Just to put in my two pennorth FWIW. I might be totally off the ball here but I think in places like the US most airfields are owned by the municipality? They are public places, like a bus station. In the UK most airfields are owned by private individuals, and I don't mean that they own an airport but the strip is actually on their land. Indeed you are literally landing in their back yard in a lot of cases. They have the strip for their own use and they let other people use it because they are nice sort of people. Like if you have a big drive you might let the neighbour use it.