| Grosse Ile Municipal Airport | |
| Icao: | KONZ |
| Faa: | ONZ |
| Type: | Public |
| Owner: | Township of Grosse Ile |
| City-Served: | Grosse Ile Township, Michigan |
| Elevation-F: | 591 |
| Elevation-M: | 180 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Michigan#USA |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Pushpin Label: | ONZ |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| R1-Number: | 4/22 |
| R1-Length-F: | 4,846 |
| R1-Length-M: | 1,477 |
| R1-Surface: | Concrete |
| R2-Number: | 17/35 |
| R2-Length-F: | 4,425 |
| R2-Length-M: | 1,349 |
| R2-Surface: | Concrete |
| Stat-Year: | 2020 |
| Stat1-Header: | Aircraft operations |
| Stat1-Data: | 16,000 |
| Stat2-Header: | Based aircraft |
| Stat2-Data: | 70 |
| Footnotes: | Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] |
Grosse Ile Municipal Airport is on Grosse Ile, in Wayne County, Michigan. It is owned by the Township of Grosse Ile. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a local reliever airport facility.[2]
Most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, but Grosse Ile Municipal Airport is ONZ to the FAA and has no IATA code.[3]
In 1929 the airport opened as Naval Reserve Air Base Ile, with a training school, seaplane base, and dirigible hangar. In 1930 Thomas Towle used the hangars to build his Towle TA-3 diesel powered amphibian.[4] Renamed as Naval Air Station Grosse Ile during World War II, the installation operated until 1969, when it was closed and turned over to the Township in 1971 for use as a general aviation airport. A memorial garden sits directly behind Township Hall, the former Hangar One, to honor the men and women who served in the armed forces at the Naval Air Station Grosse Ile.
On the evening of September 25, 2018 an EF1 tornado, one of a three tornado outbreak in the area, crossed the airfield at about 9:00 PM local time.[5]
During World War II, George H.W. Bush got naval pilot training at the Naval Air Base.[6] Former President George H. W. Bush finished his active Navy career at NASGI attached to Torpedo Squadron 153(VT-153).[7] [8] So did game show host Bob Barker.
In 2020, DBusiness Magazine named Grosse Ile as one of the Top Regional Airports for corporate aviation.[9]
The airport covers 607acres and has two concrete runways: 4/22 is 4,846 x 100 ft (1,477 x 30 m) and 17/35 is 4,425 x 75 ft (1,349 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2020, the airport had 16,000 aircraft operations, or roughly 44 per day. All are general aviation. For the same time period, there are 70 aircraft based on the field: 57 single-engine and 9 multi-engine airplanes, 3 helicopters, and 1 jet.[10]
The airport is reached by taking Jefferson Street to the Grosse Ile Parkway and turning right onto Meridian Road. Continue on Meridian Road and turn right onto Groh Road. Watch for the Township Hall sign on the left (about 200-250 yards), which marks the entrance to the parking lot. The airport offices are on the second floor.
The airport has an FBO offering fuel, aircraft parking, catering, courtesy cars, conference rooms, crew lounges, snooze rooms, showers, and more.[11]