CAIRO REGIONAL AIRPORT: NEW NAME, MANAGER, PLAN

CAIRO, Ill. -- The Cairo Regional Airport represents a new name, a new start and a new direction for the former Alexander County Airport in operation near here since 1950.

The airport also has a new manager and a new five-year improvement plan.

"Our goals are to obtain funding for airport improvements and to build on traffic and business at the airport," said Jim Zimmer, who was recently named manager of the facility.

"We want to get the community involved in our airport."

Zimmer hopes to have jet fuel available at the airport by summer.

A number of corporate jets, including King Air, Lear Jet, Cessna Citation and DC-3s land at the Cairo facility each month.

"The jet fuel will increase our traffic," he added. "Planes now have to go to Paducah or Cape Girardeau to purchase jet fuel.

"We want to get everything spiffed up here," said Zimmer. The airport is located about 4 miles north of Cairo and a mile west of Interstate 57. Twenty private planes are based there.

Zimmer has been around the aviation scene a number of years. He has served as a flight instructor and has flown corporate jets as a charter pilot. Zimmer also has a bachelor's degree in aviation management and a master's in airport administration from SIU-Carbondale.

Part of a five-year improvement plan calls for an "overlay" of the main runway. Another project is a "precision approach" system, which could assist larger aircraft in landing during bad weather. The airport currently uses a non-precision approach.

A 4,200-foot runway became a reality at the airport in 1992, when it received a federal grant to extend the runway from 3,800 feet. Additional lighting was installed at that time.

The airport has two runways, a terminal building with a hangar attached, a large community hangar and 12 T-hangars.

Zimmer has already negotiated charter services, and hopes to add flight instruction and a maintenance facility at the airport.

In past years, the Cairo was served by Ozark Airlines, which operated out of the airport in the late 1950s and early to mid-1960s.

The airport is operated by a five-man board. Jim Bourland, Steve Doss and Red Doss, all of Cairo are members. Representing Alexander County on the board are Paul Peterson and Andy Clarke.

"We're planning a number of events to get the public involved at the airport," Zimmer said.

These include sky-diving events, fly-bys, a logo contest, air festival, a fly-in pancake breakfast and fly-in fish fry.

One of the big programs will occur on the Fourth of July. A special all-day aerial event featuring fly-bys and sky-diving will be held in conjunction with the Cairo Jaycees' annual giant fireworks display.

One of the immediate programs for the public will be an airport logo contest, featuring entries by students from Cairo, Century, Meridian and Egyptian high schools.

"And we're planning some youth aviation days at the airport," said Zimmer.

Another summer highlight will be the special Air Meet already planned for June 16. The Air Meet will be open to anyone with a license, said Zimmer. Pilots will be competing in a number of flying events, including spot landing contests and bomb drops.

Starting next month Zimmer will start a program called "Coffee and Donuts with Jim."