Okay, this blog straddles the line between “Travel” and “Pop Culture.” However, as you read on you’ll see why I decided to place it in the “Travel” category.
Ketchum, Idaho may be getting a new airport, but the money to replace the existing one wouldn’t be coming from the federal government, rather it would be courtesy of one of the area’s most famous residents—Bruce Willis.
According to the Idaho Mountain Express, the popular actor and ex-husband of superstar Demi Moore, may be considering the move after he was “spurned in his attempt to donate land for an airport that would replace the Friedman Memorial Airport that currently serves the Sun Valley area of central Idaho.” As you may already know, in recent years, the Sun Valley area has become a hot spot for movie and TV stars (including Moore and Willis) looking to flee the glare of Hollywood and raise their families on massive getaway retreats in the middle of nowhere.
The paper reports that Willis “met on July 12 with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Northwest Region officials near Seattle to discuss the process of obtaining approval for a new field.” A spokesman for the FAA tells the paper that Willis “was briefed on the process required for building an airport. That includes completing extensive paperwork. And that the FAA has the final word on whether a field could be built.”
The paper goes on to say that while a replacement site is already slated for Friedman airport, plans for the new facility are still considered “tentative.” So what does this mean for Willis’ proposal? The Express writes that the actor “could attempt to get his property considered as an alternative site for a large airport” in upcoming studies required by the FAA. Or, the paper says Willis “might be considering a less ambitious facility than a full-service commercial airport, such as a smaller strip catering to general aviation aircraft, not intercity commercial travelers.”
Further research found what could be considered the impetus for Willis’ airport proposal. The paper says that Willis’ company is also “completing a comprehensive plan for his Soldier Mountain ski area to be submitted to the U.S. Forest Service in September.” Basically, one can assume that the ski area would be in relatively close proximity to any new airfield proposed and financed by Willis. I guess we will have to wait and see what role money and fame plays in the world of federal aviation.