Oregon Overfunds Aviation at the Expense of Other Forms of Transportation

Miki Barnes
February 14, 2025

Oregon's two-tiered transportation system reveals an entrenched system of pandering to a wealthy few at the expense of the greater good. According to the Joint Committee on Transportation, funding sources for road construction, operation, maintenance and repair are in short supply. The committee further reports a serious lack of adequate funding for safe streets, crosswalks, sidewalks, public transit, bus shelters, rail, pedestrian, bicycle paths and a host of other critical needs.

Meanwhile, Oregon's aviation system is awash in money. Per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airports System 2025-2029, there are 425 airports in Oregon (pg. A-2). Of that number, 104 are categorized as public and 321 as private. Between 2025 and 2029, more than 50 of Oregon's public use airports are slated to receive federal funding - totaling $710,390,461. (pgs. A-87 & 88). This is in addition to the $406,130,983 estimated development grants allocated for Oregon airports during the 2023-2027 FAA NPIAS funding cycle. Since there are only five commercial airports in Oregon, a massive amount of this money will subsidize General Aviation (GA) airports that primarily benefit private, for-profit aviation business interests such as flight schools, charter jet companies, sky-diving enterprises, site seeing tours, and residential air parks as well as hobbyists, private pilots, jet, and aircraft owners.

Despite these government handouts, airports often claim they are unable to come up with the 5 to 10% federal funding match. So in addition to federal grants, Oregon lawmakers direct public money into funding airports. Over the past 20 years, Connect Oregon (CO), a program established in 2005 by the Oregon Legislature to fund non-highway multi-modal projects, has awarded close to $150 million to airport owners around the state.

This figure does not include the $17 million in grant money awarded through the Oregon Department of Aviation's Aviation System Action Program (ASAP) between 2017 and 2022. ASAP was created by the Oregon Legislature in 2015 and made permanent in 2021, "thus the fuel tax of two cents per gallon of Aviation Gas and Jet Fuel will continue to provide funds for grants." For additional information on the airports funded through this program see ASAP 2017-2022 Aviation Action Plan.

Oregon's Lavish Commercial Airport Funding Scheme

Only five of Oregon's 104 public use airports are commercial facilities, described by the FAA as "Publicly owned airports with at least 2,500 annual enplanements and scheduled air carrier service." By contrast, general aviation airports are public airports that have no scheduled service or have less than 2,500 passenger boardings each year. A more detailed explanation of FAA airport categories and classifications is available here.

This next section will review the operational count and funding for Oregon's commercial airports. All, without exception, have experienced significant declines in operations in recent years.

Rogue Valley International Promotes $180 Million Expansion

The Rogue Valley International Airport (MFR) is a prime example of how Oregon, with federal backing, routinely hurls money at underperforming airports, many of which serve a very small fraction of the population, while neglecting the basic transportation needs of the vast majority.

This 938 acre airport is owned and operated by the Jackson County Aviation Authority. In 2023 Rogue Valley logged 37,492 operations, 8,861 fewer than in 2021 when the total operational count was 46,353. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Terminal Area Forecast (TAF), the operational count at this airport is expected to remain below 2021 levels until at least 2042.

Less than a third, 10,363, of MFR's 2023 operations were air carrier passenger flights. The remaining two-thirds were predominantly GA aircraft flown by private pilots, hobbyists, flight training companies and air taxis. Despite these flat and dwindling numbers, Rogue Valley International is promoting a jaw-dropping $180 million expansion that will require substantial federal and state subsidies.

The following excerpts from an 11/27/2024 Jefferson Public Radio article by Roman Battagglia, Medford Airport Plans Major Expansion to Meet Growing Demand provide additional detail. Amber Judd is the Airport Director.

Judd said the proposed expansion will almost double the square footage of the airport to meet demand. And that'll take a lot of money. "This is a very, very expensive project," she said. "And as much as we've tried to save over the last 10-plus years we don't have this much money saved."

Judd expects the entire project to cost around $180 million based on the latest projections. The most expensive part is a major concourse expansion. They would build a new two-story concourse, capable of handling at least six planes at a time.

Judd said increasing some of the fees the airport charges will help cover some of the costs. They're also looking at state and federal grant funding. But, they still don't know how much money they could get from those.

Rogue Valley International, like many other commercial and general aviation airports in Oregon, is a frequent recipient of federal and state funding grants.

Below is a list of Connect Oregon grants awarded to Rogue Valley International Airport.

    • A Multimodal Airport Improvement Project totaling $5,958,000 received a CO I grant of $4,766,400.
    • A Multimodal Express Cargo Expansion totaling $5,950,000 received a CO II grant of $4,760,000.
    • Main Runway Rehabilitation project totaling $10,421,052 received a CO IV grant of $521,052.
    • Snow Removal Equipment Storage Building totaling $5,100,000 received a CO V grant of $500,000.
    • Taxiway Rehabilitation project totaling $7,146,666 received a CO VI grant of $446,666.
    • Heavy Duty Aircraft Apron Expansion project totaling $12,050,000 received a Connect Oregon VIII grant of $2,500,000.
    • Heavy Duty Aircraft Apron Expansion project totaling $7,300,000 was approved for a Connect Oregon IX grant of $3,000,000.

Seriously??? Are our elected officials really planning to hornswoggle Oregon residents by dumping the cost of this exorbitant pork barrel project onto the public? In 2023, Rogue Valley logged fewer operations than Salem McNary Airport (SLE). For the record, more than a decade ago, Salem McNary lost its commercial status and was subsequently reclassified as a general aviation airport due to lack of demand. It's certainly reasonable to wonder just how many passengers are expected to fly from Medford to Fort Worth each week. Perhaps Rogue Valley could provide figures explaining the $600,000 federal outlay for this route.

Portland International Airport

Portland International Airport (PDX). This 3,300 acre facility, the largest commercial airport in the state, is currently at a 50-year low in terms of annual operations. PDX is sometimes described as a joint civilian-military airport because it shares space with the Oregon Air National Guard, which has recently undergone an expansion. As a result, part of the increase in operations at PDX over the past year is due to an increase in military operations.

According to the PDX December 1990 Noise Abatement Plan, in 1975 there were a total of 194,385 operations at PDX, the majority of which, 85,630, were GA while 76,548 were air carrier departures and arrivals. In addition there were nearly 11,000 air taxi and 21,000 military operations.

Since that time, PDX, without public input or consent, off-loaded many of its GA operations to Hillsboro and Troutdale. According to January 2025 FAA TAF data, in 2023 the total PDX operational count was 184,867, more than 9,500 fewer than in 1975. Of that number, 147,962, 80%, were commercial passenger flights. The remaining were a combination of general aviation and military.

Despite the dramatic drop in operations over the past five decades, the money just keeps pouring in. The Port is currently engaged in a $2.15 billion terminal redesign and modernization project. According to the FAA, PDX will be eligible for close to $248 million over the next five years. In addition, it is a frequent recipient of Connect Oregon (CO) grants including $6 million (CO II), $4.250 million (CO III), $3.5 million (CO IV), and $3.6 million (CO IX).

Mahlon Sweet Field Airport

Mahlon Sweet Field Airport (EUG). This 2600 acre airport is owned and operated by the City of Eugene. According to the FAA TAF database, in 2023 EUG logged 57,673 operations. Of that number 16,305, 28%, were air carrier passenger flights. The majority of the remaining 72% were a combination of air taxis, military, and general aviation training and hobbyist flights.

According to the FAA, Mahlon Sweet Field is eligible to receive $73,708,950 over the next 5 years. In addition, this airport is a frequent recipient of Connect Oregon handouts - $4,103,461 (CO I), $451,111 (CO IV), $1.4 million (CO VIII), and $13,524,000 (CO IX).

Redmond Airport

Redmond Airport (RDM). This 2,518 acre Central Oregon airport, also known as Robert's Field, is owned and operated by the City of Redmond. In 2023, this facility logged 84,867 total operations, of which only 15.5%, 13,189, were commercial passenger flights. The remaining 84.5% were primarily GA flight training and recreational operations. In 2017 Hillsboro Aero Academy started training Chinese students out of this facility. As a result, the number of local touch-and-go training flights more than doubled between 2017 and 2023.

Despite the low number of commercial airline flights at RDM, this airport is often on the receiving end of federal and state grants. Per the FAA, RDM will be eligible for $25,330,137 over the next five years. In addition, it has been a regular recipient of CO funding - $7.5 million (CO I), $1.5 million (CO II), $350,000 (CO IV), $1,225,812 (CO V), $259,375 (CO VI), and $10 million (CO IX).

Southwest Oregon Regional Airport

Southwest Oregon Regional Airport (OTH). This 619 acre airport is owned and operated by the Coos County Airport Authority. According to Oregon Solutions, "On August 18, 2005 Governor Kulongoski signed SB 152 at the North Bend Airport. Through the sale of lottery bonds, the bill provided $10 million to the Airport District for a new terminal. The airport is now called the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport." Despite the generous public subsidy, the operational count at OTH dropped from 43,254 in 2007 to 16,916 in 2023. In 2008 and 2009 there were 6,107 commercial passenger flights. By 2023 that number had dropped to 676, 3.9% of total operations.

In keeping with their entrenched practice of subsidizing poorly performing commercial airports, the FAA and state legislature continue to fling money at this facility.

Per the FAA, Southern Oregon Regional will be eligible for $7,338,478 over the next five years.

It has also been on the receiving end of multiple CO grants including $640,000 (CO I), $624,000 (CO II), and $2,392,811 (CO IV).

Solutions

    • Stop awarding government grants to Oregon's airports. Federal funding comes with strings attached in the form of grant assurances, which deny airport-impacted communities a voice in addressing the adverse noise, pollution, environmental damage, property devaluation, safety and security risks caused by airports for at least 20 years after accepting an FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) money. As a direct result, the elected and appointed officials who promote leveraging federal dollars by forcing the public to subsidize matching grants through Connect Oregon and other state aviation disbursements essentially prioritize the financial interests of self-entitled and environmentally irresponsible airport owners over and above fundamental democratic engagement, public health, and environmental integrity.
    • Oregon airports should be self sustaining, rather than chronically reliant on federal and state handouts. This can be achieved in part by establishing landing and user fees on all aircraft, including general aviation training and recreational aircraft weighing less than 10,000 pounds. This would help to insure that those who use these airports pay for the privilege, rather than foisting the costs onto the public.
    • End Connect Oregon grants to airports. Redirect these limited transportation funds to far less polluting and intrusive modes of transportation such as high speed rail, public transit, bicycle and pedestrian paths, safe sidewalks, and other projects that serve the transportation needs of all Oregonians.
    • Require all flight training airports to fund community forums that meet on a regular basis, and also to monitor for lead, noise, benzene and other toxins released by aviation activity.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that less than one-quarter of one percent of the population is certified to pilot GA aircraft, Oregon lawmakers foist the cost of subsidizing these expensive and polluting airports on local residents. Average Oregonians struggling to pay rent, mortgage, childcare expenses, groceries, college loans, medical bills, utilities, etc, have neither the means nor inclination to use these airports. Yet the Oregon Legislature, via Connect Oregon and various ODAV grant programs, hurls millions of dollars in public funds at these facilities on a routine basis. It is way beyond time to redirect airport funding into less polluting and intrusive transportation programs that serve the vast majority rather than a privileged few.

Sources

    • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) - Current 2025-2029 including Appendices A,B,C and D are available here.
    • FAA NPIAS 2023-2027 available here.
    • Portland International Noise Abatement Plan (December 1990) . See pg. A-32 to view Table. A-10, Historical Aircraft Operations at Portland International Airport 1970-1989.
    • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) for individual airports can be accessed by clicking here. Scroll down to the Query Data link then click on Facility and enter the 3-letter identifier. For example PDX for Portland International Airport. The 3-letter identifiers for the airports discussed in this article are included in the body of the text.
    • The Oregon Department Of Transportation (ODOT) Connect Oregon website which includes a list of Connect Oregon funding grants for cycles I thru VI is available here.
    • ODOT Connect Oregon funding grants approved for cycle IX are available here.
    • A listing of Cycle VIII Connect Oregon grants can be obtained by contacting the Connect Oregon office.
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