and the Port Commissions meet jointly to serve as the governing board of the airport to establish policy and give guidance and direction to the airport staff.

The airport plays a vital role in connecting the North Central Washington region to the national and international air transport systems. The daily scheduled service to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport provides the region with one stop connecting service to major international and domestic destinations including Tokyo, London, Copenhagen, Taipei, Beijing, Chicago, New York, Denver, Atlanta, and many other cities.

In addition to commercial passenger and freight service, Pangborn is the home base of 131 aircraft, and of Executive Flight, a major air charter service providing executive charter service as well as medical transport flights. A visitor to the airport might see a variety of aircraft ranging from gliders to experimental aircraft, to business jets to the current mainstay commercial aircraft, Horizon’s DeHaviland Dash 8.

A recent study commissioned by the Washington Department of Transportation found that Pangborn Memorial Airport directly and indirectly supports 632 jobs and contributes over $47,000,000 annually to the local economy.

The airport is indeed an essential public facility, one of many of the region’s economic engines.

Click Here for Airport Data and Facilities Document

Press Room

Airport History
Pangborn Memorial Airport has been in operation since 1941. It is named for Clyde Pangborn, who along with co-pilot Hugh Herndon, completed the first nonstop flight across the Pacific Ocean in 1931. Their epic journey began in Misawa Japan, and ended 41 hours later in East Wenatchee, Washington. Northwest Airlines began the first commercial air service to and from Pangborn Airport in 1945. Commercial air service is now provided by Horizon Air, a regional carrier that is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines.

The airport was originally operated under the ownership of the City of Wenatchee, which, in recognition of the regional importance and benefit of the airport, transferred ownership to the Port of Chelan County in 1965. In furtherance of the regional vision for the airport, the Port of Chelan County gave the neighboring Port of Douglas County half interest in the airport in 1974. Working together, the Ports completed a new terminal building in 1992, and with the major support and assistance of Senator Patty Murray, obtained federal funds for the installation of an instrument landing system which became operational in 2006.

Airport Information Section

Welcome to the Wenatchee Valley's Regional Airport Information section. To the left is a list of sub-sections containing information about the airport.

Below is a description of what you can expect to find:

General Information
Subsection containing all uncategorized information that does not fall into any of the other subsections.
Press Room
Subsection containing news and press releases about the airport and surrounding areas that directly impact us.
History
The history subsection contains the historic data with regards to the airport.
FAQ
Alternate route to the FAQ listing.
Airport Master Plan
Contains the master plan of the airport and any affiliated documentation.
Ongoing Projects
Existing and Future projects that the airport is undertaking.

Airport Master Plan

The Pangborn Memorial Airport master plan study was undertaken to evaluate the airport's capabilities and role, to forecast future aviation demand, and to plan for the timely development of new or expanded facilities that may be required to meet that demand. The ultimate goal of the master plan is to provide systematic guidelines for the airport's overall maintenance,development, and operation.

The master plan is intended to be a proactive document which identifies and then plans for future facility needs well in advance of the actual need for the facilities. This is done to ensure that the sponsor (the Ports of Chelan and Douglas Counties) can coordinate project approvals, design, financing, and construction in a timely manner prior to experiencing the detrimental effects of inadequate facilities.

To view the Master Plan, Final - Complete Master Plan File (40M), click here

*You'll need to have Adobe Acrobat installed to view the PDF file.

Ongoing Projects

Current Projects
Airfield Needs Assessment Study
The goal of this study was to establish a solid plan for the improvement of Pangborn’s primary runway, in order to improve safety and reliability for current and future airport users. Study documentation is posted below.

Introduction
Chapter 1 - Airfield Facility Requirements
Chapter 2 - Airfield Improvement Alternatives
Chapter 3 - Preferred Alternative
Appendix A - Horizon Air Written Testimonial/Documentation
Appendix B - Executive Flight, Inc. Written Testimonial/Documentation
Appendix C - EAT Passenger Demand Analysis Study Excerpt
Appendix D - Airport User Survey Instrument
Appendix E - PAC Meetings and Public Information Workshops
Appendix F - Pangborn IAPs
Appendix G - FAA Runway Length Concurrence
Appendix H - Written Public Comments
Appendix I - Study Website
Appendix J - FAA Airspace Analysis

Future Projects

Completed Projects

Airport Overlay Documentation

May 09, 2007 Douglas County Approved Chapter 18.65 Airport Overlay District
Airport Overlay Map
Airport Overlay Ordinance

April 25, 2007 Pangborn Memorial Airport Recommendations
Airport Overlay Map
Planning Commission and Airport Recommendations

April 19, 2006 Public Overlay Committee
(following will open in new window)
Airport Overlay
Airport Overlay Ordinance & Comprehensive Plan
WSDOT Aviation Land Use Compatibility Program
Land Use Guidance and Reference Material Committee Authority-Record of Work
Committee Recommendations