SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS…Senator Doris Turner has secured $4.5 million in capital project funding in the State of Illinois’ 2026 Budget which was signed by the Governor earlier this week. These funds are dedicated to airport capital improvements including aircraft maintenance and flight training facility development. The Springfield Airport Authority has made significant investments throughout the entire 2,400+ acre complex with an aggressive and robust capital improvement program during this past decade. The Authority has been preserving and modernizing airfield and landside infrastructure and has completed substantial renovations and upgrades to its corporate and general aviation facilities, airport public safety facilities and the main passenger terminal complex.
“Senator Doris Turner is to be commended for her efforts in securing funds that will significantly support the Authority’s never-ending commitment to further develop the facilities at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. It is clear that Senator Turner recognizes the recent efforts and investments that have been made locally, and it is meaningful that she understands the investments being made directly support the entire region as the airport is home to numerous jobs and is a catalyst for economic growth in the community,” said Frank J. Vala, Chair of the Springfield Airport Authority.
Recently, the Authority has been making significant improvements to StandardAero, the major overhaul and aircraft repair station located in the airport’s north quadrant. StandardAero employs approximately 200 highly skilled and trained technicians, engineers and support staff. They service aircraft from around the globe at its Springfield, Illinois plant. Significant work has already been completed to improve the original hangars, and more work is planned to upgrade and modernize the aircraft painting facility, engineering and support areas and the main aircraft maintenance bays. StandardAero enjoys a harmonious relationship with LRS’s Aviation Maintenance Training Center located at Lincoln Land Community College’s classroom and hangar facility at the airport. The upgrades to the existing facilities have the potential to support further expansion of StandardAero’s location in Springfield. Additionally, the Airport Authority has been working to attract a pilot training program in recent years. Significant improvements are underway to accommodate a flight training program at Stellar Aviation’s corporate and general aviation terminal complex in the airport’s east quadrant. These developments have been precipitated by the nationwide pilot shortage and the forecasted scarcity of aviation maintenance technicians.
Chair Vala concluded by stating, “The Authority has set the table for aviation workforce training and economic growth at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and it is important to realize that Senator Turner and other public and private stakeholders have recognized our progress and are now making real commitments and contributions to support these initiatives to advance workforce training and economic development in the Springfield area.”
Senator Turner has also recently supported Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport’s effort to further prepare property in the future Airport Commerce Park located in the airport’s south quadrant. The Authority was recently awarded funding through Illinois’ Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Regional Site Readiness Planning Program to complete mapping and layouts for the commerce park to satisfy information requests from site development selectors and to complete the necessary preliminary drainage planning for the site. Additionally, the future Airport Commerce Park was recently approved to be included in Intersect Illinois Vetted Sites Program which provides site and infrastructure data to support fast-moving development projects throughout Illinois.