Central Illinois Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal is a public use airport
located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district
of the city of Bloomington
and southeast of the town of Normal
, in McLean County
, Illinois
, United States
. It is owned by the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority. It is also known as Central Illinois Regional Airport and informally known as CIRA.
of 871 feet (265 m) above mean sea level. It has two runway
s: 2/20 with a 8,000 x 150 ft (2,438 x 46 m) concrete
surface and 11/29 with a 6,525 x 150 ft. (1,989 x 46 m) asphalt
/concrete surface.
For the 12-month period ending September 7, 2007, the airport had 41,980 aircraft operations, an average of 115 per day: 70% general aviation
, 23% air taxi
, 6% scheduled commercial
and <1% military
. At that time there were 105 aircraft based at this airport: 78% single-engine
, 10% multi-engine and 12% jet
.
On November 5, 2001, the airport opened a new $14 million terminal building, which was three times larger than the previous terminal. The new terminal currently has four ground level boarding gates (Gates 1-4) and five second level gates (Gates 5-9). Gates 4, 5, and 8 are equipped with jetway
s. Gates 6, 7, and 9 are jetway
capable, but are not currently equipped. The terminal hosts two baggage carousels on the ground level. In addition, a business center open to the general public, conference rooms and a VIP lounge cater to busy business travelers. Wireless Internet access is available at no charge throughout the building.
Apart from the terminal, CIRA also has a healthy general aviation presence. The Fixed Based Operator on the field, Image Air, offers standard FBO services and amenities, as well as private and advanced flight training.
Hangar rental, fueling, and aircraft maintenance facilities are also available for private plane owners.
The Prairie Aviation Museum is located on the west side of the airport. It is open for public viewing on Tuesday evening and all day on Saturday and Sunday. It exhibits more modern ex USAF and US Navy aircraft.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of the city of Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
and southeast of the town of Normal
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, in McLean County
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is owned by the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority. It is also known as Central Illinois Regional Airport and informally known as CIRA.
Facilities and aircraft
Central Illinois Regional Airport covers an area of 1968 acres (796.4 ha) at an elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 871 feet (265 m) above mean sea level. It has two runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s: 2/20 with a 8,000 x 150 ft (2,438 x 46 m) concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
surface and 11/29 with a 6,525 x 150 ft. (1,989 x 46 m) asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
/concrete surface.
For the 12-month period ending September 7, 2007, the airport had 41,980 aircraft operations, an average of 115 per day: 70% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
, 23% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
, 6% scheduled commercial
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
and <1% military
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
. At that time there were 105 aircraft based at this airport: 78% single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
, 10% multi-engine and 12% jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
.
On November 5, 2001, the airport opened a new $14 million terminal building, which was three times larger than the previous terminal. The new terminal currently has four ground level boarding gates (Gates 1-4) and five second level gates (Gates 5-9). Gates 4, 5, and 8 are equipped with jetway
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
s. Gates 6, 7, and 9 are jetway
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
capable, but are not currently equipped. The terminal hosts two baggage carousels on the ground level. In addition, a business center open to the general public, conference rooms and a VIP lounge cater to busy business travelers. Wireless Internet access is available at no charge throughout the building.
Apart from the terminal, CIRA also has a healthy general aviation presence. The Fixed Based Operator on the field, Image Air, offers standard FBO services and amenities, as well as private and advanced flight training.
Hangar rental, fueling, and aircraft maintenance facilities are also available for private plane owners.
The Prairie Aviation Museum is located on the west side of the airport. It is open for public viewing on Tuesday evening and all day on Saturday and Sunday. It exhibits more modern ex USAF and US Navy aircraft.
Airlines and destinations
External links
- Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal, official web site