Ohio budget includes historic airport funding increases
New program is direct result of AOPA advocacy
On June 30, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the state operating budget into law. While some parts were contentious, funding for aviation and Ohio’s airports came out better than ever.
Collectively, the state is investing more than $22 million into airports in fiscal year 2026, more than double the previous year and up from just $800,000 in 2010.
- $5 million annually to match federal Airport Infrastructure Grant funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
- $4.65 million annually to establish the new Ohio Airport Improvement Program, which will provide grants and support for public-use airports across the state.
- $2 million in fiscal 26 to support construction and repairs at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport, and the Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center.
A separate bill signed into law allocates $620,000 for county airport maintenance.
AOPA, along with the Ohio Aviation Association (OAA) and the Ohio Regional Business Aviation Association, advocated for investing additional funds into airport infrastructure. Initial efforts were successful, and the bill originally passed the state House with the increased funding. But, unfortunately, the Ohio Senate removed it shortly after, which led AOPA and others to organize an effort to reinstate the funding.
“Working closely with our partners, we were able to mobilize AOPA members, who contacted their lawmakers and urged them to restore this crucial airport funding,” said AOPA Great Lakes Regional Manager Kyle Lewis. “This bill was a win-win-win. It’s a positive step forward for funding Ohio’s airports, creating safer and greater utilization out of airports for AOPA’s members and users of Ohio’s aviation system. Local communities will also benefit—as general aviation airports are a proven driver of economic growth.”
“It’s cases like this where the value of an AOPA membership plays a positive role in impacting policy decisions,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon. “AOPA members are uniquely positioned to advocate on behalf of general aviation pilots everywhere from local communities to the halls of Congress.”
“The Ohio Aviation Association is thrilled with the Ohio Senate, House of Representatives and Governor DeWine’s approval of additional resources in the state operating budget for airport infrastructure projects around the state,” said OAA Executive Director Tony Fiore. “Airports are the front door for thousands of people visiting Ohio each year and are home to pilots and passengers traveling domestically and internationally. They also serve as economic development centers for communities [in] which they are located. We want to continue to advance airports and aviation in Ohio for the safety of pilots and passengers as well as the positive economic impact airports have around the state.”
“I am overjoyed with the additional aviation resources we were able to get into the operating budget,” said Rep. Bernie “Bunyan” Willis (R- Springfield). “This leap forward aligns with all of the great things happening in the aviation/aerospace sector in Ohio, the HOME of aviation!”
AOPA’s work in Ohio continues. The association, along with its partners, is actively supporting H.B.333, which would protect airports from incompatible land use and tall structures. Sponsored by Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula), a student pilot, the bill represents the next step in strengthening Ohio’s aviation infrastructure.
