General aviation pilots will still have access to Chicago Executive Airport's crosswind runway, Runway 6-24. That's because the airport's board did a one-eighty and voted to keep the runway open. As ePilot had previously reported, the board voted in April to begin the process of closing the runway. Officials from Paletine and Prospect Heights, joint sponsors of the airport who appoint airport board members, favored keeping the runway open. The Daily Herald reported that the decision to keep the runway open was made because previous safety, use, and economic development opportunity issues had been resolved. AOPA and local pilots had objected to the board's previous decision to close the runway. A week before the May 31 meeting, AOPA President Phil Boyer met with Prospect Heights Mayor Rodney Pace to discuss the importance of the airport and crosswind runway.
June 8, 2007