Ann Arbor Airport: Does It Exist?

Ann Arbor, Michigan, is home to the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, a general aviation airport in Washtenaw County. The airport is located in Pittsfield Township but is owned and operated by the City of Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor Municipal Airport handles approximately 75,000 operations (take-offs and landings) per year and is home to more than 180 aircraft. The airport has two runways and an operating control tower.

Ann Arbor Municipal Airport's location

Ann Arbor Municipal Airport is located in Washtenaw County, Michigan, in the United States. More specifically, the airport is in Pittsfield Township, around 4.3 miles (6.9 km) south of downtown Ann Arbor. The airport is owned and operated by the City of Ann Arbor, which annexed the airport property before Pittsfield became a charter township in 1972.

The airport covers 837 acres (3.39 km2) and has two runways. The main runway is made of concrete, while the secondary runway, which intersects the main runway, is made of grass and is used during the summertime.

Ann Arbor Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport with mostly smaller corporate and private aircraft. It is categorised as a regional general aviation facility and is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017 to 2021. The airport has an operating control tower that is run by the FAA and is located in FAA Class "D" airspace.

Aircraft operations

Ann Arbor Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States. It is located in Pittsfield Township, about 4.3 miles (6.9 km) south of downtown Ann Arbor. The airport is owned and operated by the City of Ann Arbor.

The airport is home to a variety of aircraft, including single-engine and multi-engine airplanes, helicopters, jets, and gliders. It handles approximately 75,000 aircraft operations per year, consisting of take-offs and landings. The airport has two runways: a main concrete runway and a secondary grass runway.

The main runway, designated as 6/24, has a length of 3,500 feet (1,067 meters) and a width of 75 feet (23 meters). It is made of concrete and is in fair condition. The visual slope indicator for this runway includes a 4-light PAPI on the left, providing a 3.00-degree glide path, and a 2-box VASI on the left, also with a 3.00-degree glide path. Runway edge lights are positioned at 060 magnetic and 055 true for the approach end, and 240 magnetic and 235 true for the departure end.

The secondary runway, designated as 12/30, has a length of 2,750 feet (838 meters) and a width of 110 feet (34 meters). It is a grass runway and is in fair condition. The operational restrictions for this runway are 127 magnetic and 122 true for take-off, and 307 magnetic and 302 true for landing. The runway end identifier lights are positioned at specific distances and angles from the runway to provide visual guidance during take-off and landing.

The airport has an operating control tower that is managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It is located in FAA Class "D" airspace. The airport also offers various services, including fuel, general maintenance, aircraft parking, courtesy cars, pilot supplies, crew lounges, snooze rooms, and showers.

Runway expansions

Ann Arbor Municipal Airport in Washtenaw County, Michigan, has been the subject of runway expansion proposals since the 1980s. The airport, located in Pittsfield Township, is owned and operated by the City of Ann Arbor. Despite its location, Pittsfield Township has no voting representation on committees managing airport operations.

The proposed runway expansion project aims to lengthen the main runway by 720 to 800 feet and shift it by 150 feet toward the southwest corner of the airport, closer to neighbouring residential areas. This expansion would not change the airport's classification but would allow larger aircraft, such as jets in the C-I and C-II categories, to operate with full weight and fuel.

Supporters of the expansion, including the city's airport manager Matt Kulhanek and aviation enthusiasts, argue that it would improve safety and bring the runway into compliance with current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design standards. They cite challenges posed by the current runway length, including 11 overrun incidents since 1998 and line-of-sight issues for the FAA tower. Kulhanek also noted that the shift would address a blind spot issue for the FAA air traffic control tower and improve visibility for aircraft taking off. Additionally, the expansion would address concerns related to the widening of State Road by the Road Commission.

However, the proposal has faced strong opposition from Pittsfield Township and local citizens' groups, such as the Committee for Preserving Community Quality. They argue that the expansion would negatively impact the surrounding community, increase noise and air pollution, and potentially lead to an increase in air traffic and the size of aircraft using the airport. There are also concerns about the cost of the project, which was estimated at $1.5 million in 2010, with most of the funding expected to come from federal sources.

In December 2024, the Ann Arbor City Council rejected the proposal by a vote of 8-3, deciding not to approve the engineering services contract and a grant agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation. This decision came after years of planning and debate, with the township and citizens' groups expressing their concerns about aircraft noise, carbon emissions, air pollution, and potential safety risks.

Airport ownership

Ann Arbor does have an airport, the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, which is a general aviation airport in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The airport is owned and operated by the City of Ann Arbor, although it is located in Pittsfield Township. The City of Ann Arbor annexed the airport property before Pittsfield became a charter township in 1972, in order to secure water rights.

The ownership and operation of airports vary, but most of the world's large airports are owned by local, regional, or national government bodies, which then lease the airport to private corporations to manage operations. In the US, commercial airports are generally operated directly by government entities or government-created airport authorities. Many US airports still lease part or all of their facilities to outside firms, which operate functions such as retail management and parking.

In Canada, most airports are now operated by individual legal authorities, although they are still owned by the federal authority, Transport Canada. In the UK, the eight major commercial airports were originally operated by the state-owned British Airports Authority, but these have since been privatized. Germany's Frankfurt Airport is managed by the quasi-private firm Fraport, and in India, the GMR Group operates two of the country's international airports through joint ventures.

Airports can be major employers and important hubs for tourism and other types of transit. They are also sites of operation for heavy machinery and are vulnerable to extreme weather and the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels.

Accidents and incidents

Ann Arbor does have an airport, the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, a general aviation airport in Washtenaw County, Michigan. It is located in Pittsfield Township, about 4.3 miles (6.9 km) south of downtown Ann Arbor. The airport is owned and operated by the City of Ann Arbor.

• On October 7, 1989, a Piper PA-28 Cherokee crashed in Ann Arbor. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed, leading to an inadvertent stall.
• On January 20, 2001, a Cessna 152 collided with a snow bank while landing. The student pilot brought the approach in too low and pulled the power idle too soon, causing the aircraft to sink and touch down prematurely. The probable cause was found to be the delay in initiating remedial action to arrest the sink rate.
• On June 21, 2001, a Masko Mustang MII impacted the terrain while operating in the airport's traffic pattern. Witnesses reported that the aircraft made a steep right turn before spiralling to the ground. The probable cause was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain control, resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin.
• On October 17, 2001, a Piper PA-34 Seneca sustained substantial damage while landing at Ann Arbor. The aircraft overran the runway, and the probable cause was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, with a crosswind also being a contributing factor.
• On October 26, 2003, a Schweizer 269C was damaged during a forced landing due to engine failure and subsequent autorotation. The probable cause was found to be a loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.
• On April 8, 2005, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk was damaged during a forced landing while operating at the airport. The aircraft lost engine power while attempting a go-around due to an unstable approach. The probable cause was found to be the failure of the carburetor nozzle.
• On August 29, 2009, a Socata TBM 700 was damaged during landing due to the pilot's hard landing in gusty wind conditions.
• On May 25, 2011, a flight instructor was injured after walking into the spinning propeller of a Cessna 152.
• On April 5, 2012, a Remos Gx crashed during takeoff. The solo student pilot claimed the aircraft veered left during takeoff, and he was unable to correct the turn, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with the terrain.
• On June 9, 2013, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk experienced a hard landing, with the pilot failing to make a timely go-around and losing control.
• On October 12, 2013, an aircraft operated by a local flying club experienced a hard landing, causing the landing gear to collapse. The sole pilot on board was uninjured.
• On October 10, 2014, a Piper PA-28 Cherokee collided with a deer during a nighttime takeoff, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft.
• On September 11, 2022, a Cessna 152 made an emergency landing in a field near the airport due to engine failure after takeoff. Both individuals on board were uninjured.
• On December 10, 2023, a Piper Malibu Meridian experienced a hard landing and runway excursion due to encountering unexpected wind shear during the final approach. The main landing gear separated, causing the airplane to veer off the side of the runway.

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