Business View Magazine | August 2020

165 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020 OSCODA–WURTSMI TH A I RPORT the variety of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services being provided by Kalitta Air. Kellan also notes, “In comparison to the other former Michigan SAC base airfields, each airport is supporting different types of flight service related activities. In other words, the three airports don’t directly compete against each other for business. When, for whatever reason, the flight operations require a longer or wider runway, perhaps Oscoda- Wurtsmith may have a little bit of attractive edge.” As is the case with every airfield, there are always construction and maintenance projects either being planned, ongoing, or just completed. Since the Wurtsmith base closure, two large aircraft maintenance hangars have been constructed. Both of those hangars are approximately 80,000 square feet in size, and Kellan says that a third similar structure is being considered. He also notes that during 2018, the runway was completely resurfaced. Therefore, Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport, “should remain in great shape, in terms of runway surface, for the next 15 - 20 years.” Additionally, the Airport Authority has recently been awarded approximately $5.8 million dollars from the FAA for resurfacing portions of a 54-acre heavy aircraft capable parking apron and another $1.05 million dollars for resurfacing a primary runway connecting taxiway. Both of those projects are being implemented during 2020. When asked about the typical challenges of maintaining Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport, Kellan responds by explaining that the Airport Authority does not receive funding from the municipalities that make up the Airport Authority. Therefore, Airport Authority operations are primarily funded from the lease revenue collected from tenants