SPARTA, Mich. — What started in 1941 as just a grass field has evolved into a thriving aviation hub. The Sparta Miller Airport, now home to more than 100 aircraft, is undergoing significant improvements to meet growing demand.
The airport is adding new taxiway connectors and ramps, upgrading to LED lights for the airfield, and installing a new automated weather observing system.
"This really improves safety and gives us up to date state of the art weather," said Jim Lower, Sparta Village Manager.
Later this year, the airport will also add Jet Fuel A service, expanding its capabilities. "Not just jets, but turbo prop aircraft and other planes use that as well," Lower noted.
Perhaps the most visible sign of growth is the construction of new hangars. "We have a waiting list for hangars that has over 50 people on it. So, we have more people who want hangars than we even have hangars. So, it brings them to the airport. We get revenue from the hangars," Lower said.
The improvements benefit businesses like Tramper Avionics, which anticipates adding jobs due to increased traffic.
"This was a very good opportunity to open a business here. There were over 100 airplanes based on the field already when I opened shop, and that number has only grown since then," said William Tramper, owner of Tramper Avionics.
Sparta Aviation Flight Training is also experiencing increased business. Mark Schmitt, owner of the flight school, said, "This airport has, out of all the little airports around West Michigan, has seen the most amount of tremendous growth, and I think a lot of it has to do with the local airport itself being a great asset to the community."
The airport currently supports 54 jobs with significant economic impact. "MDOT does a study every so often, and they approximate it at least $16 million a year in economic income to the local economy from the, you know, the jobs that it provides," Lower explained.
Schmitt believes the improvements will help maintain the airport's reputation: "I think we are probably one of the busiest little airports and the best-run airport in all of West Michigan."
Residents can see the improvements firsthand during a fly-in and community breakfast scheduled for Saturday, August 9, from 8 a.m. to noon. The event will feature vintage cars and various aircraft.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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