Saturday wake planned for the ‘killing of the soul’ of the Prosser airport

The closing of an informal campground at the Prosser Airport has angered some in the community.

“They will be telling the Prosser community they are killing the soul of the Prosser Airport, and the execution will start with felling of the old shade trees,” said Robert “RJ” Blahut of Prosser, who operates an aviation business at the airport.

The Port of Benton announced recently it would close the camping area at the George O. Beardsley Field effective Friday, July 9, to prepare for upcoming projects.

The camping area with grass and large shade trees isn’t a designated campground nor does it have traditional amenities but has long served as a place to put down stakes for a few nights.

“All the old-timers say it’s been here for probably over 50 years,” Blahut said. “It is one of the defining features of the airport. It’s a draw to other pilots from the region.”

Blahut said he and others planned a wake Saturday — holding a barbecue and spending time together on the spot to reminisce.

New hangars, taxiway

“While the port will miss providing camping to local pilots, the port looks forward to additional based aircraft and pilots that will be accommodated in the new hangar sites,” said the port’s announcement.

The port will be removing decaying trees, making space for nine new hangar sites and developing a new taxi lane. With the exception of tent camping by pilots there will be no campers or RVs allowed, said the release.

The shade trees being removed also posed a danger for planes because nesting birds could fly into flight paths.

New shade trees already have been planted, although it will take time for them to mature, Walker said.

Blahut, a retired air traffic controller, said he’s been working in aviation for most of his adult life. He has lived in Prosser since 1993 and has been a flight instructor and renting planes at the airport since 2008.

He said Prosser is an inexpensive place for pilots to stop, gas up and then stay while exploring the area such as the nearby wine village.

He also said that helicopter pilots have used the “campground” seasonally to stay in their RVs and be on standby for area cherry orchardists, who use them to blow dry their crops after a storm by hovering over the trees.

But Walker contends the improvements will help the airport add to the economy. He said helipad sites are planned by 2025 — to serve helicopters used in agriculture, as well as medical helicopters.

“We are coordinating with the seasonal pilots to identify a temporary location for their helicopters prior to the helipad being constructed,” Walker said. “We are planning to have agreements in place with them prior to next year’s season.”

Still, Blahut contends that when he gave input when the master plan was being updated in 2019, closing the campground was never discussed — merely relocating it. He added that he believes it was changed without public input.

However, the port has said that the closure was discussed publicly since last year.

FAA rules

Walker said that a pressing issue is that the Federal Aviation Administration explicitly forbids residential uses, including a campground, on airport grounds.

“The port understands there is a longstanding tradition of pilots camping under the wings of their aircraft or nearby while transiting an area,” Walker said. “The port will happily offer pilots the ability to camp so long as that activity doesn’t run afoul of any FAA orders.”

He added that the port is in communication with the FAA to determine appropriate uses for pilot.

Regardless of reasoning, Blahut said that he believes the loss of the space is a detriment to the entire community even though it may have not have been directly creating revenue.

“My view and view of community is that the port needs to be financially responsible and promoting economic development of the area they serve,” he said.

Walker acknowledged that he knows there are community members who are unhappy but says that the campground never officially existed on their master plan.

“The aviation community sees airport closures regularly, the port is excited to be on the opposite end of the spectrum,” he said.

This story was originally published July 9, 2021 at 12:57 PM.