Decatur Airport

6 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 10 The new Snow Removal Equipment building and Aircraft Rescue Firefighting fire house of 28,600 square feet opened in August 2023. Old hangars have been removed, and there’s space for snow removal equipment. Further, regarding safety, the firehouse and maintenance facility are now housed under the same roof, replacing two separate such facilities, each 50 years old. This new and centralized location will be crucial in the event of any emergencies, says Wright. “That’s key for us,” he adds. “Now we’ll have the room for the majority of the equipment. It’s got the latest and greatest whenever it comes to an emergency response. The doors, when the alert bell goes off, are automatically raised. That’s one less thing that the firemen have to worry about in a response type of situation.” Further, the airport boasts another critical factor, as Wright points out. It is home to the United States Army Aviation Support Facility: the number-one such entity for the state of Illinois. “We do have a military presence in regards not far away from Decatur is Parkland College Institute of Aviation in nearby Champaign. With its available scholarship programs and more, the institute is helping shore up this shortage crisis. A welcoming facility Wright notes that the Decatur Airport is a business-friendly and welcoming place. One such helpful feature is free vehicle parking available on a long-term basis. “It’s one of the amenities we have that we feel the local community and those in central Illinois enjoy,” he says. “They enjoy how well-lit the parking lot is. You can drive to the airport, park for free, and catch your flight. Then, whenever you return, you can be in your car and then back home within about 15 minutes.” He continues that the airport also features a monitored foreign trade zone. Plus, there’s storage available as well. Wright spoke of infrastructural improvements.