While most residents of Decatur rarely look up when they hear an airplane or jet flying over the community, because it is so common, a century ago there were no jets or airplanes in existence.
The development of air travel is purely a 20th century phenomenon and the Decatur community has written its own chapter in the book of pioneers of the air.
The first airplane flight by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, was made on December 17, 1903, and the historic event opened the door to rapid aviation developments.
Less than seven years after the flight at Kitty Hawk, on July 14, 1910, the first downstate Illinois airplane flight took off from Downing Race Track, better known today as Hess Park, on the city's near north side.
Charles F. Willard took off in a Curtiss Model D-4 flew six miles, reaching a height of 600 feet, and, although Glenn Curtiss had made the first airplane flight in Illinois, in Chicago, the previous year, Williard's flight was recorded as the best in the state up to that time. Mechanic for the flight was Loren Hodge of Decatur.
The flight fueled interest in aviation in the community and, a year later, August Hendrian built a small monoplane. Harry Youtz not only built a monoplane in 1913, but successfully flew it.
By 1920, aviation had developed in Decatur to the point that Ernest Haskell, a farmer who lived north of Decatur, used a field on his farm for airplanes.
"Haskell Field" was the community's first airport, although a far cry from today's facility.
The early "airports" consisted of not much more than a farmer's field and a place to park airplanes.
The end of World War I brought more residents into the aviation picture as the exploits of ace pilots brought added glory to flight.
Most of the early pilots used private air fields from which to operate their planes.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection
Decatur Airport
900 S. Airport Road
Decatur, IL 62521

For Customs Information, contact:
U.S. Customs Inspector Jerome Healy
217-425-4803 (Office)
217-519-0396 (Cell)
Office Hours 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday

U.S. Customs at Decatur Airport primarily services corporate and general aviation aircraft. Additional hours by appointment only. Aircraft arrivals outside of office hours will incur after-hours customs clearance charges.
 

Address:
Decatur Airport • 910 S. Airport Rd. • Decatur, IL 62521
 

For details information :Decatur Airport