Pangborn Memorial Airport

Pangborn Memorial Airport is located in Douglas County, Washington, approximately four miles east of Wenatchee, a city situated in Chelan County. The property is owned by the Douglas Counties and Ports of Chelan.

Pangborn Memorial Airport

Pangborn Memorial Airport is located in Douglas County, Washington, approximately four miles east of Wenatchee, a city situated in Chelan County. The property is owned by the Douglas Counties and Ports of Chelan.

The facility is used for general aviation and is served by one airline (Horizon Air), offering in-state service. SeaPort Airlines provided services for the airport until winter 2012.

Pangborn Memorial Airport is named in honor of Clyde Pangborn, who, in 1931, was the first pilot to fly non-stop across the Pacific Ocean. Taking off from Aomori, Japan, with an intended destination of Seattle, Clyde, and his co-pilot, Hugh Herndon Jr., instead landed in Wenatchee.

History

Pangborn Memorial Airport was established in 1941 and operated since then. In 1945, Northwest Airlines launched the first commercial passenger air service to and from Pangborn Airport, and the rest is history. Its air service is currently provided by Alaska Airlines and its regional subsidiary Horizon Air. With daily flights to Seattle and connections beyond, the world has never been more accessible from the Wenatchee Valley.

Under a joint operating agreement, the Port of Douglas County is in charge of the management of the airport’s business park. The Port of Chelan County is also responsible for aviation operations, and both Ports Commissioners make up the six-member Airport Governing Board. However, the picture wasn’t always this way. The property was initially governed by the City of Wenatchee, which, in recognition of the benefit and the regional importance of the Pangborn Memorial Airport, assigned ownership to the Port of Chelan County in 1965. The ports finished a terminal building project in 1992, and with significant assistance and support of Senator Patty Murray, obtained federal funds for the establishment of an instrument landing system, which became active in 2006.

Primary Runway

The primary runway (Runway 12/30) of the airport was extended to 7,000 feet in 2016 to accommodate more significant aircraft. This multi-year, 30 million dollar project was financed with Airport Improvement Program funds and by the Ports of Chelan and Douglas Counties. The plan was no easy feat as it required the purchase of several orchards and homes, relocation of Grant Road, as well as several significant utilities. With the primary runway extension complete, the Pangborn Memorial Airport is at the moment equipped for a bright future.