Departments

Airport Operations

The Airport Operations Department manages the day-to-day operations at General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. The four Airport Operations Specialists possess the educational background, training, and experience to ensure safe and efficient operation of the airport.

The Operations Department’s areas of responsibilities include:

• Regulatory Compliance
  • FAR Part 139 Compliance and Inspection
  • Transportation Security Administration Regulations
  • County and Local Ordinances
• Emergency Response and Incident Recovery Management
• Airfield and Terminal Inspections
  • Promote safe operating practices and principles
  • Daily inspections of airfield and facilities
  • Ensure tenant and user compliance with regulations and Airport Certification Manual
• Airport Construction Project Coordination
• Airport Security Inspections
• Airport Security and Driver Training
  • Conduct Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) training for all airport users
  • Conduct airport driver training for movement/non-movement areas of the airfield
• Communication Coordination
  • Act as primary point of contact for airport tenants and users conducting operations at the Airport
  • Coordinate, prioritize, and route requests for assistance from airport tenants, users, and the general public
• Conduct wildlife mitigation techniques in accordance with the Airport Wildlife Hazard Wildlife Hazard Management Plan
• Coordinate Snow and Ice Control
  • Inspects and coordinates airport snow removal activities in accordance with the Airport Snow and Ice Control Plan
  • Issue Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and Airfield Condition Reports

Airfield Maintenance Department

The Peoria International Airport Field Maintenance Department is comprised of five full-time maintainers and one mechanic.

As snow reduces visibility to near zero and ice threatens to delay flights, the fate of thousands of passengers falls on the airport’s field maintenance department.

Their job: to keep nearly 3.5 miles of runway virtually free of snow and ice —down to bare pavement when possible. Considering that each runway is 150 feet wide, their goal is no less daunting than keeping 21 highway lane miles free of snow.  Combined with the associated taxiways and aprons, they clear a total of nearly 8 million square feet of pavement.

The airfield maintenance department is also charged with maintaining/repairing all pavement, painted surfaces, airfield signage, and airfield lighting. In addition, the team maintains 9 miles of fence line, and mows 600 acres inside the fence and several hundred more outside the fence.

Terminal Maintenance Department

An airport is a complicated environment that requires around-the-clock care to ensure safe and efficient travel for the users and tenants. The Peoria International Airport complex is much like a small city with a variety of infrastructure that requires on-going maintenance.

The five full-time Terminal Maintenance Technicians and one landscaper are responsible for the upkeep of all Airport-owned buildings, including the 125,000 square feet main terminal’s heating and cooling system, jet bridges, baggage conveyor systems, security monitoring system, plumbing, electrical systems, and the upkeep of the Airport grounds around the terminal. 

The maintenance staff diligently works to complete the large array of tasks required to keep the Airport in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in all weather conditions.

Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting

Emergency and Fire services are provided through the 182^nd Mission Support Group, Illinois Air National Guard.  The team is lead by Chief Clifford Otto, a fire protection chief with the 182^nd Civil Engineer Squadron.  The Group is responsible for managing emergency services for Peoria’s Air National Guard, Army National Guard, and international airport facilities.