To promote and advance the interests of civil airports within the state of Illinois
Welcome!
The Illinois Airports Council, or IAC, is a not for profit corporation representing the aviation industry in the state of Illinois. We exist for the following purposes:
To promote and advance the interests of civil airports within the state of Illinois;
To serve as a centralized platform in the exchange of information for airport operators;
To identify and track state legislation that pertains to airports; and
To represent airport operators through engagement with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Division of Aeronautics on establishing and maintaining Best Management Practices for the application of State funds to the State Aviation System.
Any general inquiries or interest in membership can be directed to ilairportscouncil@gmail.com
January 2023 Update: Board Officers for FY2022 are as follows:
Chair – Benjamin Leischner, A.A.E. – MLI
Vice-Chair – Sandra Shore, A.A.E. – CPS
Secretary – Gene Olson – PIA/3MY
Treasurer – Timothy Bannon, A.A.E. – CMI
April 2022 Update: On April 7th, 2022, HB-4489 successfully passed both Houses of the General Assembly with resounding bi-partisan support. HB-4489 was introduced in January of 2022 by Representative Jay Hoffman (D-113th) and was drafted to amend the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) so as to not apply to transportation projects utilizing federal funds. IAC worked with legislators to introduce an amendment that expanded the exclusion of transportation projects to include airports as well as surface transportation. House sponsors included Jay Hoffman (D-113th), Tim Butler (R-87th), Jehan Gordan-Booth (D-92nd), Michael Halpin (D-72nd) and Mark Luft (R-91st). Senate sponsors included Scott M. Bennett (D-52nd), Christopher Belt (D-57th), David Koehler (D-46th), Steve Stadelman (D-34th), and Jil Tracy (R-47th). Every public airport in the state of Illinois will see a benefit from this important legislative change. IAC looks forward to working with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Division of Aeronautics in the implementation of required changes promulgated by HB-4489.
September 2021 Update: It is now official, the Illinois Aeronautics Act has been amended! After extensive outreach and engagement of our elected leaders in the General Assembly, as well as state officials at the Illinois Department of Transportation, SB-1764 was converted to SB-1232 and passed both chambers of the General Assembly with a super majority in May of 2021 with a super majority. SB-1232 was signed into law as Public Act 102-0313 by Governor J.B. Pritzker on August 6, 2021. With an effective date of January 1, 2022, this amendment opens the door for several major changes long discussed by promoted by Illinois airports. Every public airport in the state of Illinois will see a benefit from this important legislative change, change that would not have been possible without support from the current leadership team at the Illinois Department of Transportation and Division of Aeronautics.
ANNUAL MEETING: The annual meeting of the Illinois Airports Council is scheduled for Wednesday, October 27, 2021. It will be held, in person, at Stellar Aviation at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, 900 Capital Airport Dr. Springfield, IL 62702.
March 2021 Update: The IAC is proud to announce that the 102nd General Assembly has recognized the inconsistency of how federal money flows to Illinois airports and has introduced legislative reform in the senate. A special thank you to Senator Christopher Belt (D- 57th) and his team for sponsoring SB-1764. SB-1764 works to streamline how commercial service airports in the state of Illinois receive federal money awarded by the FAA to airports, better defines allowable use of state money for the construction of public aeronautical facilities, and clarifies the role of the state in the federal investment in commercial service airports. The IAC looks forward to continued partnership with our elected leaders in streamlining this important program that can lead to future increased award amounts of federal appropriations to airports in the state of Illinois. The IAC also looks forward to collaborating with the Illinois Division of Aeronautics in developing the necessary written guidance for a strong state aviation system.
February 2021 Update: The IAC has coordinated with IDOT and the FAA to provide direct access to Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSAA) grant funds from the FAA to Primary Airports in the state of Illinois. CRRSAA was signed into law on December 27, 2020 and includes $2 billion in funds to be awarded as economic relief to eligible US airports and eligible concessionaires at those airports to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
It is anticipated that nearly $100 million of CRRSAA funds will be rolled out Illinois airports as part of the FAA’s Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP). This money is in addition to the nearly $450 million of CARES money appropriated by Congress to Illinois airports in April of 2020. Although CARES funds were authorized in April, money didn’t start to flow through the state to airports until late September, this is opposed to airports in other states receiving funds directly from the FAA that saw money as early as late May of 2020.
A direct FAA – Airport relationship was sought by the Association to expedite the dissemination of federal monies to airports and their communities throughout the state. The IAC is proud to foster continued conversation and dialogue with elected officials of the 102nd General Assembly in how airports can maximize the impact of federal support for communities within our state.
September 25, 2020 Update: The IAC Board of Directors has elected Board Officers for the 2021 fiscal cycle and is preparing to initiate its first membership drive and campaign.
Welcome!
The Illinois Airports Council, or IAC, is a not for profit corporation representing the aviation industry in the state of Illinois. We exist for the following purposes:
Any general inquiries or interest in membership can be directed to ilairportscouncil@gmail.com
January 2023 Update: Board Officers for FY2022 are as follows:
Chair – Benjamin Leischner, A.A.E. – MLI
Vice-Chair – Sandra Shore, A.A.E. – CPS
Secretary – Gene Olson – PIA/3MY
Treasurer – Timothy Bannon, A.A.E. – CMI
April 2022 Update: On April 7th, 2022, HB-4489 successfully passed both Houses of the General Assembly with resounding bi-partisan support. HB-4489 was introduced in January of 2022 by Representative Jay Hoffman (D-113th) and was drafted to amend the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) so as to not apply to transportation projects utilizing federal funds. IAC worked with legislators to introduce an amendment that expanded the exclusion of transportation projects to include airports as well as surface transportation. House sponsors included Jay Hoffman (D-113th), Tim Butler (R-87th), Jehan Gordan-Booth (D-92nd), Michael Halpin (D-72nd) and Mark Luft (R-91st). Senate sponsors included Scott M. Bennett (D-52nd), Christopher Belt (D-57th), David Koehler (D-46th), Steve Stadelman (D-34th), and Jil Tracy (R-47th). Every public airport in the state of Illinois will see a benefit from this important legislative change. IAC looks forward to working with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Division of Aeronautics in the implementation of required changes promulgated by HB-4489.
September 2021 Update: It is now official, the Illinois Aeronautics Act has been amended! After extensive outreach and engagement of our elected leaders in the General Assembly, as well as state officials at the Illinois Department of Transportation, SB-1764 was converted to SB-1232 and passed both chambers of the General Assembly with a super majority in May of 2021 with a super majority. SB-1232 was signed into law as Public Act 102-0313 by Governor J.B. Pritzker on August 6, 2021. With an effective date of January 1, 2022, this amendment opens the door for several major changes long discussed by promoted by Illinois airports. Every public airport in the state of Illinois will see a benefit from this important legislative change, change that would not have been possible without support from the current leadership team at the Illinois Department of Transportation and Division of Aeronautics.
ANNUAL MEETING: The annual meeting of the Illinois Airports Council is scheduled for Wednesday, October 27, 2021. It will be held, in person, at Stellar Aviation at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, 900 Capital Airport Dr. Springfield, IL 62702.
March 2021 Update: The IAC is proud to announce that the 102nd General Assembly has recognized the inconsistency of how federal money flows to Illinois airports and has introduced legislative reform in the senate. A special thank you to Senator Christopher Belt (D- 57th) and his team for sponsoring SB-1764. SB-1764 works to streamline how commercial service airports in the state of Illinois receive federal money awarded by the FAA to airports, better defines allowable use of state money for the construction of public aeronautical facilities, and clarifies the role of the state in the federal investment in commercial service airports. The IAC looks forward to continued partnership with our elected leaders in streamlining this important program that can lead to future increased award amounts of federal appropriations to airports in the state of Illinois. The IAC also looks forward to collaborating with the Illinois Division of Aeronautics in developing the necessary written guidance for a strong state aviation system.
February 2021 Update: The IAC has coordinated with IDOT and the FAA to provide direct access to Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSAA) grant funds from the FAA to Primary Airports in the state of Illinois. CRRSAA was signed into law on December 27, 2020 and includes $2 billion in funds to be awarded as economic relief to eligible US airports and eligible concessionaires at those airports to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
It is anticipated that nearly $100 million of CRRSAA funds will be rolled out Illinois airports as part of the FAA’s Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP). This money is in addition to the nearly $450 million of CARES money appropriated by Congress to Illinois airports in April of 2020. Although CARES funds were authorized in April, money didn’t start to flow through the state to airports until late September, this is opposed to airports in other states receiving funds directly from the FAA that saw money as early as late May of 2020.
A direct FAA – Airport relationship was sought by the Association to expedite the dissemination of federal monies to airports and their communities throughout the state. The IAC is proud to foster continued conversation and dialogue with elected officials of the 102nd General Assembly in how airports can maximize the impact of federal support for communities within our state.
September 25, 2020 Update: The IAC Board of Directors has elected Board Officers for the 2021 fiscal cycle and is preparing to initiate its first membership drive and campaign.
Board Officers for FY2021 are as follows:
Chairman – Benjamin Leischner, A.A.E. – MLI
Vice-Chairman – Sandra Shore, A.A.E. – UIN
Secretary – Gene Olson – PIA/3MY
Treasurer – Timothy Bannon, A.A.E. – CMI