Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C), Indiana
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C) is a public-use, non-towered field in Griffith, Indiana, sitting about 28 nautical miles from the metro area it serves and roughly 6 nautical miles from Gary / Chicago International. The airport handles a modest volume of business aviation traffic, most of it operating off a single asphalt runway. Fuel options include 100LL, Jet A, and UL94, and the field keeps attended hours seven days a week outside a handful of holidays. There is no customs facility on site; aircraft requiring clearance route to Gary / Chicago International, roughly 5.89 nautical miles away.
Runways
Griffith-Merrillville Airport has one paved runway, 08/26, 4,899 ft long and 75 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Griffith-Merrillville Airport has Jet A, 100LL and UL94 available on the field. The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Griffith-Merrillville Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Gary / Chicago International (KGYY), 6 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Griffith-Merrillville Airport recorded 411 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in May and October. Business aviation traffic at 05C is lighter in the winter months and builds toward peaks in May and October, according to FAA TFMSC data.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month May, 46 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Griffith-Merrillville Airport averages 3.0 snow days in January.
Weather station is 5.3 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Griffith-Merrillville Airport has published operating constraints in four categories: access, runway notes, environmental and other notes.
For clearance delivery, contact Chicago Approach.
Pilot-activated REIL on runways 08 and 26, PAPI on runways 08 and 26, and MIRL on runway 08/26, all controlled via CTAF.
The approach slope is 26:1 from the displaced threshold, with 55-foot trees located 1,480 feet from the displaced threshold.
Deer are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
The airport is unattended on New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Griffith-Merrillville Airport has five airfields within 23 NM. The closest is Gary / Chicago International (KGYY), 5.89 NM north.
Part of the Chicago area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at 05C
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$1,200.00 catering order at 05C.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a customs facility at 05C?
Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C) has no customs facility on site. The nearest customs clearance point is Gary / Chicago International Airport (KGYY), located about 5.89 nautical miles away. Operators needing to clear customs should plan to route through KGYY rather than expecting service at 05C directly.
What runway does Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C) have?
Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C) operates a single asphalt runway, 08/26, measuring 4,899 feet long and 75 feet wide. This is the only paved surface at the field, so all fixed-wing traffic uses this one runway regardless of wind direction. Lighting includes pilot-activated REILs and PAPI on both ends, along with MIRL, all controlled via CTAF.
What fuel is available at 05C?
Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C) offers 100LL, Jet A, and UL94. The field maintains attended hours Monday through Friday from 0800 to 2000 and Saturday through Sunday from 0800 to 1700, with the airport unattended on New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Operators should plan fuel stops around these attended hours and holiday exceptions.
What obstacles affect the approach at Griffith-Merrillville Airport?
Griffith-Merrillville Airport (05C) has a published approach slope of 26:1 from the displaced threshold, with 55-foot trees located 1,480 feet from the displaced threshold. Deer are also reported on and in the vicinity of the airport, a factor relevant to both approach and ground operations. Pilots should account for these obstructions when planning arrivals, particularly at night or in reduced visibility.