The state of Oklahoma is blessed with an
abundance of general aviation (GA) airports, providing its citizens with access to destinations
throughout the state, nation and world. In fact, with its 113 publicly owned airports, Oklahoma is ranked #4 in the nation for the number of airports per capita! Whether you are one of the thousands
of recreational flyers who cruise the Oklahoma
skies just for the sheer enjoyment or one of the many businessmen or businesswomen who use
GA aircraft to help shore up the bottom line, you
can rest assured that Oklahoma’s airports will get you there!
Importance of General Aviation
General aviation, which can be defined as all aviation
except commercial or military aviation, is a tremendous asset to communities across the state and nation. The majority of GA aircraft is made up of small planes that typically seat two to four passengers, most of which are the single-engine variety sporting one propeller; however, twin-engine planes are quite common as well. Helicopters can also be considered GA aircraft.
Did you know that there are 220,000 GA aircraft in the United States transporting 166 million passengers?
That makes GA the largest “airline” in the country! Cities rely on GA to make their communities
more vibrant and viable in this global economy. No other mode of transportation can get you to your destination faster than GA. In a sense, GA is the closest
thing we have to a true time machine!
Nationally, GA accounts for nearly 1.3 million jobs and has an annual economic impact of $150 billion. In Oklahoma, the aviation and aerospace industry accounts for nearly 144,000 jobs and generates a $12.5 billion impact. GA alone has an estimated $1.2 billion impact in Oklahoma. GA airports provide access
to numerous sectors of your local community, including:
Business & Industry
Agriculture
Emergency Medical Service
Disaster Relief
Fire Fighters and Law Enforcement
Military
Flight Training
TV & Radio (weather & traffic)
The U.S. is blessed with arguably the world’s best air transportation system, which is comprised of approximately
5,200 public-use airports that can be directly accessed by GA aircraft. That fact is important considering
that only about 540 airports nationwide have scheduled commercial service, which means that many communities rely heavily on GA to get them to their desired destinations in a fast, safe, flexible and cost-effective manner.
The ABC’s of General Aviation Airports
Today, business comes calling on an aircraft, not a bus! Studies have shown that companies that use GA aircraft in their business are more successful on average than those businesses that don’t. According to one recent study of companies represented in the S&P 500, those that use GA aircraft were found to outperform nonusers in several important financial measures. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that GA aircraft are reserved just for the big boys. In fact, the opposite is true. About 97 percent of business aircraft in the U.S. is operated by a broad cross-section
of organizations, including governments, universities,
charitable organizations and businesses.
Oklahoma’s Airport System
As noted previously, Oklahoma is not lacking when it comes to the presence of public airports. Out of the 113 publicly owned airports in the state, 49 are regional business airports; the rest are what are referred to as community and district airports. Typically,
regional business airports are found in larger communities, have more based aircraft and see more takeoffs and landings from various GA aircraft.
A total of 42 of Oklahoma’s 49 regional business airports
have runways of at least 5,000 feet in length, the minimum distance needed for most business aircraft to land safely. Airports with jet-capable runways
are valuable assets to business and industry who use aircraft to transact business. When major businesses were asked to rank the top reasons why they chose to locate where they did, convenient access to a commercial service airport and access to a GA airport with a jet-capable runway were among the top location factors identified. Local businesses gain competitive
advantages when they use the nearby airport, while the surrounding community gains jobs.
About 93 percent of Oklahoma’s population lives within 25 miles of a regional business airport with a jet-capable runway. That is an important statistic,
especially when you consider that only three airports in the Sooner State -- Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport, Tulsa International Airport and Lawton-Ft. Sill Regional Airport -- provide scheduled passenger service. So it really is true when they say that your local airport is your “gateway to the world!”
Nearly 85 percent of companies using GA aircraft are small and mid-size businesses.
Businesses that strive to be successful in this global marketplace understand the value that aviation has on their bottom line. For them, time is money. That’s why so many companies and businesses in Oklahoma
such as Michelin in Ardmore, Seaboard Farms
in Guymon and Tyson Foods in Idabel, just to name
a few, seek the advantages of GA. They want their employees to be able to fly right into their destinations, conduct their business and then return promptly. And that’s what general aviation and GA airports afford them. In this ultra competitive environment, it is critical
that companies conduct their business in a safe, reliable and efficient manner. In a nutshell, your local airport means Access, Business, and Convenience. It’s as simple as A-B-C!
Today, business comes calling
on an aircraft, not a bus! A general aviation aircraft is the fastest way to get you from point A to point B.
Q
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Q The Importance of
Airports To Our
Communities &
State
General Aviation
in Oklahoma The aerospace industry is responsible
for nearly 144,000 direct, indirect and
induced jobs in Oklahoma, which repre-sents
approximately one out of every 11
Oklahomans.
The average salary of an Oklahoman
working in the aerospace industry is
$55,000. The salary for the average
Oklahoma worker is $30,000.
Oklahoma is one of seven centers, or
hubs, in the world for the maintenance,
repair and overhaul of aircraft.
Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City
is the largest military aircraft repair facil-ity
in the world and is also the state’s
largest single-site employer with approxi-mately
28,000 jobs and an annual eco-nomic
impact of more than $3 billion.
The American Airlines Maintenance and
Engineering Center in Tulsa is the world’s
largest commercial aircraft repair facility,
employing 7,000 people.
The FAA’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical
Center in Oklahoma City serves as the
central nerve center for the nation’s air
transportation system, employing nearly
7,200 Oklahomans.
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Did you know...?
Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission
120 N. Robinson, Ste. 1244W
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
1.405.604.6900
www.aeronautics.ok.gov
Quick Facts About Oklahoma’s State System of Airports and General Aviation
Oklahoma is ranked #4 in the nation per capita for the number of publicly owned airports in the state.
There are 140 public-use airports in Oklahoma, including 113 that are owned by a public entity such
as a city or town.
Out of the 113 publicly owned airports in the state, 49 are regional business airports. Of those 49 air-ports,
42 have jet-capable runways (at least 5,000’ long).
About 97 percent of Oklahoma’s population is within 25 miles of a regional business airport.
Nearly 92 percent of Oklahoma’s population lives within 25 miles of an airport with a jet-capable runway.
Oklahoma has more than 4,900 GA aircraft that are actively flying in the state, and more than 7,900
pilots, including nearly 1,200 student pilots, who are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.
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Oklahoma’s State System of Airports
= Regional Airports
= Community & District Airports
Oklahoma Digital Prairie: Documents, Images and Information
