Clare County Airport | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
Owner/Operator | Clare County, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||||
Serves | Harrison, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||||
Location | Clare County, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||||
Time zone | UTC−05:00 (-5) | ||||||||||||||||||
• Summer ( DST) | UTC−04:00 (-4) | ||||||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 1,142 ft / 348 m | ||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 44°03′09″N 084°48′47″W / 44.05250°N 84.81306°W | ||||||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Statistics (2019) | |||||||||||||||||||
|
Clare County Airport ( FAA LID: 80D) is a publicly owned, public use airport located two miles (3.2 km) northwest of Harrison in Clare County, Michigan. The airport sits on 80 acres (32 ha) at an elevation of 1,142 feet (348 m). [1] [2]
The airport plays host to a variety of community events, most notably the Dirt Dash Extreme Sport Races, which involves racing ATVs. It has also hosted military training exercises which allow community members close access to military aircraft and crewmembers, as well as easter festivities. [3] [4] [5]
In early 2024, airport commissioners discussed whether to close the airport during the wintertime – due to the county's inability to clear snow – or whether doing so would harm airport businesses, such as the restaurant on airport property, too greatly. [6]
The airport has three runways. Runway 18/36 is the only one paved with asphalt. It measures 2,978 by 50 feet (908 m × 15 m). Runway 5/23 measures 3,000 by 100 feet (914 m × 30 m) and is turf. Runway 9/27 measures 2,403 by 100 feet (732 m × 30 m) and is also turf. [1] [2]
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2019, the airport had 4,992 aircraft operations, an average of 96 per week, entirely general aviation. For the same time period, there were eight aircraft based at the airport, all single-engine airplanes. [1] [2]
In 2021, significant upgrades were made at the airport. The airport approved money for upgrades and the completion of a pilot's lounge at the airport. Upgrades to lighting at the airport were originally begun years earlier, but work on the pilot's lounge were paused because the hangar housing it is low-lying and therefore prone to flooding. Governing authorities waited for five years for a cost assessment on what extra repairs and building projects would cost. [7]
When work on the pilot's lounge first began, the terminal's ductwork system was designed and constructed by students at the college technical center in Harrison. [8] [9] [10]
In 2022, funds were approved to perform work on the airport's runway. However, the approved crack sealing was not fully completed by the third party contractor hired by the county to complete the work. [11]
In 2024, the airport received a grant to remove trees from airport property to ensure a clear flight path for aircraft using the airport. Additional work is planned for the spring of 2024, including repairing the airport's rotating beacon, windsock, and turf runways. [6]