ORAVI has been heavily involved for several years in exploring ways to make air service available to rural communities of Oregon.  First, ORAVI wrote, submitted, testified and lobbied to gain passage of HB2075 which provides the first state funding source ever established to promote rural air service.  Then we formed a rural air service committee and held several aviation summits and meetings; addressing the past, present, and future of rural air service. 

We believe that with new-general aviation aircraft, a system could utilize FAA Part 135 aircraft operators that would provide affordable air service to all public use airports in Oregon and assist in mitigating the Urban | Rural divide by connecting citizens of rural communities with our metro regions. 

It is a sobering reality that under the current economic models, there is national / international air service currently to/from only 4 major airports in Oregon (Portland, Eugene, Redmond, Medford). And, only 2 commuter airports that serve Portland (Pendleton, North Bend)  The rest of our rural and frontier communities are unseved.

But what about Newport, John Day, La Grande, Klamath Falls, Burns, Tillamook, Astoria, Baker City our capital in Salem and many other of the 97 public use airports in Oregon?

Traditional road based travel modes have been “disrupted” such as seen by Uber and Lyft.  Driverless autonomous cars are next, with the planning under way nationally and in Oregon.  What about air travel?  The future is electric aircraft, but services are already available today by companies such as www.KinectAir.com  that have already implemented "on-demand" air service with existing GA aircraft using online scheduling apps.

ORAVI asks: “What is the next disruptive model for air services to rural areas?”  The attached two papers propose a NEW MODEL for rural aviation that can provide a more flexible and sustainable approach. 

We propose that the State of Oregon promote an innovative approach that truly serves the more remote areas of the state, and links rural and urban together for mutual benefits as never possible before.