Today, Chicago Executive Airport (identifier PWK) announced preliminary flight operations data for the month of July, with 9,041 takeoffs and landings. This marks the largest single month of flight operations since July of 2015 and caps a remarkable turnaround since a large decline during the spring.
Flight data gathered by the airport encompasses all types of general aviation operations, from small single engine aircraft to larger charter jets. With several flight schools, three world-class fixed base operators, numerous charter operators, and nearby corporate headquarters, PWK experiences a great diversity of flight each day. As a general aviation airport, PWK does not serve commercial flights.
“We’re encouraged by this strong return of flight operations during the summer months,” said Jamie Abbott, Executive Director of PWK. “Our staff and partners at the airport continue to work diligently to maintain open and safe facilities, and it’s a testament to their efforts that general aviation in the Chicagoland area is thriving.”
The months of April and May saw rapid declines in flight operations as the entire aviation industry navigated an unprecedented web of local quarantine and shutdown orders. As a cornerstone of general aviation in the Chicago region, PWK remained fully open and operational for essential flights during such difficult times. Now, preliminary data indicates that flights to and from PWK are returning to rates consistent with trends of years past.
“Safety is always our number one priority at PWK,” said Abbott. “That will never change, even when those considerations look necessarily different during a global health crisis. Our airport staff and the partners we have here on the airport put an enormous amount of planning and effort into ensuring that everyone who comes here – employees, crews, passengers, and visitors – have access to sanitized and safe facilities. We believe this commitment to safety can be seen in the enthusiasm with which businesses and private pilots are choosing Chicago Executive as their preferred aviation destination.”