Facility Located Near City's Medical District

The first privately-owned commercial heliport in nearly 12 years has been opened near the Illinois Medical District at the edge of Chicago's downtown is now ready for use.

Vertiport Chicago will serve corporate travel needs, charter flights, sightseeing operations, and "most importantly provide dedicated priority emergency response services," according to pilot Mike Conklin, one of the investors in the facility.

Television station WBBM reports that Chicago has been without a dedicated commercial helicopter facility since then-Mayor Richard Daley ordered the demolition of the runways at Meigs Field in 2003, leaving Chicago as the only major U.S. city without such a facility.

Vertiport is located about a half-mile south of Rush University Medical Center and John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital. Medical helicopters had been using a helipad near the old County Hospital in Pasteur Park, but will now transfer those operations to the new facility free of charge by the end of May.

Conklin said the new heliport will accommodate traditional helicopters as well as tilt-rotor aircraft.

“Urban heliports have been under tremendous pressure in recent years, despite the business and transportation benefits they provide,” said Harold Summers, HAI director of flight operations and technical services. “So the opening of heliports like this one or the new DeSoto Heliport just outside Dallas that opened last August are reason to celebrate.”

(Image provided by HAI. HAI Dir. of Flight Operations & Technical Svcs. Harold Summers (2nd from left) presents a plaque commemorating Vertiport Chicago's opening to Vertiport President Michael Conklin (2nd from right). Also pictured are Don Barbour (left) and Tom Daley (right))

FMI: www.vertiportchicago.com/