Departure
96%
vs 95% ▲ 1
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Waukesha County Airport, also known as Crites Field, is a busy general aviation and corporate airport two miles north of downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin, and about fifteen miles northwest of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. It offers an ILS-equipped main runway, full air traffic control services and a strong general aviation and flight training community, making it a practical and welcoming destination for VFR pilots in the Milwaukee area.
Waukesha County Airport, locally known as Crites Field, is a public airport owned and operated by Waukesha County. It sits just north of the city of Waukesha and roughly fifteen miles northwest of the larger Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. The field is described by the FAA as a large general aviation airport, and it supports a mix of corporate traffic, flight training, and a notably busy helicopter community, including occasional military helicopter movements. For a simulator pilot exploring the Milwaukee area, Waukesha offers a full-service airfield with instrument approach capability and a genuinely active general aviation flavour.
Waukesha County Airport lies within Class D airspace, with a cutout to the northeast to accommodate traffic arriving and departing the nearby Capitol Drive Airport (02C). The field is located about two miles north of Waukesha's central business district and around fifteen miles northwest of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, placing it within easy reach of the wider Milwaukee terminal area.
Waukesha County Airport has two paved runways. The primary runway, 10/28, is 5,839 feet long with a hard surface, lit, and equipped with an ILS on runway 10. The secondary runway, 18/36, is 3,597 feet long, also hard-surfaced and lit, but without an instrument approach.
Air traffic control services are provided on Tower/CTAF frequency 123.7 MHz, with Ground on 121.6 MHz. ATIS and AWOS-3 weather information are broadcast on 118.875 MHz. Milwaukee Approach/Departure works Waukesha traffic on 128.7 MHz, and Unicom is available on 122.95 MHz. The main runway, 10, is served by an ILS approach.
Waukesha County Airport opened in September 1937 and has since grown into one of Wisconsin's principal general aviation fields, covering 577 acres. In October 2007 it was announced that Flight for Life Wisconsin would relocate its air ambulance operations to Waukesha, which it did in the summer of 2008; the service later moved to Burlington Municipal Airport in November 2021 due to distance concerns. The airport's primary runway, 10/28, underwent a complete reconstruction in the summer of 2015, and the airport expanded its parking facilities in 2023.
Waukesha County Airport is described by its operator as a full-service airport open around the clock, and it is regarded as the premier corporate and general aviation airport in Wisconsin, ranking among the top four percent of general aviation airports nationally. It hosts several flight schools offering training from basic instruction through advanced ratings, alongside a significant helicopter presence. As of August 2024 the airport had 218 based aircraft, comprising 168 single-engine and 18 multi-engine airplanes, 25 jets, 5 helicopters and 2 gliders, with annual aircraft operations in the tens of thousands.