Help Wells County take flight!

Join Us in Building the Future

The mission of the Wells County Airport

The mission of the Wells County Airport is to provide a safe, efficient, and welcoming general aviation facility that supports Wells County, Indiana with economic growth, economic retention, recreation, and emergency services.

FAQ Endorse

How does an airport fit into the future goals of Wells County?

A recent article in the News Banner by Jonathan Snyder quoted Wells County Economic Development Director Jessica Beste as saying that Wells County maintains their strong hold on many business models such as manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and construction businesses. These businesses bring jobs and stability to Wells County. We believe that one way to help these companies grow, stay and join Wells County is to provide easy travel to and from. The article cites the Fort Wayne Airport as a key advantage to our neighbor, Ossian. A key advantage that we could bring to all of Wells County by putting an airport solidly in our community.

How would an airport benefit Wells County economically?

General aviation is credited with generating over $150 Billion annually, and boasts approximately 8 million employment opportunities. There are 220,000 airplanes that are registered in the United States, and nearly 90% of them are owned and operated by civilians. It may be easy to assume that it is only the bigger, international airports that contribute to that economic boost, but it is important to not overlook the impact that smaller, municipal airports have. Small municipal airports are responsible for flights by community leaders and business owners, they provide a safe landing area for medically necessary flights, they host agriculture planes that service our farm grounds, and are often home to flight instructors and aircraft mechanics. Aviation is showing enormous growth around the country. Having an airport in Wells County would not only help us to keep the businesses already here, but draw more in.

How does an airport help me, personally?

Airports have outsized economic output. This is reflected not only in the jobs that they create, but in the revenue they generate for a community. One statistic, found in an April 2023 report by the National Association of State Aviation Officials and the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials says that airports can pump into a community $75 for every $1 invested. This benefits every member of a community.
Airports help attract high employment opportunities, and high profit companies from outside of the community. As our local homegrown businesses expand, an airport provides a means for incentivizing those companies to stay local, by making their increasing travel requirements easier to navigate.
Additionally, airports are fun! Nearly all airports offer annual entertainment opportunities such as nationally coordinated fly ins that invite the community to join the joys of aviation. Many surrounding communities offer air shows that bring in food vendors, games and activities for children, touch a truck events, and are a great place to host car shows. Often, small airports house flight instructors, that can help you realize your dream to fly airplanes.
Another way that a municipal airport will help you and your neighbors is in medical emergencies. As community hospitals and medical locations continue to close across the country, airports are often utilized as a place to base emergency services and land emergency helicopters.

Will an airport increase the noise and traffic in our community?

Small municipal airports generally do not increase the vehicle traffic of a community. Additionally, airports are often placed many miles from city centers, therefore not contributing to Main Street congestion woes. Airports are often set up as not only an airport, but an industrial center, usually located many miles from downtowns and thus can be used to draw heavy vehicle traffic such as semis away from downtown. Municipal airports do not host airliners, such as Delta or United Airlines planes. Any traffic will be employees of the airport, or business located on the airport grounds, and your fellow community members accessing their airplanes.
As for noise, you will likely rarely hear the airplanes as they come and go. And should you, the duration is only a few seconds at most. A majority of the planes that call a municipal airport home are not noisy.

Is a municipal airport accessible to the public?

Of course! Municipal airports operate under normal operating hours and are open to the public. Terminal buildings are often a great location for community events, business meetings and plane watching.

Is there really a need for a local airport?

Aviation is a steadily growing industry. You may not think so, but municipal airports number in the thousands, yet fail to meet the needs of the aviation community. Hangar space is in high demand in America. In addition, manufacturing based businesses often rely on airplanes to move parts and materials to avoid costly downtime. Airplanes can help local businesses meet rigorous scheduling requirements by creating an avenue for not just quickly moving goods, but personnel. Communities that do not have easy access to airfields do not have the ability to quickly adjust and adapt to ever changing demands.

Is there already aviation in Wells County?

Yes! There are many businesses in Wells County servicing aviation both indirectly and directly. Several businesses already exist that focus on aircraft maintenance, airplane part sales, aircraft appraisal, financial services, and insurance services. Also, believe it or not, jet engine repairs! These businesses serve our local aviation community, our national community, and even aviation needs across the globe bringing money to our community from places as far as Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Indonesia, and Israel, putting Wells County on the global map. Many airplane pilots, mechanics, and enthusiasts already call Wells County home.