Nartron Field is an

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...

located 2 miles (3.2 km) north of

Reed City Reed City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,425 at the 2010 census. It is located in southwestern Osceola County and is the county seat. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total ar ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, US.

History

In 1954, local manufacturer Miller Industries built a small airstrip and hangar north of Reed City. It was intended for private use to serve the company's traffic. Two years later, expansion of

U.S. Highway 131 US Highway 131 (US 131) is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 0.64 of its 269.96 miles (1.03 of 434.46 km) are within the state of Michigan. The highway starts in rural Indiana south of the state line as a st ...

required the airstrip to be moved. Miller decided to rebuild it in a grand fashion, with buildings that showcased the aluminum and glass storefronts it sold. The new Miller Field included a 4,506-ft main runway, a terminal with a 1200-person auditorium and a control tower, a separate hangar building, and hydro-electric power generation. The airport was used to fly Miller Industry's customers to visit the company. The passenger terminal includes a 1,200-person auditorium to host company and social events. In 1960, North Central Airlines began providing scheduled passenger service to the field as part of a route from Chicago (O'Hare) to Traverse City. North Central stopped serving Reed City in 1966, prompting Miller Industries to begin its own air service. Miller Airlines provided service on a route from Chicago (Meigs) to

Cadillac The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed i ...

, and in 1969 added service to Ludington and Detroit City Airport. This service lasted until 1971, when use of the airport began to decline. Miller Industries attempted to sell the field to Reed City for $1, but the city was not interested in maintaining the airport. In 1979, the facility was purchased by Norman Rautiola, owner of Nartron Corporation. Nartron makes electronics for the automotive industry, and used the airport buildings for its engineering and manufacturing operations, including advanced product development and wire products assembly. These activities were moved to another location in the late 1980s, and the airport ceased operations.

Facilities

The abandoned

terminal Terminal may refer to: Computing Hardware * Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together * Terminal (telecommunication), a device communicating over a line * Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output devic ...

building, including a defunct

control tower Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airsp ...

, sits on the southeast corner of the airport. It is locked and has nothing to offer to visiting aircraft. The airport has one

runway According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt concrete, as ...

, designated as runway 17/35. It measures 4506 x 100 ft (1373 x 30 m) and is

asphalt Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...

. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2020, the airport averages 5 aircraft operations per year, all

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

. An area east of runway 17/35 and north of the abandoned building is used by local RC model aircraft enthusiasts to fly model aircraft.

Runways

The only

, 17/35, is in poor condition, and the surface is cracked and scattered with stones. Vegetation grows through cracks. An abandoned runway intersects runway 17/35. Its direction is approximately 8/26, and it was about 2500 ft long. Part of it is now covered by an industrial storage lot.

Transit

The airport is accessible by road from Old US Highway 131, just north of the intersection with US 10. The airport is also adjacent to the US 131 freeway, accessible from US 10.

Notes

External links

Michigan Airport Directory page for Nartron Field
{{US-airport-minor, RCT, RCT, KRCT Airports in Michigan Buildings and structures in Osceola County, Michigan Defunct airports in Michigan Transportation in Osceola County, Michigan