Welcome to Your Harrison Neighborhood AIRPORT Clare County Airport 80D
Connecting Harrison Area Pilots with Residents and fostering community
Pilots:
Please register your landings in the log book
located in Jackies Airport Restaurant.
Hayes Hears of Community Needs, Support Efforts
Excerpt and photo by DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY Cleaver Senior Staff Writer
Airport Improvements, Plans, Funding Catch-22 Noted
Also addressing the Board was Commissioner Gabe Ambrozaitis, who provided an update on the recent Committee of the Whole meeting, as well as goings on at the Clare County Airport. He noted the May 17 Fly-In and Dawn Patrol event, for which he had put in a request for an Army National Guard helicopter and a Coast Guard helicopter, plus a visit by Civil Air Patrol. He also provided an improvements report, including work done to the 1980s paved runway; tree cutting to meet MDOT state approach plan clearance requirements; the elimination of the 23/5 runway; installation of gates that could accommodate large machinery and ambulance access to the Medivac helicopter landing area; tetrahedron repair; establishment of first-ever Airport 80D operating rules; new lease agreement that will protect both the tenant and the county; re-established lease with the restaurant, which had expired in 2014; and organization of the Harrison Area Pilots Association.
Ambrozaitis then informed of the Economic Benefits Analysis by MDOT, saying he had multiple meetings in the week prior with the people who actually do that analysis.
“So, we have an initial number which is as is,” he said. “And when I say as is – eight tenants, no manager, and the restaurant – that provides about $1.1 million in economic benefit to the Hayes Township/Harrison area. So, to run a scenario, to add businesses, add the manager, add contractors to do maintenance, etc., bumps it up significantly.”
He then moved into the airport manager’s status, noting that a bill was received Feb. 27 from MDOT Aeronautic: an invoice for crack sealing for a contract signed in 2022 for work done in 2023. Ambrozaitis noted that while the work was deemed to have been done, meaning the contractor is believed to have showed up although no one was notified of their presence (airport manager was unaware) and left.
“We don’t know if it got done or not, but the contractor said he did it, and they billed the state,” Ambrozaitis said. “The state paid the entire bill. Our portion somehow never got invoiced: $8,741 and that came in the mail Feb. 27, 2025.”
He reminded that last fall the airport was defunded by the Board of Commissioners, declining to appropriate the requested $20,000 to the Airport Fund. With the $10,000 remaining in the Airport Fund, paying that MDOT invoice, combined with a repair for the airport tractor, has left no funds to pay for the airport manager.
“We have to pay the invoice, because – good news – we received the $250,000 grant to put new airport lighting in,” he said. “You cannot receive a grant if you’re in arrears with the state. And if you don’t have an airport manager, you technically cannot be licensed – you can’t get grants for unlicensed airports. We’re in a Catch-22.”
Ambrozaitis noted that as of the previous Friday, the airport manager was laid off. Also noted was that as of the end of November, the county had a reported $800,000 surplus. “Yet, we laid off the airport manager because we don’t have enough money.” He also noted the airport manager earns a bit more than $6,800.
“So, this is the dilemma we face as we go into the meeting next Wednesday,” Ambrozaitis said. “How do we solve this Catch-22? Because I do not want to lose the $254,806 grant.”
He informed that there is money in the Contingency Fund, but that he did not believe the BOC would use that fund to pay the invoice and maintain the airport manager/bring him back on.
Ambrozaitis also spoke of the intent to re-energize the former agreement between the township, city and county for funding the airport with the intent to first save the airport, then to develop it.
“The numbers I’ve seen for the scenarios for the Economic Development Analysis are off the charts,” Ambrozaitis said. “If we can develop this.”
Harrison Area Pilots Association - Fly Harrison
Harrison's Clare County Airport - AKA: "The Gateway to the North"
Jackie's Airport Restaurant, an icon at Clare County Airport - 80D
Harrison's Clare County Airport - AKA: "The Gateway to the North"
There are not a lot of communities that can claim the prestige of having their own community aiport.
Harrison is one of the few!
Not everyone will know, but community airports are vital to any locality because of its quantifiable benefits to the people and to the community itself.
They may not be able to accommodate large and commercial
There are not a lot of communities that can claim the prestige of having their own community aiport.
Harrison is one of the few!
Not everyone will know, but community airports are vital to any locality because of its quantifiable benefits to the people and to the community itself.
They may not be able to accommodate large and commercial planes, but it is a gateway for fast intercity or interstate travel, and that is crucial in bringing value into your community.
We’ve listed some reasons why community airports are vital in any town or city.
It boosts economic activity
A community airport—also called general aviation airport—provides the capability for fast and on-demand transportation and this allows new business and trade to come in.
Small communities benefit from what the airfield brings in. Economic stimulants like factories, warehouses, and commercial stores help create job opportunities and generate local revenue, which the city could use in improving infrastructure and services to enhance the quality of life.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, an airport has a multiplier effect on local jobs and income, whereby every $1 spent in the airport leads to an additional $2.53 to your local economy.
Also, areas with airports tend to be well maintained and welcoming of new opportunities that could bring direct and indirect positive impact to the city.
There’s no air traffic congestion
General aviation airports provide convenience and cost-effectiveness for personal or business travel. Unlike large, commercial airports which are congested and expensive, daily air traffic in community airports is at a minimal, thus providing alternative land strips to busy airline hubs.
Airline flights are also focused on major hubs. This is where community airports come in—they connect you to communities that are not served by airlines.
It accommodates fast delivery of services and relief
Your community airport also opens the door for other services than ferrying people in and out of the city. It supports flights for small and mid-sized businesses, schools, universities, postal services, and other government and private-sector service providers that are immediate and swift travel.
Moreover, your local airport is especially important in emergency cases such as bringing in disaster relief, aeromedical services, and law enforcement.
It stimulates tourism
Little does anyone know that even your community airport brings in tourists into your city. Aviators love flying that they try to find out new places to go to. And when they find an interesting place, they share it with their fellow aviators.
Community airports also have built-in hangars, making it convenient for business and personal aircraft owners and pilots to leave their planes for a while.
Airport Receives $254,806 in Unfettered Grant Funding
Jackie's Airport Restaurant, an icon at Clare County Airport - 80D
Harrison's Clare County Airport - AKA: "The Gateway to the North"
By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY
Cleaver Senior Staff Writer
HARRISON – The Feb. 25 meeting of the Clare County Airport Committee began with the Airport Manager’s Report, wherein Gale Bensinger note the airport tractor was repaired and being used for snowplowing. And while the runway was cleared off, the county hangar was very effectively allowing sn
By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY
Cleaver Senior Staff Writer
HARRISON – The Feb. 25 meeting of the Clare County Airport Committee began with the Airport Manager’s Report, wherein Gale Bensinger note the airport tractor was repaired and being used for snowplowing. And while the runway was cleared off, the county hangar was very effectively allowing snow to enter the entire building.
On a more positive note, Bensinger received his certificate…….
Under Old Business, the ongoing planned projects continued to be held top-of-mind: Turf Runway 9/29 leveling, fertilizing and seeding planned for August; the Community Economic Development Survey [CEDS] 5-year plan for the Eastern Michigan Council of Governments [EMCOG], which would enable meeting the Economic Development Administration [EDA] grant requirement; and working toward establishing a multi-unit agreement with the City of Harrison, Hayes Township and Clare County. Ambrozaitis explained that he has been working on the preliminary step of drafting a plan, which would be followed by instituting a discussion among the three entities.
Under New Business, Ambrozaitis shared the MDOT-FY25 announcement of project grants funding, which includes $250,000 for Airfield Lighting upgrade and $4,806 for runway crack sealing. The next step in the process will be to receive the grant award packet from the state, which Ambrozaitis said is not anticipated until April. He clarified that the grants require no matching funds, and that it is Clare County taxpayer money coming back to the county.
“But we will add,” he said. “Because we’ve talked in the past that we’re going to provide some labor and some assistance to whoever the contractor is that gets the bid. So, we’re going to have to follow the county purchasing policy and bid process, just like we’re supposed to.
The lighting upgrade also includes a new internally lit wind cone on the airfield. Ambrozaitis said that, and a couple more items, Airport 80D should be able to be upgraded from a Basic Utility Airport to a General Utility Airport.
He further clarified that whatever MDOT grant monies are not used by the 33 awardee airports for their 44 projects would be rolled back into the MDOT Discretionary Fund for use on subsequent projects.
-Also of interest to Clare County residents are the MDOT grants awarded to Clare Municipal Airport in the amounts of $70,000 for 100LL Fuel Dispenser and System upgrade, and $6,480 for crack sealing.
Other new business included the measurements taxiways provided by the Clare County Road Commission. The longest taxiway (A) is 986 feet; two (A and B) are each 720 feet long; and the (D) taxiway measures 753 feet. The CCRC had been asked to provide a project cost, which enables going to the Economic Development Administration and seeking a match grant for funding those projects. Those current estimates included a combined total of $413,661.58; which Ambrozaitis said is a hefty total, but if broken down into bite-size pieces, it would amount to $128,000 for (A); $93,400 each for (B) and (C); and $98,500 for (D). Ambrozaitis said he believed that the lesser, roughly $100,000 amounts, would be a bit more palatable to the EDA when seeking a possible 80/20 split, making the airport share roughly $25,000.
Another new business item dealt with the potential for development at the west side of the property, and the need to stake out the airport property to determine exactly what belongs to the airport and to Clare County Animal Control. That would include a proper road commission survey with the advent of spring weather, to determine which part of the Hazel Drive property line extension would best serve as an access road to old runway portion of the airport property. Another proposed survey would include the taxiways and hangar lots, including existing hangar lots as well as for future development.
Also solidified was the plan for the Spring Fly-in and Dawn Patrol, slated for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17. Flyers will be distributed, as well as being posted on the Harrison Area Pilots Association website (https://harrisonapa.org).
Under Public Comment, Hayes resident Pat Adams offered his thanks to Ambrozaitis for all the diligent work he had done to get the MDOT grants.
“There is a lot of background research, paperwork involved and having to stay on top of it,” Adams said. “It’s a lot of money you brought in for the Clare County Airport, so kudos to you and thank you for doing such diligent work.”
Ambrozaitis, while appreciative, was quick to give credit to Clare County Administrator Lori Phelps as being pivotal in doing the paperwork.
“She is very experienced in grantwriting,” he said. “She’s a master at getting all that, so basically I dictated and she massaged and made it happen, figured out what needed to be in there.”
He also voiced thanks to the elected officials who provided letters of support of the grants, including the Hayes Township Board, Sen. Houck, Rep. Kunse, among others.
“It was a team effort,” Ambrozaitis said. “I like to say Team Clare County.”
The last item of information dealt with how to spur CTE student interest in aviation, and focusing not on pilot training, but rather on aviation maintenance through the Clare-Gladwin RESD. Ambrozaitis said he would be looking into that possibility.
Excerpt form Clare County Cleaver
By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY
Cleaver Staff Writer
Jackie's Airport Restaurant, an icon at Clare County Airport - 80D
Jackie's Airport Restaurant, an icon at Clare County Airport - 80D
Jackie's Airport Restaurant, an icon at Clare County Airport - 80D
Jackie's Airport Restaurant at Harrison's Clare County Aiport has been an icon for decades. Known for great food at great prices, Jackie's has been drawing local residents and Michigan pilots from around the state. Listed on aviations Fun Places to Fly: "Clare County Airport 80D, a little north of the center of the Lower Peninsula. Not
Jackie's Airport Restaurant at Harrison's Clare County Aiport has been an icon for decades. Known for great food at great prices, Jackie's has been drawing local residents and Michigan pilots from around the state. Listed on aviations Fun Places to Fly: "Clare County Airport 80D, a little north of the center of the Lower Peninsula. Not a $100 hamburger .. it's a pasty flight - the biggest and best one you may ever find. Half a pie in size! Fine, inexpensive home cooking ... very clean and hospitable to fliers."
80D Clare County Airport
Official FAA Data Effective 2023-11-02
Location Information for 80D
Coordinates: N44°3.14' / W84°48.79'
Located .02 miles NW of Harrison, Michigan on 80 acres of land. Estimated Elevation is 1142 feet MSL.
Airport Use: Open to the public
Activation Date: April 1940
Status: Operational
Control Tower: No
Seg-Circle: Yes
Beacon: White-Green
(Lighted Land Airport)
Wind Indicator:Yes