Max Westheimer Airport, owned and operated by the University of Oklahoma, is an integral component of the transportation infrastructure serving the city of Norman and the surrounding region. The airport, along with the surrounding property and complex of existing and planned activities, represents a significant regional economic asset.
Each year an estimated 20,000 visitors arrive in Oklahoma by utilizing Max Westheimer Airport. The airport contributes an estimated $34.7 million dollars of economic activity to the surrounding community. This economic impact comes from jobs, annual payroll, annual spending, and sales tax paid by visitors on hotels, meals, rental cars, and retail spending. The Airport also supports several state law enforcement agencies which include Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
Max Westheimer Airport is classified by the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission as a Regional Business Airport servicing general aviation aircraft, including business jets. The airport is also designated by the FAA as a General Aviation Reliever Airport for Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, which is the primary commercial airport serving the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and the region.
Westheimer Airport has a staffed control tower, instrument landing system, and an Automated Weather Observation System with thunderstorm and lightning detecting in order to serve the needs of businesses, recreational pilots, and OU students and staff. Westheimer is a full-service airport, with 120 based aircraft and handles more than 50,000 operations per year.
