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Oregon Department of Aviation reports lease recoveries, airport projects and expanded drone work
Summary
ODAV Director Kenji Sugihara told the House Transportation Committee the agency resolved longstanding lease holdovers, completed Prospect Airport under budget, is planning Oak Ridge work for 2026, and is expanding drone, counter‑UAS and outreach efforts while pressing for sustainable funding.
ODAV Director Kenji Sugihara updated the House Transportation Committee on agency operations, recent projects and priorities for 2026. Speaking at the committee’s January 12 meeting, Sugihara said the department addressed 30 lease holdovers—some dating back 12 years—and caught up on about 10 years of CPI increases, restoring revenue without new taxpayer cost.
Sugihara highlighted capital work completed in 2025 at Prospect Airport, which he said came in under budget, and named Oak Ridge—east of Eugene—as a planned project for 2026. He emphasized safety investments such as removing obstructions near runways and working with the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce vehicle/pedestrian deviations at Aurora Airport, which the agency said ranks second behind Chicago O’Hare for such incidents.
The director described outreach and communications upgrades—an overhauled website, an active social media presence and a monthly newsletter—and said aircraft registration updates completed in a project that began in 2023 have produced additional agency revenue. “One of my staff told me, hey, for the first time, I actually enjoy coming to work,” Sugihara said, reflecting internal morale improvements after administrative fixes.
Sugihara and staff also described expanded engagement on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility: ODAV has signed memoranda of understanding with private companies, attended national trade shows, and plans a South Korean delegation visit in 2026 to pursue business partnerships. He said ODAV will propose a statewide counter‑UAS strategy and noted a FEMA grant funding counter‑UAS activities in prior cycles.
Tony Beach, ODAV state reports manager, summarized the Aurora Airport master plan process—nine PAC meetings, two public open houses and a final plan published in August 2025—and said staff will coordinate with local jurisdictions before seeking adoption by the state aviation board in 2026. Sugihara clarified press reporting about a settlement with the city of Aurora, saying it did not change agency procedures and that ODAV would continue following the same process.
The department asked legislators to engage on funding options; Sugihara said ODAV plans a March meeting with stakeholders, including lawmakers, industry representatives and the governor’s office, to discuss sustainable revenue options for statewide aviation needs. He urged members to request follow‑up materials, including an ODAV summary of unresolved master‑plan considerations and the agency’s device classification ‘cheat sheet’ developed with ODOT.
The committee did not take formal action on the ODAV presentation; staff offered to follow up with requested documents and analysis.
