Aviation View | April 2021

76 AVIATION VIEW APRIL 2021 YAK IMA A I R TERMINAL – MCALL I STER F I ELD July 2020, Washington State Department of Transportation –Aviation Division published an Economic Impact Study for all 134 airports throughout the state. The study evaluated each airport’s direct economic impacts comprised of on-airport activities including employment and construction as well as money spent off- airport property by out of state visitors who arrive by commercial service or general aviation. Direct impacts have additional effects as money generated at and by airports flows through the economy. These effects are caused when a portion of direct business revenues are used to purchase goods and services in Washington (i.e., supplier sales) and worker income is re-spent within the state. The study revealed the Yakima Air Terminal- McAllister Field produces 2,366 jobs with an overall labor income of $161,172,000 and an overall total economic impact of $591,034,000. This includes commercial air service provided through Alaska Airlines, charter air service from Swift Air and Sun Country Airlines, air cargo service provided by FedEx and United Parcel Services, emergency medical flights, aircraft manufacturing and testing, corporate aviation, and general aviation. “The airport is also one of the main diversion points for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when they get fogged in,” Peterson reports. “When the weather’s really bad in the fall and the spring, where we get low visibility over SEATAC, a lot of the airlines divert to Yakima. Therefore, we want to make sure we’re ready to respond to any type of emergency that they divert here for – whatever the reason.” A new Aircraft Rescue FireFighting (ARFF) apparatus is one of the ways Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field is ensuring that capability. A Federal Aviation Administration grant helped pay for the rig that was delivered in early January. Auxiliary equipment, such as hoses, linkages, and personal protective suits for firefighters are expected to follow soon. In all, it’s an investment of about $1 million, with the