Vertiport Chicago Offers Helicopter Rides
With the debut of Vertiport Chicago, DuPage Airport’s aviation customers can now take advantage of a 12 minute helicopter ride to or from the West Chicago general aviation facility to downtown Chicago.
With the debut of Vertiport Chicago, DuPage Airport's aviation customers can now take advantage of a 12 minute helicopter ride to or from the West Chicago general aviation facility to downtown Chicago. Reintroducing private helicopters to downtown for the first time since the closure of Meigs Field in 2003, Vertiport Chicago is a state-of-the-art 10-acre facility - the largest of its kind in North America - serving both helicopters and next-generation tiltrotor aircraft.
Located at 1339 S. Wood St. in the Illinois Medical District, Vertiport Chicago differs from a traditional heliport due to its ability to accommodate next-generation tiltrotor aircraft able to take off and land vertically (VTOL), fly around adverse weather conditions, accommodate up to 8 passengers, and travel at nearly twice the speed and range of a traditional helicopter. DuPage and Vertiport are also planning a "hot spot" transfer on the DPA tarmac for rapid transfer from fixed wing aircraft to helicopters. "We saw an incredible opportunity to partner with a world-class aviation facility like DuPage to offer seamless, 12 minute helicopter access to and from downtown for their business clientele," said Vertiport Chicago President and Founder Mike Conklin, a former Marine One helicopter pilot during President Clinton's Administration. "The cost and time savings that executive users will experience through this relationship can enormously benefit the business community in Chicago and connect them to markets worldwide."
"This new partnership with Vertiport Chicago is a key milestone for our corporate users, facilitating cost-effective rapid transport to downtown Chicago for more efficient business transactions," said David Bird, Executive Director of DuPage Airport Authority. "As a dedicated general aviation facility not impacted by delays experienced at airports like O'Hare and Midway, this new access point greatly adds to our capacity as we seek to capture growth forecasted in the industry."
Comprised of a single take-off and landing spot, parking spots for eight VTOL aircraft, a 30,000-square-foot hangar, along with an 11,700-square-foot terminal with VIP entrance and private amenities for corporate users, Vertiport Chicago can accommodate executive charters, private helicopters, tourist sightseeing operations and aerial photographer and film. Emergency medical response helicopters will have priority and pay no landing fees as they serve patients in need of medical transport or organ deliveries. DuPage recently strengthened its capabilities to accommodate large business jets like the Boeing Business Jet after the successful completion of an $11.4 million project to widen and rehabilitate its primary runway - the second longest runway in Chicagoland after O'Hare. Providing greater crosswind capacity, the airport funded 100 percent of the project through revenue generated without state or federal funds. The Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics recently named DuPage the 2015 Reliever Airport of the Year.
