The Mt. Sterling airport was one of six awarded Airport of the Year awards from the Illinois Department of Transportation. The awards were presented this past week during the Illinois Public Airports Association fall conference in Galena.
The winners were selected based on their accomplishments, including an outstanding partnership with IDOT and a strong commitment to customer safety and satisfaction. Among the award considerations are cooperation and coordination with the state, safety record, facility maintenance and promotion of aviation.
Mt. Sterling Airport was awarded the Municipal Large General Aviation Airport of the Year.
Illinois is home to almost 100 public airports and heliports, with nearly 3,000 aircraft registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. The system of airports supports more than 492,000 jobs, with a combined payroll of $21.9 billion and a total economic impact of $95.4 billion. Across the state, there are more than 700 aviation facilities, including heliports, balloon, glider and ultra-light landing facilities as well as grass landing strips.