🇺🇸 Oakland County International Airport

Oakland County International Airport (PTK) is a county-owned public-use airport located in Waterford Township, Oakland County, Michigan, United States. It is designated as a general aviation reliever airport. PTK is the second busiest airport in Michigan, behind Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), and was ranked the nation's seventeenth busiest general aviation airport in 2024 with 154,944 takeoffs and landings.

Type of Facility and Operations:

• Operations: PTK supports general aviation, corporate aviation, air cargo, seaplanes, and helicopter operations. It also hosts numerous flight schools.
• Control Tower: A Federal Aviation Administration-staffed control tower provides complete air traffic control services, including Tower Advisory Radar.
• Airspace: The airspace at PTK is Class D and underlies Detroit Class B airspace.
• Runways: The airport has three asphalt paved runways: 9R/27L (6,521 by 150 feet), 9L/27R (5,676 by 100 feet), and 18/36 (2,582 by 75 feet). Runways 9L/27R and 9R/27L are parallel with staggered thresholds, and 9R/27L is longer and wider. Runway 18/36 does not intersect the parallel runways.
• Services: PTK offers charter contract passenger service, air freight operations, fuel services, maintenance, and aircraft sales. There are seven Fixed-Base Operators (FBOs) providing various services including catering, hangars, and crew lounges.
• Customs: User-fee U.S. Customs Service is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and "on call" at other times.

Notable Features or History:

• Early History: The airport opened on November 27, 1928, after the City of Pontiac purchased 160 acres. It was dedicated in June 1929 as Pontiac Municipal Airport. On February 11, 1930, it received Certificate No. 000001, becoming the first airport in the nation to receive an A-1-A rating from the U.S. government.
• Ownership Change: The airport was transferred from the City of Pontiac to Oakland County on February 25, 1967.
• Renaming: The Oakland County Board of Commissioners renamed the facility Oakland County International Airport on March 7, 1996.
• "Hush House": In 2004, a Ground Run-up Enclosure, or "Hush House," was added for testing turbine-powered aircraft with reduced noise impact.
• Economic Impact: The airport contributes over $1 billion to Oakland County's economy annually.

Current Status:

• PTK is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• It is home to over 150 businesses.
• Over 600 aircraft are based at the airport, with a total value exceeding $500 million.
• The airport is self-supporting.
• It is the sixth-busiest airport in the United States without scheduled passenger service.

*Sources researched: oakgov.com, faa.gov, en.wikipedia.org*