The U.S. Army and the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) have signed an agreement on a new 50-year lease at Kawaihāpai Airfield (PHDH)—formerly Dillingham Airfield—located on Oahu's north shore. While the field is owned and operated by the Army and used for military training, the vast majority of its traffic is general aviation and is served by FBO North Shore Aviation Services.
HDOT noted that PHDH is leased for civilian recreational purposes and it is home to businesses catering to visitors and local patrons, providing glider flying, free-fall parachuting, sightseeing, and occasional trips to neighboring islands.
The fate of the airfield, with its 9,000-foot runway, had been in question for the past decade before the deal was finalized last month. Maintenance and management of its degraded water system had been a specific bone of contention.
According to HDOT director Ed Sniffen, the process involved a wide range of stakeholders—elected officials, the Army Garrison Hawaii, the Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District, and local businesses—and ended a decade of negotiations. While local Army commanders are typically empowered to negotiate short-term leases, the 50-year length of this lease was an unusual situation that required approval from Army headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The renewed lease will also make PHDH eligible to receive federal grants to address infrastructure needs.