Turner Secures $4.5 Million for Springfield Airport

The Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport is set to receive $4.5 million in capital funding thanks to Senator Doris Turner, who secured the allocation in Illinois’ 2026 state budget signed into law earlier this week. The funds are designated for airport capital improvements, including development of aircraft maintenance and flight training facilities.

The Springfield Airport Authority has spent the past decade investing across the more than 2,400-acre airport property through a robust capital improvement program. Those efforts have included preserving and modernizing airfield and landside infrastructure, as well as making major upgrades to the main passenger terminal, public safety facilities, and corporate and general aviation areas.

“Senator Doris Turner is to be commended for her efforts in securing funds that will significantly support the Authority’s never-ending commitment to further develop the facilities at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. It is clear that Senator Turner recognizes the recent efforts and investments that have been made locally and it is meaningful that she understands the investments being made directly support the entire region as the airport is home to numerous jobs and is a catalyst for economic growth in the community,” said Frank J. Vala, Chair of the Springfield Airport Authority.

A significant part of the recent improvements has focused on StandardAero, a major aircraft repair and overhaul station on the airport’s north side. StandardAero employs approximately 200 technicians, engineers, and support staff who service aircraft from around the world. Upgrades to original hangars have been completed, with more work planned on painting facilities, engineering support areas, and the main maintenance bays.

StandardAero works closely with Lincoln Land Community College’s Aviation Maintenance Training Center, operated in partnership with LRS. The enhancements underway could help support an expansion of StandardAero’s presence in Springfield.

The Authority is also pursuing the development of a flight training program, responding to a national shortage of pilots and aviation technicians. Improvements are already in progress at Stellar Aviation’s terminal complex to support the new training facilities.

Chair Vala added, “The Authority has set the table for aviation workforce training and economic growth at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and it is important to realize that Senator Turner and other public and private stakeholders have recognized our progress and are now making real commitments and contributions to support these initiatives to advance workforce training and economic development in the Springfield area.”

Beyond the capital budget, Senator Turner has also supported future development at the airport’s proposed Commerce Park in the south quadrant. The site recently received funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Regional Site Readiness Planning Program to assist with mapping, layout, and drainage planning. The Commerce Park has also been approved as part of the Intersect Illinois Vetted Sites Program, which helps promote shovel-ready locations for potential business development.