History

History

In 1946

At the end of the WWII, Camp Grant was turned into the Rockford Airport.

In 1958

Lew Emery founded the first flight school at the Rockford airport. That operation eventually became a full-service FBO, including maintenance, air charter and had a major role providing service to the rapidly expanding airline industry. About this time, the airport changed its name to the Greater Rockford Airport.

In 1960
Ira Hartzog formed Hartzog Aviation and acquired the former Illini Aviation, becoming one of the first distributors for Beech Aircraft in the Midwest.
In 1985
Hartzog Aviation was sold to Beech Holdings (Raytheon Aircraft Corporation). The facility became a Beech factory-owned and operated Factory Service Center.
In 1987
RFD passenger services terminal is built.
In 1994

UPS opened what has become their second largest air freight and sorting operation in the world at RFD. Emery Air continues to provide ground support services to UPS to this day.

Then in 2003

Emery Air Charter acquired the Raytheon facility, consolidating all the services, and becoming one of the largest aviation service companies in the Midwest. The name was changed to Emery Air, Inc., to reflect their wide range of services.

In 2006

Emery Air expanded again, adding Regional Airline service, and now specializes in the Embraer and Bombardier CRJ family of regional airliners, as well as other corporate/RJ maintenance.

In 2016
Amazon launches a set-flight schedule in RFD with Emery Air providing ground support services.
In 2017
Airfreight business expanded greatly in RFD. The airport handled more than 1.3 billion pounds of cargo, a 50 percent increase over the 2016 number.
In 2020

Airfreight numbers grew by more than 15% to 2.7 billion pounds of freight that has landed and traveled through RFD compared to 2.3 billion pounds in 2019.

In 2021
Completion of the first Cargo facility expansion.
2022-2023 Projects

Additional warehousing to be completed providing us with over 250,000 sq. feet of storage within the airport perimeter in conjunction with the airport’s expansion. Additional fuel storage tanks to be installed near the newest ramp.