Hooks airport preps for traffic increase

"What we are trying to do is make the airport available for more corporate use," Merritt said. "We will also see a lot of increased traffic and use from ExxonMobil through their vendors and corporate flights."

Increased traffic means job creation within the airport and more opportunity to grow, he said. Hooks is also looking to target international visitors—specifically from Mexico—to The Woodlands by forming its own customs. Now, Mexican flights have to stop at the Texas border before proceeding, and many stop at Hooks for fuel. By adding customs, planes could fly directly to Hooks, park their aircraft at the airport and then drive to their destination.

"We are going to continue making capital improvements to improve our navigation systems, surfaces, upgrade our buildings and build more hangers," airport owner Jag Gill said. "[Airport growth] has a multiplier affect. The more planes that land, the more support [for] local hotels and restaurants and so on."

Going private

Taking advantage of private airports allows private flights to bypass the hustle and bustle of large airports, such as George Bush Intercontinental Airport, said David Wright, director of flight operations for Citation Oil and Gas in northwest Houston. Wright is also in charge of the Hooks Airport Business and Property Owners Association.

"Small airports are the bread and butter for corporate operators," he said. "You get in and out much easier and can pass more expeditiously to what you are there to do."

Companies in Tomball, such as Baker Hughes, Noble Energy and H-E-B, are included in the total 65 businesses that use Hooks for corporate flights.

Tomball Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Kelly Violette said although not every business requires an airport, some of the bigger clients referred to Tomball from the Greater Houston Partnership have strict guidelines detailing close proximity to an airport.

"It is nice to be able to check that box," Violette said. "The traffic [at Hooks] generally helps our economy because we are the closest city, so people come to stay in our hotels and eat in our restaurants. It's nice to have it so close. The fact that they have a [Federal Aviation Administration] Tower is also a big plus."

Hooks airport features two FBOs—fixed-base operators—which act as service stations for aircraft owners featuring a fuel station, aircraft cleaning and other amenities. It also partners with a local car rental company in Tomball to provide passengers on-site rent-a-car services. Keeping up with growth

In 2011, Access Aviation, an aviation consulting firm, compiled a list using the FAA Air Traffic Data System and named Hooks No. 17 in its list of top general aviation airports in the country. It was the only Houston-area airport to make the list.

The list based its rankings on how busy each airport was, and Merritt said the airport can see around 700 events—takeoffs and landings—every day. Hooks' existing hanger space, about 200, are full. Once older hangers are refurbished the airport will have room for more tenants, Merritt said, and officials are looking at building 10–15 larger hangers for corporate jets.

"The goal is to spruce everything up for corporate aviation, because corporate flights will lead to individuals patronizing local restaurants and hotels," he said

Ultimately, Hooks hopes to mirror the success of the Sugar Land Regional Airport, which is the largest of its kind in the state, according to an airport official. Airport growth in turn positively affects economic growth in surrounding communities, said Phillip Savko, director of aviation with SLRA. The airport's success came from an organized and descriptive business plan.

"We built new hangers, new taxiways and put more than $60 million into that airport," he said. "Now we handle a lot of business aviation... and we play one of the key roles in economic development. When a major corporation is looking at relocating, they look at if there is a corporate airport nearby to get in and out of quickly."

Merritt said the airport is working on a master plan to detail future improvements.