Sun, May 24, 2015
Airport Recognized For Strengthening Capabilities To Accommodate Large BizJets Without State Or Federal Funding
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Division of Aeronautics has chosen DuPage Airport as the 2015 Illinois Reliever Airport of the Year. The award, which is presented to an airport serving general and corporate aviation needs in a large metropolitan area like Chicago, comes on the heels of the successful completion of DuPage’s $11.4 million project to widen and rehabilitate its primary runway – the second longest runway in Chicagoland.
“DuPage Airport is an outstanding example of aviation excellence in Illinois,” said Steven M. Young, Interim Director of the IDOT Division of Aeronautics. “We applaud the leadership and commitment of the executive staff and Board of Commissioners to operating a first class facility.”
“The staff of the DuPage Airport – top to bottom – is committed to excellence and we want every person that uses the facility to have an experience that is reflective of our commitment,” said David Bird, Executive Director of the DuPage Airport Authority. “As our capital improvement plan continues to move forward, we look forward to strengthening our relationship with IDOT and the Division of Aeronautics to continue to develop the finest facilities in aviation.”
The recent runway improvements, including increasing width of the primary runway to 150 feet, enables the airport to enhance its operational capabilities to better accommodate large business jets. The airport funded 100 percent of the project state or federal funds. Project partners cite meticulous planning and excellent communication as factors contributing to the project’s $500,000 savings. The Illinois Public Airports Association awarded the project its 2014 Achievement Award.
The Reliever Airport of the Year award is awarded to an outstanding airport designed to serve general and corporate aviation in large metropolitan areas such as Chicago which demonstrates a proven record in safety, facility maintenance and operation. The award will be presented at the Illinois Aviation Conference on May 14 in Rockford, Illinois. Comprised of more than 870 individual landing facilities, the Illinois State Aviation System is one of the largest in the nation.
In 2014, DuPage also unveiled a new $1.6 million 4,700-square-foot Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) station and launched new websites for the Airport Authority and Flight Center. Additional improvements currently underway include a new 30,000-square-foot transient hangar designed for storage of G650/Global aircraft, scheduled for completion later this year.
(Pictured: DuPage Airport’s Mark Doles, second from left, and David Bird, center, accept the 2015 Illinois Reliever Airport of the Year award from the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division)
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