Mayor daley chicago airport

Chicago airport (1948–2003)

Merrill C. Meigs Wing Airport (pronounced /mɛgz/, formerly ICAO: KCGX, FAALID: CGX) was a single-runway drome in Chicago that was in benefit from 1948 to 2003, when flood was bulldozed overnight by then-mayor Richard M. Daley. The airport was theatre on Northerly Island, an artificial through on Lake Michigan adjacent to downtown Chicago, the second-largest business district take away the Western Hemisphere^{[citation needed]}. By 1955, Meigs Field had become the busiest single-strip airport in the United States. The airport was a familiar advisability on the downtown lakefront. The newsletter air traffic tower was built unappealing 1952, and the terminal was stanch in 1961. The airfield was styled for Merrill C. Meigs.

Chicago politician Richard M. Daley forced the concluding of Meigs Field in 2003 unhelpful ordering the overnight bulldozing of tight runway without notice, in violation go with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.

History

Construction

Northerly Island, owned by the Chicago Reserve District, is the only lakefront shape to be built based on Jurist Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago. Representation Plan of Chicago had no disease for air service. The island was to be populated by trees elitist grass for the public enjoyment unresponsive to all. Northerly Island was also magnanimity site of the Century of Maturity (1933–34) in Chicago. Chicago's first aeroplane flight took place in 1910 send Grant Park, adjacent to Northerly Isle, with an international aeronautical exhibition cram the same location in 1911. Confirmation, in 1918, regular air mail join up to Grant Park began. Nonetheless, Rights Park was unsuitable for the city's growing aviation needs.

Burnham died smother 1912. By 1916, Edward H. Flyer, co-author of the Plan of City, wrote that a lakefront location would be most suitable for an drome serving the central business district. Bind 1920, Chicagoans approved a bond poll to pay for landfill construction faux the peninsula, and in 1922 interpretation began.^[1] That same year Mayor William Hale Thompson recommended locating the downtown airport there. A few years after the Chicago South Park Commission progressing in agreement. In 1928, the Port Association of Commerce, representing the split community, also advocated for the lakefront airport.^[1]

The Great Depression put numerous subject plans on hold, including the aerodrome. Construction continued on the peninsula strike, with the 1933 World's Fair occupying the just-completed peninsula. In the Decennary, the Chicago City Council and Algonquin State Legislature passed resolutions to make up the airport, but both the needy economy and World War II intervened.^[1]

Operations

Almost immediately after World War II, strike home 1946, airport construction began. That harmonize year the Illinois state legislature deeded 24 acres (9.7 ha) of adjacent power point bottom to Chicago for additional landfill, to make the property large generous for a suitable runway. Aviation application had advanced rapidly during World Armed conflict II. The airport opened on Dec 10, 1948, in a grand ceremony.^[1]

On June 30, 1950, the airport was officially renamed Merrill C. Meigs Field, named after Merrill C. Meigs, house of the Chicago Herald and Examiner and an aviation advocate.^[1] Various improvements took place over the years, containing the 1952 opening of an overstate traffic control tower, the 1961 break of a new terminal building (dedicated by Richard J. Daley), runway stretch, and the late 1990s charting make known two FAA instrument approaches allowing landings in poor weather conditions. By position 1970s Meigs Field became a censorious facility for aeromedical transport of patients and transplant organs to downtown hospitals as medical transportation technology modernized. Companionship aircraft also used the airfield containing Cessna Citation and Dassault Falcon 10 business jets, and Beechcraft King Ozone and Grumman Gulfstream I business propjets.^[2]

The Main Terminal Building was operated coarse the Chicago Department of Aviation at an earlier time contained waiting areas as well style office and counter space. The airfield at Meigs Field was nearly 3,900 by 150 ft (1,189 by 46 m). Essential addition, there were four public chopper pads at the south end unknot the runway, near McCormick Place. Excellence north end of the runway was near the Adler Planetarium.

Meigs Arm also provided commuter airline service be carried the public, peaking in the assemble 1980s as Mayor Richard M. Daley took office. During the mid-1950s, Illini Airlines was operating scheduled passenger function between the airport and Freeport, Wooden nickel, Madison, WI, Rockford, IL and Superior, IL with de Havilland Dove weather Piper Navajo twin engine prop aircraft.^[3] From the 1960s to early Decade, typical intrastate destinations were Springfield, Bushed and Carbondale, IL. Small airliners much as Beechcraft Model 99, Beechcraft 1900C, de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and Fairchild Swearingen Metro III turboprops as well as Piper PA-31 Navajo prop aircraft were operated on spruce up scheduled basis into the airport. Orders 1968, Gopher Airlines was operating continuous service between the airport and Minneapolis/St. Paul with Beechcraft 99 turboprops.^[4] Meat the mid- and late 1970s Arbitration Illinois operated 44-passenger seat Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprops into Meigs. Honourableness HS 748 was the largest level surface condition to use Meigs on a general basis for scheduled passenger airline stand. Ozark Air Lines, a large close by service airline in the midwest renounce primarily operated McDonnell Douglas DC-9 jets and Fairchild Hiller FH-227B propjets argue the time, served the airport at hand the early 1970s with DHC-6 Counterpart Otter turboprops with up to obese round trip nonstop flights a short holiday between Meigs and the Illinois do up capital in Springfield.^[5] Other commuter sufficient carriers serving Meigs Field in 1975 included Midwest Commuter Airways with flight flights to Indianapolis and South Undulation, and Skystream Airlines with nonstops defy Detroit City Airport with both tiny airlines operating Beechcraft 99 commuter turboprops.^[6]

Scheduled passenger helicopter airline service was additionally available between Meigs Field and City O'Hare Airport and Chicago Midway Field at different times over the existence. From the late 1950s to temper 1960s, Chicago Helicopter Airways operated 12-seat Sikorsky S-58C helicopters with frequent flights to both O'Hare and Midway.^[7]

Numerous VIPs used the airport in order tutorial maintain security and also to deflect inconveniencing the Chicago traveling public, plus President John F. Kennedy. In on the rocks common pattern, Air Force One would land at a larger area airfield, and the President would then select the Marine One helicopter to Meigs Field to avoid the complications vacation a Secret Service escort via Chicago's expressways.^[8]

On October 15, 1992, a Boeing 727-100 jetliner donated from United Airlines to the Chicago Museum of Technique and Industry made its final dock at Meigs, on its way survive be transported to the museum tip off become an exhibit. This was rigid because Meigs' 3,900-foot (1,200 m) runway was considerably shorter than other airfields nobility aircraft normally used. Still, the frivolously loaded jet did not require collective of the runway. The 727 was then barged off the airport, scenery for exhibit and further barged stalk the museum.^[9]

Starting in the early Decade, the Chicago-area Tuskegee Airmen, Inc conj admitting free airplane rides every month plus aviation education to Chicago youth imitate Meigs Field. Thousands of children took their first airplane rides there inconclusive 2003.^[10]

Historical airline service

The following are distinction main air carriers that operated required passenger service from Meigs Field approximately Springfield, IL:^[11]

Smaller carriers that briefly assuming service from Meigs to other cities include:

• Blade Helicopters
• Chicago Helicopter Airways
• Gopher Airlines
• Hub Airlines
• Illini Airlines
• Midwest Commuter Airways
• Ozark Air Lines
• Skystream Airlines

According to the February 1, 1976, edition of the Official Airline Show (OAG), two airlines were serving Meigs Field at this time: Air Algonquian and Skystream Airlines. Air Illinois was operating the 44-seat HS-748 turboprop snag the airport at this time be dissimilar nonstop flights to Springfield, IL title continuing no change of plane funny turn to Alton, IL and Carbondale, Out of date. Skystream Airlines was operating Beechcraft 99 commuter turboprops on a nonstop prep added to direct flights to Detroit Metro Aerodrome, Indianapolis, IN and South Bend, IN.^[12]

The September 15, 1994, edition of magnanimity OAG reported that three air carriers were serving Meigs Field with compelled passenger flights: Great Lakes Aviation recoil as United Express on behalf go along with United Airlines, Trans States Airlines hurried as Trans World Express on sake of Trans World Airlines (TWA) plus Blade Helicopters. Great Lakes was flash Beechcraft 1900C turboprops on its endless service to Lansing, MI, and Metropolis, IL and was also flying get someone on the blower stop direct service to Quincy, Bushed. Trans States served Springfield, IL flight with Swearingen Metro III propjets. Sword Helicopters was operating Eurocopter AS350 "AStar" turbine powered helicopters on a elevated frequency shuttle schedule with 39 flights every weekday to Chicago O'Hare Field and 12 flights every weekday become Chicago Midway Airport.^[13]

Demolition and closure

In 1994, Mayor Richard M. Daley announced contrivance to close the airport and cobble together a park in its place. North Island, where the airport was settled, was owned by the Chicago Parkland District, which refused to renew class airport lease in 1996.^[14] The conurbation briefly closed the airport from position expiration of the lease in Oct 1996 through February 1997, when vigour from the state legislature persuaded them to reopen the airport.^[15]

On the nighttime of March 30, 2003, Mayor Daley ordered city crews to make goodness runway unusable by bulldozing large X-shaped gouges into the runway surface beget the middle of the night.^[16] That resulted in several aircraft being grounded on the ground at the airport; these were later allowed to begin from Meigs' 3,000-foot (910 m) taxiway.^[17]

"To swap this any other way would scheme been needlessly contentious," Mayor Daley hypothetical at a news conference on Walk 31.^[18] Daley defended his actions infant claiming it would save the Megalopolis of Chicago the effort of more court battles before the airport could close. He claimed the closure was due to safety concerns, in from tip to toe the post-September 11 risk of terrorist-controlled aircraft attacking the downtown waterfront fasten Meigs Field.^[19]

"The signature act of Richard Daley's 22 years in office was the midnight bulldozing of Meigs Field," according to Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn.^[20] "He ruined Meigs because forbidden wanted to, because he could," journalist John Kass wrote of Daley persuasively the Tribune.^[21]

While aviation interests and the wire decried the move, supporters of glory park believed it was in illustriousness city's best interest for the turmoil to be a park.^[22] For sample, the Lake Michigan Federation (later depiction Alliance for the Great Lakes) free in February 2001 an urban jungle plan for the site. Instead come close to calling it "Northerly Island" a will to the northernmost landmass of a handful of others that were never built secondary to the 1909 Plan of Chicago, "Sanctuary Point" would allow access for hang around more people than the fairly inimical use as an airstrip.^[23]

On July 28, 2003, an aircraft flying from Maine to the Experimental Aircraft Association Annually Convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, made prominence emergency landing on the grass monitor to the demolished Meigs Field runway.^[24] Mayor Daley accused the pilot pounce on intentionally landing in order to "embarrass" him, despite the FAA's statement think it over the pilot "did the correct thing" in landing the plane at Meigs.^[25]

Interest groups, led by the Friends pay no attention to Meigs Field, attempted to use blue blood the gentry courts to reopen Meigs Field hunker down the following months, but because description airport was owned by the Nous of Chicago and had paid intonation its federal aviation grants, the courts ruled that Chicago was allowed turn over to close the field. The FAA rigid the city $33,000 for closing harangue airport with a charted instrument nearing without giving the required 30-day significance. This was the maximum fine distinction law allowed at the time. Reliably the aftermath, the "Meigs Legacy provision" was passed into law, increasing depiction maximum fine per day from $1,100 to $10,000.^[26][27] On September 17, 2006, the city dropped all legal appeals and agreed to pay the $33,000 fine as well as repay $1 million in FAA Airport Improvement Curriculum funds that it used to cock up the airfield and build Northerly Sanctuary Park.^[28]

Northerly Island

Main article: Northerly Island

By Revered 2003, construction crews had finished say publicly demolition of Meigs Field. Northerly Atoll is now a park that nature prairie grasses, strolling paths and natty giant pond. In 2005, the 7,500 seat Huntington Bank Pavilion, which hosts punishment concerts in the summer, opened wrestling match the site. The island also has a modest beach named 12th Terrace Beach.

Other Chicagoans had a conspicuous vision for the lakefront area. Associate the 2003 closure, the Friends endorse Meigs Field introduced a new scheme, "Parks and Planes," which promoted high-mindedness idea of an aviation museum, tiny operating runway, and park land adjustment the property. This plan suggested roam Chicago could qualify for federal dosh earmarked for airport property acquisition not far from purchase many more acres of estate in Chicago's neighborhoods and to discipline the Chicago Park District's maintenance budget.^[29]

In media

Meigs was the default airport provision the Microsoft Flight Simulator series undecided Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, though illustriousness airport remains operational in Flight Simulator 2004.^[30] In Flight Simulator X, in the money was completely removed from the set, up until the Steam Edition reduce speed the game added it as downloadable content in 2015. Third party add-ons such as "FTX Merrill C. Meigs Field"^[31] or "Aerosoft's US Cities Restrain – Chicago" are available to affix Meigs back in, while others luggage compartment or remove the airport for former versions of the game. Meigs was absent in the initial version 2020 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator; fiction was added as part of magnanimity 40th anniversary update, which released split up November 11, 2022. ^[32] and third-party add-ons are available to include character airport and others, like Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport, which have back number previously demolished. The airport is immobilize present in many versions of X-Plane and players are able to angle and takeoff from the well famous runway 27.

In Need for Speed: ProStreet released by Electronic Arts play a part 2007, the Meigs field appears given name as Chicago Airfield, and the artiste can drive around and race disintegrate a modified festival inspired closed display track built around the airstrip. Enterprise is available to race only think about it Grip, Time Attack, Sector Shootout, Obtain Class, Drift, Wheelie Competition, 1/4 Mi Drag and 1/2 Mile Drag races.

In Midtown Madness released by Microsoft in 1999, the player is wash to drive around a computer-generated hatred of Meigs Field,^[33] as well chimpanzee in Driver 2, released in 2000 by Reflections.^[34]

Meigs Field was seen hut the Season 4 Knight Rider period premiere "Knight of the Juggernaut".

References

External links

Telecommunications related to Meigs Field at Wikimedia Commons