||| FROM CHIP LONG for ORCAS ISLAND AIRPORT |||
Orcas Island airport has been part of our community since the 1940s. Most of us have stood at the fence, watched from Mt Baker Road, or picked someone up at our small terminal more times than we can remember. But almost nobody has ever actually stood on the runway. That’s always been for pilots and staff — and that makes sense, it’s a working runway, not a walking path.
But with the ‘Better, not Bigger’ project, we just spent a year planning and now executing a major rehabilitation of that pavement. Before any aircraft touches it, we want the Orcas community, you all, to experience it first.
So come walk it, run it, bike it, bring the dog. It’s 1.099 miles round trip, 20-25 minutes — and it’s a pretty strange and wonderful thing to stand at one end and look down 2,900 feet of runway with nothing coming at you.
Take photos. Let the kids ride their bikes or E-skateboard down. Think about all the flights that have come and gone over the decades, and all the memories Orcas Island Airport helped create.
This airport exists because this community supports it. It’s here for family and friend visits, it supports our island economy and, of course, the medical evacuations — all of it. For one morning, before we hand it back to the
aircraft, it’s just yours.
We’d love to see you out there. Paws, Pedals and People Sunday, Sept 20 th , 9:00 – 11:00, Orcas Island Airport, Free. Open to all. Dogs on leash welcome No registration required — just show up…
Parking off Schoen Lane, enter at the FedEx gate. Questions call Chip at 360) 525-5393.
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What a fun idea and one of the perks of “keeping it small”. A great chance to take photos for mementos and memorable captions!
Thanks for turning an inconvenience into an invitation!
I love that invitation! A runway walk or bicycle trip sounds fantastic. Too bad we couldn’t have had some kind of small festival with food vendors generating income for themselves and the airport! Food trucks, maybe? Horseshoes? Runway Croquet? Chalk painting? Runway races? I think we missed a big opportunity! Some day I may share my a runway stories from over 40 years ago, back when the airport was a sleepy quiet little place with small planes only and zero night action. :)
I never worried about being hit by anything, day or night. Often I would visit the runway at night, in the company of owls and other night creatures, or watch the high flying birds make their graceful arcs.
Is it wrong to admit how much I have been enjoying the much quieter and safer skies this past 10 or so days? It’s true. Soon we will be back to our bustling, busy, noisy airport again. So I ask pilots to consider this appea. Commendations to the Port for trying to encourage voluntarily taking off to the North wherever and whenever possible.
Dear Pilots: If and when at all possible, would you please avoid taking off to the south unless you have to? Please avoid flying directly over our rooftops at Lavender Hollow, at all times possible. You may not realize how nerve-wracking and scary it can be for us when you fly so close over our roofs and we hold our ears to protect ourselves from further cumulative hearing loss and hold our collective breaths in the hope you clear the roof peaks. But even more concerning is this: If there would be a crash into a building instead of a more forgiving tree canopy, many lives could be potentially lost besides the pilot’s if there is, say a fire or explosion. We don’t wish this for anyone – and I think, neither would you.
This is clustered high-density housing of low income people. There have been too many close calls and several nearby accidents where thankfully, no one has died. Let’s keep it that way, please. If there is a headwind from the north, please use it. If you have to fly into a southerly headwind, please avoid flying directly over us! Thank you for your consideration to keep yourselves and us safe from harm.
Meanwhile, I plan to enjoy those runways – maybe even try skateboarding.