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The lower right corner of the new Vesper Aviation website shows it’s not business as usual for Proflight at Renton airport. “Largest Aircraft Handled Boeing 737” invites large business jet landings. When the total landings and takeoffs (including Boeing deliveries) exceeds five hundred in a year, the runway will likely need to be extended through Renton High School.
I’ve previously reported that Proflight Aviation, which was primarily a locally-run flight school and propeller aircraft hangar facility, was purchased and turned into a jet center without public awareness or input. Then last week I explained how the airplanes proposed for hangaring in the new jet center could likely trip our airport runway into a larger classification, forcing an expansion right through Renton High School.
Now, a newly-updated Vesper Aviation website for the facility is inviting Boeing 737 business jet fly-ins. It’s as if they want Renton to expand our airport…. and who knows, maybe they do.
In 2020, the FAA was pressing Renton to extend our runway 1000 feet (all the way to South Second Street) because Boeing 737 operations were predicted to exceed 500 per year. When Boeing operations dropped due to the pandemic and 737 MAX issues, Renton got a temporary reprieve.
Now, the new open-invitation for Boeing business jets to fill in the gap could quickly put a runway extension back on the table. Our Public Works leader, Martin Pastucha, should be carefully managing this issue, as he should have learned from his controversial experience ushering in new jets as head of Santa Monica’s airport. Renton does not need the same ongoing division in our city.
For those who share these concerns about the expanding business jet focus at Renton Airport, please encourage Renton leaders to read and adhere to Renton’s FAA-approved Airport Sustainability Plan, which can be found here. Renton Council can be contacted at council@rentonwa.gov and our Mayor at mayor@rentonwa.gov.
Our Renton Airport is rapidly becoming the “jet center” Renton residents adamantly opposed for the past 25 years. City administration has pushed out the community-friendly businesses over the last year to replace them with jet traffic, and as the new company Vesper Aviation boldly advertises, jet fuel conveniently available 24 hours a day so they don’t have to deal with the busy King County/Boeing airport as they have in the past. Renton is the new jet gas station! Just swing into Renton Airport to gas up and be on your way! I regularly hear jets in the middle of the night now, and this is winter! Wait till the nice weather and we have our windows open. The Public Works Administrator seems determined to destroy our nice little community airport just like he did in Santa Monica. Where he was fired, along with the mayor and city attorney because of the unwanted jet leases, just like is happening to Renton. Click the links Randy has provided above for documentation.