Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission

A Glimpse into the Commission’s Past

In 1945, the predecessor to the Aeronautics Commission, the Oklahoma Aviation Commission was established to further public interest in aviation, encourage and promote aeronautical progress, and develop aviation in all its phases in the State of Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission was formed in 1963 and held its first meeting on July 13 in the Blue Room of the State Capitol. The Commission was charged with encouraging, fostering and assisting in the development of aeronautics in the State and encouraging the establishment of airports and air-navigation facilities.

By 1971, the Commission had financially assisted 174 municipalities with airport-improvement projects, including 30 new airports. This was an average of 22 projects annually with a total expenditure of more than $ million. During this time the Commission also developed a statewide system of airports that grew from 143 airports to more than 243 (public and private included), placing Oklahoma 16th in the nation in total number of airports.

In 1976, the Commission was placed within the Department of Transportation. The Commission and the Director of Aeronautics continued with all their powers and duties.

In 1987, the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission Revolving Fund was created. This fund was to be continuous and would not be subject to fiscal year limitations. The fund consisted of a monthly allocation by the Oklahoma Tax Commission of $3,000 from the motor fuel excise tax for the purpose of airport construction, rehabilitation programs and general operations of the agency.

By State Fiscal Year 1998, the Commission had awarded more than $ million in state funds for a total of 958 public airport improvement projects since the beginning of its existence in 1963. At that time, the Commission was also actively cooperating with the federal government and municipalities to provide aerospace and aviation-education programs across Oklahoma. More than $ million in federal funds were channeled through the Commission in 1998 toward airport projects and system planning.

In 1999, the Commission adopted a new Oklahoma Airport System Plan. A major goal of the plan is to ensure that Oklahoma’s economic development is not impeded by airports unable to accommodate a business jet (airport runways must be 5,000 feet to be jet-capable). Later that year, the Legislature dedicated revenue from aviation-fuel and aircraft excise taxes to the Oklahoma Aeronautic Commission’s Revolving Fund.

In Fiscal Year 2000, $ million in federal funds
and $ million in state funds were used for general aviation airport projects. Major federal legislation, the Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) effective October 1, 2001, provided $12 million in FY 02 for Oklahoma’s general aviation airports. AIR-21 provided annual Federal Apportionment and Non-Primary (General Aviation) Entitlement (NPE) grants for Oklahoma’s federally-designated general aviation airports ranging from $16,200 to a maximum of $150,000. Seventy-four Oklahoma airports were initially eligible for these NPE grants. More than any other piece of legislation, funding under AIR-21 has dramatically changed Oklahoma’s airport development.

On July 1, 2002, the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission was separated from the Department of Transportation by the Legislature, and became an independent agency again. During federal Fiscal Year 2002, Oklahoma municipalities were offered $ million in federal grants for 54 projects at 54 airports. In FY 2003, funding levels of $ million were granted to 136 projects at 62 airports.

In FY 2004, Oklahoma municipalities were offered and accepted $ million in federal grants for 106 projects at 47 airports. This represented a record amount of federal grant dollars offered under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program. Instead of being in the bottom half of states insofar as grant dollars offered, Oklahoma was catapulted into the upper half.

Fully realizing its charge from the Legislature, the Commission in 2003, began an initiative to promote and expand the State’s aerospace industry, the largest industry in Oklahoma.
In the summer of 2003, Governor Brad Henry initiated the Economic Development Generating Excellence (EDGE) initiative to provide Oklahomans with a competitive advantage insofar as economic development is concerned. The EDGE Aerospace Committee, on which the Director of Aeronautics served, found that the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft and the manufacturing of parts and assemblies are the largest sectors of the aerospace industry.

The Committee made a number of recommendations to foster the growth of the industry. Among these, was a recommendation that the Aeronautics Commission should lead and coordinate insofar as the provision of State resources to expanding the industry is concerned.

Almost simultaneous with EDGE was the formation of the Governor Henry’s Aerospace Task Force, which was chaired by Lt. Governor Mary Fallin. Aeronautics Commission Director, Victor Bird served on the Task Force along with many other industry, education and government leaders. The charge of the Task Force was to make recommendations which would result in the growth and expansion of the industry.
During a high-flying combined celebration, the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission commemorated both the 100th anniversary of the world’s first successful powered flight and the Commission’s 40th anniversary on Dec. 12, 2003, in the Million Air Hangar at Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City. In FY 2003, funding levels of $ million were granted to 136 projects at 62 airports.

From the Governor’s Aerospace Task Force issued a report setting forth 12 recommendations to foster the growth and expansion of the aerospace industry.
One of the recommendations was the establishment of the first-ever statewide aerospace industry trade association. The Commission has played a significant role by providing seed money and staff support in the formation and viability of this association, the Oklahoma Aerospace Alliance.