Airport activity climbs as Chelan approves new operations agreement

CHELAN — City leaders have taken steps to streamline operations at Lake Chelan Airport while also noting a recent uptick in aviation activity, actions that officials said will help position the airport for more efficient long-term management.

At the most recent Chelan City Council meeting, the Interim City Administrator Chad Coltman reported that aircraft movements have increased significantly over the past month compared to the same period a year earlier, a change attributed largely to favorable weather conditions drawing more pilots to the area. The airport has recorded more than double the number of movements over the most recent 30-day period — 195 movements versus just 91 last year at this time — signaling renewed seasonal activity.

Alongside that update, council members approved a new interlocal agreement with the Chelan-Douglas Regional Port Authority that restructures how the airport is supported administratively. The agreement replaces a joint operating structure with a more streamlined arrangement intended to reduce duplication in finance, human resources, and administrative work while clarifying responsibilities between the city and the port.

Under the agreement, the city will continue to operate the airport with defined financial support from the port, including an annual operating contribution and a separate capital allocation. City officials said the revised structure is designed to make day-to-day management more efficient while giving both parties clearer insight into the true cost of operating the facility.

Council members emphasized that the agreement is not intended as a final word on the airport’s future, but rather as a foundation for more coordinated planning. Several noted the importance of continued collaboration with the port, including joint discussions on long-range priorities and infrastructure needs.

Airport operations were also addressed earlier in the meeting during a session of the Lake Chelan Airport Board, which approved routine items and heard from staff about upcoming communications with leaseholders. Airport users can expect notices outlining updated lease rates and changes to general facilities policies as preparations move forward for the next operating year.

Taken together, city officials framed the recent actions as part of a broader effort to modernize airport governance while responding to real-world operational trends. With activity on the airfield increasing and a new administrative framework in place, council members said the focus now turns to sustaining the airport in a way that balances efficiency, transparency, and long-term viability for the community.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media