CRESWELL, Ore. -- It might be too late to save a pair of companies, but a consultant hired by the city says pilots and skydivers can coexist at Creswell Airport.

In 2006, Eugene Skydivers and Wright Brothers Skydiving lost their long-standing right to land customers in a drop zone east of the runway. Both city and state officials cited liability concerns following complaints from some pilots that the skydivers posed a safety hazard.

The council hired Jim Johnson to advise them on airport issues, such as the dispute over skydiving. In a report submitted to council last week, Johnson acknowledged that skydiving increases risks to general aviation. But he said the risks are manageable if the city works with skydiving operators to craft a safety plan and the operators abide by it.

Urban Moore, owner of Eugene Skydivers, and David Wright, owner of Wright Brothers, said they were pleased with the consultant's recommendations, but unconvinced they would change anything.

"We have asked the city three other times since we've been off the airport to negotiate with us or at least to open up the communication lines," Moore said.

The council is scheduled to discuss Johnson's report next month.

Moore did win permission from the county to land skydivers on a farmer's field several miles north of the airport. The arrangement increases overhead costs and his turnaround time between jumps.

"I'm going to be out of business shortly," Moore said. "This has knocked my business down by better than 60 percent."

Wright said the city's action has pretty much destroyed his 18-year business at the airfield. He stopped scheduling jumps last summer after the county denied his application to drop skydivers on a field just off the airport.