Our Story
In the 1950's what is now the airport grounds had been the National Bureau of Standards' Long Branch Field Station where acres of antenna arrays were used for planetary radar astronomy and meteoroid research employing pulsed transmissions of up to four million watts. This kind of radar astronomy wasn't exactly an airplane-friendly technology, so the facility was surrounded by a 1 nm radius restricted area. In fact, the equipment operated so hot that the main building wasn't equipped with any kind of heating system. After the experiments had been concluded, the equipment was removed and the land transferred for explicit use as an airport by the U.S. government to the Havana Regional Port District. It soon became the Havana Regional Airport.
A small FBO grew in the mid 1980's, with eight to ten aircraft tied down, but after experiencing wind damage a few years later, the airport slowly fell into a state of abandonment.
In the early 2000's, two gentlemen of nearby Petersburg, Harvey Tapscott and Tom Galassi, rediscovered the airport. Using their own funds and a generous amount of labor, they began to reclaim the airport from nature. Trees were cut, roofs patched, raccoons relocated, the runway groomed, and buildings renovated inside and out. Seeing the positive changes in the airport and grounds, more volunteers arrived.
With an influx of state and federal funds, more improvements were made. Two amazing volunteers carefully used the funds, lead by Harvey Tapscott, to transform the airport and resurrect it.
Beginning in 2006, modern hanger buildings were added featuring electric doors, super lighting, and concrete floors were built using local, state and federal funds obtained by the airport. It immediately filled with aircraft. That same year, EAA volunteers finished the interior renovations which consist of a modern conference room and a fully-equipped kitchen.
In 2007, the Illinois Division of Aeronautics took notice of the improvements and positive changes that were happening, and the Havana Regional Airport was awarded the Class B Airport of the Year by the State of Illinois Department of Aviation for airports with runways less than 4000 feet. A fuel facility was added in 2010 and all-new runway lighting in 2012.
Today there are sixteen paved-ramp T-hangars with eight more scheduled for completion in early 2020. It enjoys and active EAA chapter and the many activities associated with their volunteerism. Plane-side camping is encouraged.
A public observation (camping) area, air-conditioned showers, and expanded washroom facilities were completed in 2019. A covered pavilion and fire-pit were added in 2022 and a grove of trees planted. A flagpole and an engraved rock were added in 2023 to commemorate those-gone-west. These improvements were made possible by donations from the Recreational Airport Foundation (RAF) and Havana EAA Chapter 1420.
A small FBO grew in the mid 1980's, with eight to ten aircraft tied down, but after experiencing wind damage a few years later, the airport slowly fell into a state of abandonment.
In the early 2000's, two gentlemen of nearby Petersburg, Harvey Tapscott and Tom Galassi, rediscovered the airport. Using their own funds and a generous amount of labor, they began to reclaim the airport from nature. Trees were cut, roofs patched, raccoons relocated, the runway groomed, and buildings renovated inside and out. Seeing the positive changes in the airport and grounds, more volunteers arrived.
With an influx of state and federal funds, more improvements were made. Two amazing volunteers carefully used the funds, lead by Harvey Tapscott, to transform the airport and resurrect it.
Beginning in 2006, modern hanger buildings were added featuring electric doors, super lighting, and concrete floors were built using local, state and federal funds obtained by the airport. It immediately filled with aircraft. That same year, EAA volunteers finished the interior renovations which consist of a modern conference room and a fully-equipped kitchen.
In 2007, the Illinois Division of Aeronautics took notice of the improvements and positive changes that were happening, and the Havana Regional Airport was awarded the Class B Airport of the Year by the State of Illinois Department of Aviation for airports with runways less than 4000 feet. A fuel facility was added in 2010 and all-new runway lighting in 2012.
Today there are sixteen paved-ramp T-hangars with eight more scheduled for completion in early 2020. It enjoys and active EAA chapter and the many activities associated with their volunteerism. Plane-side camping is encouraged.
A public observation (camping) area, air-conditioned showers, and expanded washroom facilities were completed in 2019. A covered pavilion and fire-pit were added in 2022 and a grove of trees planted. A flagpole and an engraved rock were added in 2023 to commemorate those-gone-west. These improvements were made possible by donations from the Recreational Airport Foundation (RAF) and Havana EAA Chapter 1420.