Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport
Encyclopedia
Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport is a public use airport
located three nautical mile
s (6 km) northwest of the central business district
of Oscoda
, an unincorporated community in Iosco County
, Michigan
, United States
. It is owned by the Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Authority.
It was built out of a portion of the decommissioned Wurtsmith Air Force Base
which housed nuclear armed B-52 Stratofortress
bombers during the Cold War
as well as several air refueling squadrons.
Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport became a public airport in 1993. It is primarily a cargo and light general aviation airport with no scheduled passenger services.
The Wurtsmith Base Conversion Authority terminated in 1994, when the Charter Township of Oscoda
took over as the Redevelopment Authority. The Authority was organized under Michigan Public Act 206 of 1957. It has five municipal constituents; Oscoda Township, AuSable Township, Greenbush Township, Iosco County and Alcona County. The purpose of the Authority is generally to operate and maintain a public airport. The Michigan Legislature
created the Wurtsmith Renaissance Zone in 1997, which exempted businesses and residents of the 5,000 acre (20 km²) zone from all state and most local taxes.
It now occupies a portion of the former base and is primarily used for cargo and light general aviation activities. There is no scheduled passenger service. The Airport offers 24-hour near all weather daily access. Its UNICOM frequency is 123.0 MHz.
of 634 feet (193 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt
paved runway
designated 6/24 which measures 11,800 by 200 feet (3,597 by 61 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 8,857 aircraft operations, an average of 24 per day, all of which were general aviation
. At that time there were 12 aircraft based at this airport, all single-engine
.
Of note is the operations of the Yankee Air Force Museum - Wurtsmith Division. Periodic events are held by them.
Kalitta Air
has a large operation at the airport.
Other tenants at the former base include the Aune Medical Center, Alcona Health Center Dental Clinic, Alpena Community College
, and numerous private businesses. The former military housing units have been refurbished by the Village of Oscoda, and now serve as a major population base in the Oscoda
area. Another portion of the former base houses a community center.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located three nautical mile
Nautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
s (6 km) northwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Oscoda
Oscoda, Michigan
Oscoda is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan located on the northern side of the Au Sable River where it enters Lake Huron. The community of Au Sable is on the other side of the river. Oscoda is in Oscoda Township in Iosco County, and not in Oscoda County, which is to the...
, an unincorporated community in Iosco County
Iosco County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,339 people, 11,727 households, and 7,857 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 20,432 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is owned by the Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Authority.
It was built out of a portion of the decommissioned Wurtsmith Air Force Base
Wurtsmith Air Force Base
Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The former base includes located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the Au Sable State...
which housed nuclear armed B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
bombers during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
as well as several air refueling squadrons.
Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport became a public airport in 1993. It is primarily a cargo and light general aviation airport with no scheduled passenger services.
The Wurtsmith Base Conversion Authority terminated in 1994, when the Charter Township of Oscoda
Oscoda Township, Michigan
Oscoda Charter Township is a charter township of Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,248 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
took over as the Redevelopment Authority. The Authority was organized under Michigan Public Act 206 of 1957. It has five municipal constituents; Oscoda Township, AuSable Township, Greenbush Township, Iosco County and Alcona County. The purpose of the Authority is generally to operate and maintain a public airport. The Michigan Legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
created the Wurtsmith Renaissance Zone in 1997, which exempted businesses and residents of the 5,000 acre (20 km²) zone from all state and most local taxes.
It now occupies a portion of the former base and is primarily used for cargo and light general aviation activities. There is no scheduled passenger service. The Airport offers 24-hour near all weather daily access. Its UNICOM frequency is 123.0 MHz.
Facilities and aircraft
Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport covers an area of 2000 acres (809.4 ha) at an elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 634 feet (193 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
designated 6/24 which measures 11,800 by 200 feet (3,597 by 61 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 8,857 aircraft operations, an average of 24 per day, all of which were general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
. At that time there were 12 aircraft based at this airport, all single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
.
Of note is the operations of the Yankee Air Force Museum - Wurtsmith Division. Periodic events are held by them.
Kalitta Air
Kalitta Air
Kalitta Air is an American cargo airline headquartered in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, United States. It operates international scheduled and ad-hoc cargo charter services. Its main base is Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti.-History:...
has a large operation at the airport.
Other tenants at the former base include the Aune Medical Center, Alcona Health Center Dental Clinic, Alpena Community College
Alpena Community College
Alpena Community College is a public two-year college located in Alpena, Michigan, United States, and was founded in 1952. The college has a main campus in Alpena and another campus, Huron Shores, located on the former in Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan.The college offers two-year...
, and numerous private businesses. The former military housing units have been refurbished by the Village of Oscoda, and now serve as a major population base in the Oscoda
Oscoda Township, Michigan
Oscoda Charter Township is a charter township of Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,248 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
area. Another portion of the former base houses a community center.