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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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New Felts hangar to house aviation, history

Spokane County Commissioner Al French, left, businessman Tim Gump, center, and Larry Krauter, CEO of Spokane International Airport, talk after announcing that Gump would build a new airport hangar complex at Felts Field Thursday, April 23, 2015. The new complex of hangars will include space for the Honor Point Military and Aerospace Museum. A large crowd was on hand for the announcement and were able to inspect antique airplanes on display. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
By Mike Prager mikeprager15@gmail.com(509) 459-5454
Spokane airport and business officials Thursday announced construction of a $2.8 million hangar at Felts Field that will house aviation business and a long-sought aerospace museum. A group of three businessmen involved in aviation in Spokane are building the 40,000-square-foot hangar which will be known as Felts Field General Aviation Flight Center. One of three hangar bays will become the home of Honor Point Military and Aerospace Museum, which will be seeking donations to help pay for build-out of its interior space. The project calls for leasing 10,000 square feet of the hangar to Honor Point, officials said. “This is just a joyous day for aviators in Spokane,” said Tim Gump, president of EFT LLC, which is building the hangar. The new facility will be located just southwest of the Felts Field Art Deco-era terminal and clock tower, which is at the heart of the Felts Field complex along East Rutter Avenue. Gump is an owner of a EDMO Distributors, Inc., of Spokane Valley, a world-wide supplier of avionics for aircraft as well as pilot supplies. He is also an owner of Western Aviation, the fixed-base operator for general aviation services at Felts Field. A crowd of aviation enthusiasts, business leaders and government officials gathered this morning at a tent on the Felts Field apron adjacent to the site of the planned new hangar. Gump said the new hangar will bring a first-class facility for aviation services to Felts, something the airport has needed for years. The hangar, which will be a metal building, will include design elements to help it complement the national historic district buildings at Felts. Gump said the economic recovery that is occurring allowed he and his partners, Fred Lopez and Ed Lansberg, to move ahead with the project. He said he expects to provide indoor hangar facilities for the high-priced corporate jets that have been using Felts Field regularly, including in winter months. Tobby Hatley, who is going to become project manager for the Honor Point museum, said the volunteer organization behind the museum has substantial corporate commitments for donations to get the project started. He said the interior design and displays could cost between $4 million and $6 million. A fund drive is expected in the near future. Design work for the museum is just getting started, Hatley said. Honor Point found its way to Felts Field at the recommendation of Larry Krauter, the CEO of Spokane International Airport and Felts Field, both of which are publicly owned and operated by a single board. “It’s a superb location,” Hatley said. Being at Felts will offer the museum the chance to hold different public events, including those involving working aircraft. Plus, Felts Field has become a civic center for the broad aviation community in Spokane, he said. “You have guys at the airport here who are living history,” Hatley said.