Aircraft stranded, airport closed pending inspection
After being closed for renovations, privately owned Bult Field in Monee, Illinois, is ready to re-open, but one detail is holding up those plans: a state inspection that is months overdue. AOPA recently wrote a letter to the director of the Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics to urge the state to inspect the airport. "Clearly, the state has responsibility to conduct an inspection of the new facility so that the improved airport can once again serve the needs of general aviation operators," wrote Greg Pecoraro, AOPA vice president of regional affairs. The owner of Bult Field has requested the inspection several times since completing the airport projects in early December 2006. Meanwhile, the nearly 20 aircraft on the property are stranded. There is speculation that the delayed inspection is caught up in discussions about construction of the proposed Peotone Airport, a new major Chicago-area commercial airport. The new airport could occupy the land where Bult Field is situated, and the state attempted to purchase the property before the improvements were made. But AOPA's letter noted that construction of a new airport has not begun and could be years in the works. AOPA will continue to work with the state of Illinois to ensure the airport becomes available for all pilots to enjoy.
April 13, 2007
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