KBNG Banning Airport authorized to close by FAA

"I am proud to have successfully fought for legislation that will finally provide a pathway for the closure of the Banning Airport," Padilla said in a released statement. "For too long, the Banning Municipal Airport has been a financial drain on the community, preventing redevelopment and economic growth. Now, after years of work, the City of Banning and Morongo Band of Mission Indians can finally unlock untapped economic opportunity blocked by the airport.“

I’d like to know more about this. These are the representatives that we need OUT of office. The airport should be seen as the economic engine of the city, not the entity that prevents economic development. I am fortunate to have airport positive individuals on the council here. I’m sorry to see this.
 
Banning has a population 30,000 with 19% of residents below the poverty rate. The city decided economic development benefited the entire city more than the 25 aircraft owners basing their planes at a city owned airport.
 
RyanB said:
"I am proud to have successfully fought for legislation that will finally provide a pathway for the closure of the Banning Airport," Padilla said in a released statement. "For too long, the Banning Municipal Airport has been a financial drain on the community, preventing redevelopment and economic growth. Now, after years of work, the City of Banning and Morongo Band of Mission Indians can finally unlock untapped economic opportunity blocked by the airport.“

I’d like to know more about this. These are the representatives that we need OUT of office. The airport should be seen as the economic engine of the city, not the entity that prevents economic development. I am fortunate to have airport positive individuals on the council here. I’m sorry to see this.
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How do you see a small, local airport with no IAPs becoming the economic engine of a small city with a median household income of some $40k?
 
RyanB said:
The airport should be seen as the economic engine of the city, not the entity that prevents economic development.
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Just being an airport doesn’t mean it does or can make money. Almost every time I fly into a small airport on a weekday there is almost nobody around and no commerce happening. The few people I do meet are usually other owners who are retired and just putzing around in their hanger. The truth is that businesses have moved to distribution systems that don’t rely on small airports anymore and most airports are just supporting the few pilots using them for recreation. It’s tough to sell a politician on the value of that to their district.
 
StraightnLevel said:
It depends on who owns those planes.

If they are the people who also own the largest employers in town, this could be a very bad decision, though it might take a few years to play out.

I saw this effect in my hometown. When the local airport decided to stop servicing regular scheduled major carrier flights, the two large companies in town both moved their division headquarters out to be closer to a major airport. All of the management and engineering left with them, and the manufacturing followed a few years later. The VPs could still use the company jets, but having every other business traveler rent a car and drive 90 minutes to an airport became cost- and time-prohibitive.

Be careful what windmill you attack. It might be more than just a fan.
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Had there been 1 major employer basing an aircraft at that airport it would not have been closed. The issue for the city was they didn’t have a major employer.
 
StraightnLevel said:
It depends on who owns those planes.

If they are the people who also own the largest employers in town, this could be a very bad decision, though it might take a few years to play out.

I saw this effect in my hometown. When the local airport decided to stop servicing regular scheduled major carrier flights, the two large companies in town both moved their division headquarters out to be closer to a major airport. All of the management and engineering left with them, and the manufacturing followed a few years later. The VPs could still use the company jets, but having every other business traveler rent a car and drive 90 minutes to an airport became cost- and time-prohibitive.

Be careful what windmill you attack. It might be more than just a fan.
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Stopping commercial air carrier service is a pretty far blush from closing an airport with 16 GA aircraft based at it that has seen a 70% reduction in operations in a decade and a half.

I don't love airports closing either, I just find it a bit amusing that the supposed "free market and limited government" crowd suddenly goes full big federal government when the locals decide it is in their best interest to close a languishing airport and use the space for other purposes.

I have no issue with the FAA saying "you can't close that airport, it is too important to the NAS" if the FAA is then willing to fund it such that it doesn't cost the city a dime. But right now it belongs to the city. Yes it got some grant money from the FAA, and there are stipulations in the bill permitting the airport to be closed that deal with re-paying the FAA, but fundamentally it is owned by the local government, and therefore the local citizens. Shouldn't the local government / citizens thus have the autonomy to decide?

Again I have no issue with the federal government holding the position of aviation as a national interest and mandating local airports be kept open, but if it is a national interest and argument, the funding must also then be provided nationally.
 
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Used to fly in there often to bring the girls to the outlet mall. I guess we won’t be going there any more.
 
The economic vitality of an airport is not determined by who is based there, but rather who flies into it. Our small airport has a few dozen based aircraft, and they do provide some income, but the majority of income comes from significant piston and turbine traffic that regularly comes for local business and recreation. We are an hour or more away from airports served by airlines, so we are extra handy for visitors who want to travel to our region. Our airport generates well over a million dollars of local economic activity (exclusive of the airport itself) annually according to a study conducted by the local college.

The economic vitality of an airport is also related to how well it is managed. If the local management doesn't seek airport improvement funds, and/or has a poor business model, it is destined to fail. But if you are a destination, a GA airport can be an important positive factor for the community.
 
So there's no more undeveloped land in the area? Seems to me if a film studio is interested in the area, a GA airport might be a draw. Add a little macadam here and there and the principals could bring their Gulfstreams in.
 
StraightnLevel said:
Maybe not a single major, but who owns the planes that are there, and do they employ people?
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What if the plane owners employed people, but the business was not located in the city and the owner and the employees were not residents of the city?

And what if the people who did have businesses in the city wanted the airport land repurposed to support their businesses?




What
 
LWGII said:
So there's no more undeveloped land in the area? Seems to me if a film studio is interested in the area, a GA airport might be a draw. Add a little macadam here and there and the principals could bring their Gulfstreams in.
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Apparently not within city limits.
 
I'm not going to say its a popular opinion by any means, but I can tell you there is a growing movement among even airport managers (chiefly large airports), that the current network of airports is financially unsustainable. Their thought process is that by reducing the number of airports in the country, the amount of infrastructure funding would grow for the remaining airports.

Not saying I share their opinion, but I know its out there.
 
I don’t think funding is the problem. The airports that need funding seem to get it.
 
Hate to say it, but after eyeballing a map, I can sorta see why. Palm Springs Intl 30 minutes west, March Field 30 minutes east. Several gigantic warehouses suggest truck traffic along I-10 is the real economic engine. Sucks for the local GA guys, but closure in this case might be a net economic plus for the community. This ain't some isolated town in North Dakota.
 
I just hope that they keep the ASOS after closing the airport. The biggest thing that airport does is provide weather for the pass. Especially as the pass can have different weather than either end of it.
 
Ed Haywood said:
Hate to say it, but after eyeballing a map, I can sorta see why. Palm Springs Intl 30 minutes west, March Field 30 minutes east. Several gigantic warehouses suggest truck traffic along I-10 is the real economic engine. Sucks for the local GA guys, but closure in this case might be a net economic plus for the community. This ain't some isolated town in North Dakota.
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Banning Airport isn’t utilized much because it serves an area where nobody wants to go, and the areas nearby where people do want to go have their own airports. Banning is basically a dump with a freeway and a lot of wind. If it were a nicer and more successful community the airport would see more use.

The closest GA airport to the west-ish of Banning is actually Hemet, which is an area that has done a bit more with what it has. The airport is also more successful as a result, a lot busier with fire fighting planes, active maintenance and hangars, a passable and busy cafe. It’s also half an hour from Banning if you for some reason wanted to go there.
 
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Hate to see any GA airport close,it’s all about the money. Some communities can’t afford to support an airport.
 
Pi1otguy said:
I just hope that they keep the ASOS after closing the airport. The biggest thing that airport does is provide weather for the pass. Especially as the pass can have different weather than either end of it.
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Last time I checked the ASOS it wasn't working @ banning and hasn't worked for years.

Update: I just called it and it is working! Yes, I hope they keep it too. Great information for going through the banning pass!
 
FPK1 said:
Last time I checked the ASOS it wasn't working @ banning and hasn't worked for years.
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Last I heard, there was something broken or out of spec on it. I listen to it on flights through the pass, but it's not certified enough or something to be reported online.

Getting within range is the greatest game of "Pass or no Pass".
 
FPK1 said:
Last time I checked the ASOS it wasn't working @ banning and hasn't worked for years.

Update: I just called it and it is working! Yes, I hope they keep it too. Great information for going through the banning pass!
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It works, used it just a week or so ago. Weather at banning is different than Palm Springs or Riverside.

I also fly i to banning all the time for the outlets. I know a lot of other pilots who do also.
 
AKiss20 said:
Current interest is from film studio, warehouses, and some manufacturing according to the article.

patch.com

Banning Municipal Airport Receives Federal OK To Close

Legislation that paves the way for the long-desired shutdown is now awaiting President Joe Biden's signature.
patch.com patch.com
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Film studios are happy to move in if they're given tax rebates. I won't be surprised if all parties mentioned are offered those freebies.

Hillwood is a Texas developer that is owned by Ross Perot Jr. and other Perot family members.
 
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