Shagboy

I just read this article, https://jalopnik.com/chicagos-former...r-t-1848789654 and was wondering if anyone here has any stories about Meigs Field. I remembered the name but knew nothing about the airport. Interesting article.

gfunkdave

It was popular with the private aircraft set because it was essentially downtown, so you could land and be at your meeting quickly.

Now the area is a concert venue and nature preserve I believe.

Snuggs

Back in the ‘80s, if I missed my train, or just couldn’t bear the idea of the traffic, I would fly my plane to Meigs. Quick cab ride to the CNA tower and i was at work.

When a friend of and I wanted to meet at Lake lawn Lodge in Delevan Wisconsin for dinner on a summer Friday, I would fly to work. He would leave the loop at 2 PM to take the train out to Oaklawn, pick up his wife, and drive to Delevan. I would leave work at 5:30, jump in the plane at meigs and handily beat him to the restaurant at Lake Lawn Lodge.

Leaving Meigs field I found it faster to cork screw up to 8000 feet, with the appropriate clearance, and fly over the top of ohare enroute to Delevan. Incredible view for an aviation fanatic

cheltzel

I believe there was a small commuter carrier during the 80s and 90s that flew from Meigs to Springfield along with a couple other nearby smaller cities. Air Midwest ???

Shagboy

No Air Midwest but I did find these listed: The following are the main air carriers that operated scheduled passenger service from Meigs Field to Springfield, IL:[11]

• 1970-1983: Air Illinois flew the 44-seat Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprop, the largest aircraft regularly scheduled into Meigs.
• 1984-1985: Mississippi Valley Airlines
• 1984-1991: Britt Airways (In 1986 began dba Continental Express operating code share service for Continental Airlines).
• 1988-1995: Trans States Airlines (dba Trans World Express operating code share service for TWA).
• 1991-2001: Great Lakes Airlines (In 1992 began dba United Express operating code share service for United Airlines).

Smaller carriers that briefly provided 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 Guide (OAG), two airlines were serving Meigs Field at this time: Air Illinois and Skystream Airlines. Air Illinois was operating the 44-seat HS-748 turboprop into the airport at this time with nonstop flights to Springfield, IL and continuing no change of plane service to Alton, IL and Carbondale, IL. Skystream Airlines was operating Beechcraft 99 commuter turboprops on a nonstop and direct flights to Detroit Metro Airport, Indianapolis, IN and South Bend, IN.[12]

The September 15, 1994 edition of the OAG reported that three air carriers were serving Meigs Field with scheduled passenger flights: Great Lakes Aviation operating as United Express on behalf of United Airlines, Trans States Airlines flying as Trans World Express on behalf of Trans World Airlines (TWA) and Blade Helicopters. Great Lakes was operating Beechcraft 1900C turboprops on its nonstop service to Lansing, MI, and Springfield, IL and was also flying one stop direct service to Quincy, IL. Trans States served Springfield, IL nonstop with Swearingen Metro III propjets. Blade Helicopters was operating Eurocopter AS350 "AStar" turbine powered helicopters on a high frequency shuttle schedule with 39 flights every weekday to Chicago O'Hare Airport and 12 flights every weekday to Chicago Midway Airport.[13]

cheltzel

I looked at the WikiPedia for Air Illinois and that was probably the airline I remembered.

tlglenn

If you had a business meeting downtown what's the fastest way to get there? Jet into ORD, MDW, or PWK and then helicopter ride?

Putnik

Jet into GYY would work as well. And Gary is probably the least busy airport out of the three mentioned so it would be the quickest landing.