Zimman Field

Zimman Field is a public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Zimman, Illinois, a city in the Midwestern United States. Owned and operated by the Zimman County Airport Authority, the airport primarily serves general aviation but also supports scheduled commuter airline service. It features two asphalt runways and a modern terminal building, functioning as a key transportation hub for the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area and surrounding agricultural and industrial regions.

History

The origins of the airfield date to 1942, when the United States Army Air Forces established a training facility during World War II, initially known as Zimman Army Airfield. Following the war, the facility was declared surplus and transferred to local control, with the newly formed Zimman County Airport Authority taking ownership in 1947 under the Surplus Property Act. The post-war era saw expansion of civil aviation, with the first commercial service beginning in 1958 via Lake Central Airlines connecting to Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Major infrastructure projects included the paving of the primary runway in 1963 and the construction of a new terminal building in 1988, funded in part by a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport was officially renamed Zimman Field in 1975 to honor local aviation pioneer and World War I veteran Carl J. Zimman.

Facilities and features

The airport resides on 850 acres of land at an elevation of 720 feet above mean sea level. It operates two runways: Runway 4/22 is 5,200 feet long and 100 feet wide, equipped with medium-intensity runway lighting and a precision approach path indicator, while Runway 13/31 measures 3,800 feet in length. The passenger terminal, renovated in 2015, houses facilities for American Eagle and United Express, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection office for general aviation, and a FBO operated by Atlantic Aviation. Other notable features include a control tower staffed by FAA controllers, an aircraft rescue and firefighting station, and several large hangars leased by Cessna, Textron Aviation, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for its Institute of Aviation.

Airlines and destinations

Zimman Field is served by two regional carriers operating under the banners of major airline alliances. American Eagle, operated by Envoy Air, offers multiple daily flights to its hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. United Express, operated by both GoJet Airlines and SkyWest Airlines, provides service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and, seasonally, to Denver International Airport. Cargo operations are handled by FedEx Feeder and UPS Airlines through subcontractors. The airport has previously hosted service from other carriers including Trans World Airlines, Ozark Air Lines, and Air Wisconsin.

Accidents and incidents

The airport has recorded several notable aviation accidents. In March 1972, a Beechcraft King Air operated by a corporate flight for Caterpillar Inc. crashed during a missed approach in icing conditions, resulting in four fatalities. A January 1985 incident involved a Cessna 210 that experienced engine failure after takeoff, crashing into a field; the pilot, a student from the University of Illinois, survived with serious injuries. The most significant event occurred in November 1998, when a British Aerospace Jetstream operated for Great Lakes Airlines overran the runway during a heavy snowstorm, causing substantial damage to the aircraft but no fatalities. All accidents were investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Statistics

For the 2023 calendar year, Zimman Field recorded approximately 42,500 aircraft operations, an average of 116 per day, with 97% being general aviation, 2% air taxi, and 1% scheduled commercial. It served 18,430 enplaned passengers on commercial flights. The airport is home to 112 based aircraft, comprising 78 single-engine, 18 multi-engine, 10 jet aircraft, and 6 helicopters. According to an economic impact study commissioned by the Illinois Department of Transportation, the airport supports over 500 jobs locally and generates an estimated $85 million in annual economic activity for the State of Illinois. It is classified as a non-hub primary commercial service airport by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Category:Airports in Illinois Category:Buildings and structures in Zimman County, Illinois Category:Transportation in Champaign County, Illinois