Airport is an historic asset Kalispell ought to improve

Keith Robinson… this is his story — a story of how a great, local, talented, committed and engaged citizen put almost two decades into trying to make a difference in our community as a member of the Airport Advisory Board.

“My dad, Henry Robinson namesake of the H.E. Robinson Vo-Ag Center, once said to me, “Son, if you shoot a perfectly good horse just because it threw a shoe, the field will go untilled or a ride wanting,” Robinson recalled. Such may be said for the future of Kalispell’s City Airport and for those overdue “improvements.”

Many victories are here to be reported but Keith Robinson’s service to the airport has turned into nothing but frustration. Even with that frustration, Robinson’s vision still shines through, “Don’t think airport,” said Keith when I talked to him for this story. “It really is an airpark.”

Keith’s double-decade long story of involvement with the airport skips over the part where the “recommendations” from the Airport Advisory Board to the City Council were largely ignored, year after year after year. Finally, the city decided to charge ahead and do something positive with the airport.

Airport Advisory Board members volunteered thousands of hours putting together the study, reports, engineering, dialog with the FAA, etc., to bring a recommendation of accepting FAA funding and improve the city airport from the decay Robinson had to watch during his tenure on the board.

In an interview, Robinson said, “As a former 16-plus year member of the Airport Advisory Board, let me dispel a few preconceived notions.”

First and foremost, he said the Airport Advisory Board has been unanimous in its findings that FAA support is urgently necessary to maintain the airport’s future viability.

Secondly, the Advisory Board was never and has never been composed of “pilots only.” The board consists of members of the business, medical, agricultural, timber and educational community. However, Robinson brings a wealth of insight and aviation experience to the board.

Keith grew up in Kalispell, attended all grades in Kalispell schools, earned a BA at the University of Montana, and served his country for 22 years as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force specializing in air-traffic control, air operations, maintenance and civil engineering. Keith piloted airplanes and gliders. His last fight was in 1990 but he never really landed for good.

The airport goal consumed Robinson’s and the other volunteers on the Airport Advisory Board’s time until they all agreed “unanimously” to bring what resulted in the City Council voting to accept the FAA Airport Improvement funding to completely rebuild the infrastructure at the airport.

Primary considerations by the board taken into account in their recommendations to the city to improve the airport are, and always will be, getting the “most bang for the buck”: 1) safety, 2) FAA standards, 3) airspace protection, 4) maintenance, 5) commerce, and 6) fiscal responsibility.

With the petition drive to repeal that council vote before the voters, Robinson quipped, “People get old, but dreams never die.” Voters need to show up and affirm the FAA funding, he said, for the airport is not going anywhere.

“All this vote is for is to throw a wrench into the financing. The airport cannot function as it has over the last 30 years. This is our chance to get the FAA’s considerable experience into the mix as well as their money.”

Robinson’s flying machine days were over in 1990, but his devotion to Kalispell did not end. Robinson served on the original Central School Museum Board, was on the original Rails-to-Trails Board, the Flathead Youth Home Board, as well as the Kalispell Airport Advisory Board.

As he says, despite being ignored for decades, “This airport is a historic site, was here before most buildings were even built downtown, and remains today as a beacon that attracts local talent, investors, entrepreneurs, and aviation lovers to our great little part of the world. It would be a shame to allow the vocal minority to quash getting $16 million in free money,” said Robinson. “Even if we had to cough up some local financing, who would not pay a couple million in TIF funds to get $20 million for nothing from a dedicated airport trust fund from the FAA over the next 20 years?”

Frederick Weber is a member of the Kalispell Airport Board and a 40-year user, pilot, flight instructor and flight safety volunteer.