West Branch Community Airport (Y31), Michigan
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
West Branch Community Airport (WBK), also listed under local identifier Y31, serves the West Branch, Michigan area with a single paved runway and unattended weekend hours covered on call. Business aviation traffic recorded by the FAA in 2025 shows a modest but steady operation, with fuel service available for piston and turbine aircraft alike. There is no onsite customs facility; the nearest customs airport is KMBS, roughly 43 nautical miles away.
Runways
West Branch Community Airport has one paved runway, 09/27, 5,000 ft long and 100 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
West Branch Community Airport has Jet A+ and 100LL available on the field. The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
West Branch Community Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Mbs International (KMBS), 43 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
West Branch Community Airport recorded 644 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in September. Business aviation traffic at WBK builds through the spring and summer, peaking in September at 76 operations before dropping off sharply in the winter months.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month September, 76 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
West Branch Community Airport averages 2.8 days above 90°F in July, 30.4 freeze days in January and 4.7 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80.3°F, and January the coldest, at 27.4°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
West Branch Community Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: runway notes, environmental and other notes.
Pilot-activated: REIL runway 09 and 27; PAPI runway 09 and 27; MIRL runway 09/27, all activated via CTAF. PAPI on runway 09 and 27 operates continuously from sunrise to sunset.
Deer and large birds are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
Administration building access code: 5-3-2-1-#.
For clearance delivery, contact Minneapolis ARTCC.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
West Branch Community Airport has five airfields within 35 NM. The closest is Gladwin Zettel Memorial (KGDW), 20.81 NM southwest.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at Y31
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.
$2,400.00 catering order at Y31.
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
What fuel is available at WBK?
West Branch Community Airport (WBK) stocks 100LL avgas and A+ fuel, and Jet A is also available on the field. This combination supports both piston aircraft and turbine-powered business aircraft operating through the airport. Fuel service follows the field's published attendance schedule, with staffed hours Monday through Friday from 0800 to 1700 and on-call coverage on weekends. Pilots operating outside staffed hours should plan for on-call arrangements rather than assuming continuous fuel availability.
Is there customs service at Y31 / WBK?
West Branch Community Airport, identified locally as Y31, has no onsite customs facility. The nearest airport offering customs service is KMBS, located approximately 42.96 nautical miles away. Aircraft requiring customs clearance need to route through KMBS or another designated port of entry rather than clearing directly at WBK. Dispatchers planning international arrivals should factor this distance into routing and ground transportation planning.
What is the runway configuration at KWBK... does WBK have more than one runway?
West Branch Community Airport operates a single runway, designated 09/27, which is a paved asphalt surface measuring 5,000 feet long and 100 feet wide. This is also the airport's maximum paved runway length, meaning WBK has no other hard-surface runway option for larger or faster aircraft. Lighting includes runway edge lights (MIRL) and REILs on both runway ends, along with PAPI on both 09 and 27, all pilot-activated through CTAF. The PAPI units on both ends run continuously from sunrise to sunset.
When is WBK staffed, and what happens after hours?
West Branch Community Airport follows an attendance schedule of Monday through Friday, 0800 to 1700, with on-call coverage on Saturday and Sunday. Outside these posted hours, pilots should not assume a staffed presence and should plan accordingly for fuel or services. The airport is non-towered, so all traffic pattern and runway operations rely on CTAF communication rather than tower control at any time of day. Lighting systems, including REILs, MIRL, and PAPI, are pilot-activated via CTAF to support operations after dark or in low visibility.
Are there wildlife hazards to be aware of at West Branch Community Airport?
West Branch Community Airport has a published caution for deer and large birds on and in the vicinity of the airport. This hazard applies to operations on the runway environment as well as the surrounding approach and departure paths. Pilots should maintain heightened vigilance during taxi, takeoff, and landing phases, particularly during dawn and dusk periods when wildlife activity tends to increase. No towered air traffic control is available at WBK to provide wildlife advisories, so visual scanning remains the primary mitigation.