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AirportImprovement.com      July | August 2026
GENERAL AVIATION 
WWR 
The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace 
and Aeronautics (ODAA) oversaw allocation 
of the PREP funds and is providing project 
guidance through its revolving five-year 
Airport Construction Program.  
ODAA Executive 
Director Grayson 
Ardies notes that the 
money awarded to 
WWR will support 
aviation industrial 
activity throughout the 
northwest part of the 
state. The Legislature 
assessed opportunities across Oklahoma 
and determined which airports were 
best suited for new business activity to 
ultimately benefit the entire state. 
“Our legislature sees this industry 
[aerospace] as one of the key driving 
economic forces for the state,” says 
Ardies. “It’s our second largest and the 
fastest growing industry, but we want this 
to be Oklahoma’s No. 1 industry, and it’s 
going to take infrastructure investment to 
be able to do that.” 
He adds that WWR was a particularly 
attractive place to invest funds, citing its 
5,500-foot runway, ample acreage for 
development and supportive community 
primed for strategic growth.
As the county seat and largest 
community in northwest Oklahoma, the 
city of Woodward is a three-hour drive 
from Kansas, Texas, Colorado and New 
Mexico. Moreover, it is a regional hub for 
oil and gas, cattle and healthcare, as well 
as home to attractions like Boiling Springs 
State Park and recreational hunting lands. 
“In terms of the geographic proximity of 
a community that can handle economic 
growth and activity and prosperity, 
Woodward checked all the boxes,” Ardies 
remarks.
With about 6,000 annual operations and 
38 based aircraft, WWR serves a diverse 
mix of traffic: private and corporate planes, 
visiting medical personnel, agricultural 
missions and pipeline inspectors—
emphasizing Woodward’s importance to 
the region and state.
“We are small in population, about 
12,000, but we serve some 65,000 
people—whether that’s for work, shopping, 
entertainment or 
recreation,” says 
Woodward City 
Manager Shaun 
Barnett. “We call 
ourselves a hub city 
because we serve all 
of the communities 
around us, and our 
airport is the same way.”
As airport owner and operator, the city 
established a 2025 budget of $869,000 
for WWR and contributed $480,000 from 
its General Fund to match the revenues 
generated by land leases and fuel sales. 
About five years ago, the city installed 
a $1.5 million fuel system as part of its 
larger vision for improving the airport. “After 
we put in that new system, we heavily 
increased air traffic,” Barnett reports. “We 
knew that if we wanted to move forward, 
we had to have the fuel piece done first.” 
Gateway to Growth
Over the past 20 years, industry has grown 
in the three-mile stretch between the city 
limits and WWR, and Woodward continues to 
attract more enterprises that use the airport. 
“Like most airports that are set outside 
of a community like ours, for decades 
most of the community didn’t even realize 
we had an airport,” says Barnett. “As 
we continue to draw companies and 
businesses in those areas, that gives the 
community a reason to come out this way.”
Airport Manager 
Chris Ames has seen 
plenty of growth during 
his three years at the 
helm. “Oklahoma Gas 
& Electric just bought 
one of our buildings. 
Deep Water Chemicals 
is here, and a recent 
rental in one of our buildings off the airport 
is to A4S, a company that recycles windmill 
blades from turbines. We have a concrete 
company in one of our buildings as well,” 
Ames says, pointing out the diversity of 
businesses at and near WWR. “Leadership 
of the city wants this to be the gateway for 
industries and people to do business in our 
community.”
After the state allocated PREP funds, 
ODAA helped ensure the airport projects 
aligned with the program’s intent. Ardies 
recalls the “wants” for Woodward were 
aviation industrial activity, more overall 
economic development and additional 
aviation growth in the region. Meetings 
were held with city representatives to 
discuss the vision to transform WWR into 
an aviation industrial hub.
“We were in desperate need for a new 
terminal and were seeking grants for a 
new terminal and exploring all kinds of 
opportunities, but 
we had not gotten 
to the design phase. 
Part of the vision 
was ours, but ODAA 
really took the vision 
a step further,” recalls 
Assistant City Manager 
Michael Jones, noting 
the addition of a large executive hangar 
and sizable enterprise elements.  
CHRIS AMES
MICHAEL JONES
SHAUN BARNETT
GRAYSON ARDIES

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