Greater Kankakee Airport Prides Itself on Convenience, Customer Service
airport, business, customer service, greater kankakee, linda acker, thoro-matic,
A smooth landing into Greater Kankakee Airport often marks the start of a profitable business day in the southern Chicago region.
That certainly holds true for Linda Acker‚ a sales executive for Thoro-Matic.
“We’ve had a lot of our customers come in through the airport‚ and it’s always a pleasant experience because it’s a really nice airport and very convenient and easy to use‚” says Acker‚ who sells cleaning equip ment for her husband’s family business.
After earning her pilot’s license four years ago‚ Acker enjoys flying in and out of Kankakee herself.
“I use it about once a month‚” she says. “It’s well maintained‚ the employees are gracious and the landing strip is beautiful. I never have any complaints.”
That’s the kind of reaction that airport officials and members of the Kankakee Airport Authority board have come to expect. The airport‚ built in 1962‚ has evolved through the years to become one of the busiest landing sites between Chicago and Champaign‚ says Jason Licon‚ airport manager.
“A lot of area businesses use the airport for bringing in company executives‚” Licon says. “We also have UPS and other package-delivery services that utilize the airport for overnight deliveries.”
The airport has two runways: one is 4‚400 feet in length and the other is 5‚975 feet‚ just slightly shorter than Chicago Midway’s longest strip.
“With the long airstrip‚ you are able to get the bigger planes in there‚” Acker says.
For its general-aviation clientele‚ the airport offers 115 hangars for aircraft storage and rents space to vendors that provide a variety of services‚ such as a refueling station and an aircraft maintenance and repair shop‚ Kankakee Aeronautics.
Even those whose business takes them into Chicago‚ 60 miles away‚ are likely to prefer the convenience and lower cost of flying into Kankakee.
“We’re close enough and we don’t charge high fees – plus they don’t have to fly into the skies over Chicago‚ which is one of the busiest air spaces in the country‚” Licon adds.
Among those using Greater Kankakee Airport regularly are executives and clients of ZLB Behring‚ Armstrong Flooring‚ Cognis‚ American Spring Wire and Crown Cork and Seal‚ Licon says.
Having the company headquarters just two miles from the airport has been a plus for Thoro-Matic‚ and local officials are hoping to extend that same benefit to other businesses. The city of Kankakee recently incorporated land around the airport and is extending utility lines to the area to encourage new business development.
With the Greater Kankakee Airport growing‚ pilots seeking an even more laid-back take off and landing expe rience can turn to Koerner Aviation‚ which offers two turf landing strips about three miles down the road on State Route 115. Koerner’s airfield has been in operation since 1927. Its founder‚ Delbert Koerner‚ had his pilot license signed by Orville Wright.
“Until the mid-1960s‚ we were the only airport for corporate traffic and business use in this area‚” says Steve Koerner‚ grandson of the airport founder. “Now we are mainly in the business of aircraft maintenance and restoration.”
Considered one of the best aircraft restorers in the Midwest‚ Koerner Avation is a good place to see vintage planes‚ such as biplanes or Stearman pilot trainers from World War II.
“If you’re flying an antique airplane‚ you may be more comfortable coming into this kind of airport‚” Koerner says.
“The building was built in the mid-1930s by my grandfather. It’s the old brown-roof type of hangar you see in the movies from the ’30s and ’40s. Most people would describe it as stepping back in time.”
Story by Renee Elder
Photo by Wes Aldridge
