Willard Airport worked with engineering firm Crawford, Murphy, and Tilly to complete its first master plan in more than 30 years. The plan lays out projects that should be completed to ensure the Airport is ready to serve the community for the next several decades. The master plan found the existing Passenger Terminal Building, which […]
Continue ReadingSafety First: Willard Secures First New Fire Truck in 19 Years
The Airport took delivery of its first new fire truck in more than 19 years, for aircraft rescue and firefighting operations, in October. The Oshkosh Striker is at the top of its class – and 100% paid for by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As Car and Driver writes, “Think of the Striker as the […]
Continue ReadingWillard Welcomes New Assistant Director of Operations and Maintenance
Andrew Smith, C.M., A.C.E, joined Willard Airport in August 2022 as the Assistant Director of Operations and Maintenance. Originally from New York, Andrew has more than ten years of airport experience. He’s previously worked in parking and terminal services, FBO line service, and Airport Operations. Andrew’s most recent position held was as an Airport Operation’s […]
Continue ReadingDirector’s Corner – 2022 Newsletter Issue 2
Letter from the Executive Director – July 2022 It’s a busy summer at University of Illinois – Willard Airport. Our terminal is beginning to look like it did before the pandemic, with almost 400 people a day flying in and out. We’re working hard to modernize the terminal and improve the travel experience. We just […]
Continue ReadingMaking Security a Breeze
Willard Airport was proud to be awarded $1 million in federal funding for a new security checkpoint. The money was the last piece of funding for the $2.6 million project, with most of the other funds coming from the federal infrastructure bill. The current single-lane checkpoint, which is located on the bridge between the main […]
Continue ReadingTraining the Next Generation
While the commercial aviation industry faces a huge shortage of qualified pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers, the Parkland Institute of Aviation, at Willard Airport, is working on a solution. Parkland reports enrollment for aviation programs for fall of 2023 is up 25% from last year, to more than 100 full-time students – the highest number […]
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