Student flyers used Tiger Moth aircraft and were trained by civilian instructors from the Oshawa, Kingston, and Brant-Norfolk flying clubs.
Local media continues to report that there remains strong opposition to the construction of the Pickering Airport by some residents.
Dozens of upgrades completed by 2010 include construction of new Taxiway "C", Phase 1 of Hangarminium Complex, cardlock fuel facility, and Automated Weather Observation System.
On July 11, 2011, Ornge Air Medivac announced that it would open a 24-hour base to help cut the airlift response time to Toronto hospitals.
In 2011–2012, local politicians and the contracted airport management were endeavouring to expand the main runway from 4,000 to 5,000 ft (1,200 to 1,500 m) to acquire additional and larger corporate traffic.
In 2016, the City of Oshawa approved a $6 million plan to reconstruct runway 12-30 that would involve an estimated four-week closure of the airport to all fixed-wing aircraft.
The airport added new LED edge lights and PAPIs on runway 12–30 to improve night and low advisability conditions.
[11] On November 1, 2018, Nav Canada announced the closure of the nearby Buttonville Municipal Airport's control tower, re-built in 2006, and weather office effective January 3, 2019.
The terminal area forecast station was installed at Oshawa Executive and scheduled to be operational on the same day that Buttonville shut down its facility.