Airport Advisory Board

City of DeKalb, Illinois January 2012 Authored By: DKB Roger Hopkins Hopkins Solutions, LLC DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Page 2 DKB – DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan January 2012 Adopted by: Prepared by: Roger Hopkins Hopkins Solutions LLC Executive Summary The DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport (DTMA) is a regional business and general aviation airport with good facilities and runways, good equipment, high hangar occupancy, but operates below capacity for business and general aviation utilization. The Airport has capacity for greater business and general aviation use. As a municipal airport, the City subsidizes the operations, and desires to have the Airport operate at least at a break‐even basis. The City operates the airport similar to a public utility. The Airport has been an instrumental resource among key businesses in the community, and may be key to the retention of those businesses in the future. The short term plan for the Airport involves raising the use and identity of the Airport among potential business users in the region. A variety of marketing projects are identified to secure additional use, which should produce supportive business that will allow the Airport to operate with a smaller City subsidy. Long term, new permanent business users at the Airport will generate aviation and non‐ aviation revenues to eliminate or greatly reduce the subsidy of the Airport. Every private and municipal investment in the Airport should be proactively considered relative to its contribution to ensuring greater aviation services that have value to the business and general aviation purpose of the Airport.  Page 3 DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan DKB – DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Overview. The DeKalb – Taylor Municipal Airport is located on the east side of the City of DeKalb. The airport facilities have grown dramatically over the past 25 years as the result of proactive strategic investment of federal, state and local funds in land, new runways and taxiways, instrument approaches, emergency equipment, repair, fueling and aircraft storage facilities. Operationally, it serves a region with a 40 mile radius based upon the home address of general aviation aircraft owners, and commercial freight and passenger services supplied. Aviation uses of the Airport include: industrial, retail, health care and business passenger and cargo activities, general aviation uses, events held by the EAA, and the annual Corn Fest community festival. The Airport is capable of being used by a wide variety of commercial and general aviation aircraft, generally including: Boeing 737 and MD‐80 passenger and cargo aircraft, frequent visits by corporate jet and turbo prop aircraft, periodic use for agriculture and health care, and daily use for business and recreational general aviation aircraft. The Airport features two runways, one of 7,025 feet in length and the second at 4,201 feet in length. Facilities at the Airport include an operations building that supplies repair and maintenance facilities, offices and storage. Adjoining facilities include a second full service maintenance building, formerly a corporate hangar. Fuel and tie down facilities are available in the adjoining areas. Twin engine and single engine hangar buildings provide for over 70 interior storage locations. Kishwaukee College and Kishwaukee Education Consortium operate an aeronautics classroom providing training in a variety of aviation related careers. The City operates a full service fixed base operator (FBO), with fueling, transient hangar facilities, cargo handling equipment, and facilitates aircraft charter, rental and flight instruction. An ILS (instrument) approach (200’ ceiling/½ mile visibility minimums) with MALSR is available on Runway 2, and GPS approaches are available on all four (4) runway approaches. Recent Airport Facility Improvements Recent improvements to the DTMA include installation of GPS approaches, localizer, cargo handling equipment for loading and unloading, fire suppression and emergency equipment, DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Page 4 and maintenance capabilities. Planned Airport Facility Improvements Fiber optic connections for telecommunications and data transmission are planned for installation in the summer of 2011. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 139 certification would permit use of the Airport by passenger and charter operations emplaning 30 or more persons. Currently, use of the Airport is permitted for up to 30‐passenger and air cargo and freight aircraft, and by general aviation aircraft. Recent Airport Aviation Activities The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) holds a variety of events, including a Fly In and other events and activities that facilitate interest in aviation careers and participation in aviation by people in the general area. The EAA also participates in the Young Eagles program to generate interest by teenage residents about aviation related careers. Kishwaukee College and Kishwaukee Education Consortium continue to offer one of the few high school and community college courses that provide basic aviation training necessary to qualify for aviation careers at specialized higher education public and private colleges and universities. Recent Airport Non‐Aviation Commercial Activities Annually, and for the past four years, Corn Fest is a community festival that is held on the grounds of DTMA. Activities include bands and performers, a carnival, and a variety of other events for local private and non‐profit organizations and businesses. The centerpiece of Corn Fest is the annual corn boil, open to the public for free. Airport Facilities (See Airport Layout Plan on Page 17) The Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Building contains a central office, break room, reception area, airport and FBO office facilities and restrooms. A meeting room is located on the second floor  Page 5 DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan along with the Airport Manager’s office. The east side of the FBO building is designated as a hangar and maintenance area for FBO services. The west side of the FBO building serves as a community hangar occupied by various aircraft. FBO Building—FBO Building built in 1987, 20,000 sq. ft. total with 100x100 Hangar, 80x100’ Hangar, 18’ High Doors, 2 story office, meeting, & reception between hangars. Building 1 – T‐Hangar built in 1986 with 10 units (door opening 40’6”W x 14’H) Building 2 – T‐Hangar built in 1986 with 10 units (door opening 40’6”W x 14’H) Building 3 – Corporate Hangar built in 1997 with 2 units (door opening 64’6”W x 17’10”H) Building 4 – Twin Engine Hangar built in 1999 with 8 units (door opening 47’6”W x 13’7”H) Building 5 – T‐Hangar relocated in 2001 with 10 units (door opening 40’6”W x 11’5”H) Building 6 – T‐Hangar relocated in 2001 with 10 units (door opening 40’6”W x 11’5”H) Building 7 – Private T‐Hangar built in 2008 with 10 units (door opening 41’6”W x 12’H) Corporate Condo Hangar – Private Hangar built in 2006 with 6 units (door opening 60’W x 18’H) Win Aviation Hangar — Private Hangar, 15,000 sq. ft. (door opening 80’W x 22’H) Maintenance Facility – Hangar built by DeKalb Ag/Monsanto with office, restrooms, reception and meeting space (door opening 80’W x 18’H) Currently, four (4) of the public T‐Hangars are vacant of 50 spaces available and one space is used by the City for safety equipment. The FBO building could house eight to twelve (8‐12) additional aircraft. The Private Hangars have 16 spaces available and 4 spaces are vacant. The Airport has spaces for outside aircraft storage and parking, and those spaces are used seasonally. Adjoining Pleasant Street and the 9/27 Runway are locations for 14 additional Hangar buildings in the range of 70‐100 feet deep, and 240 feet long, or combinations thereof. Adjoining the FBO building is a fully prepared site for a Corporate Hangar facility for a building of 10‐20,000 square feet, and up to 150 feet by 150 feet. Adjoining the Maintenance Building near the intersection of Pleasant Street and Peace Road and Enterprise Drive are six sites for individual small corporate hangars with construction of an extension of a ramp from the Runway 9/27 Taxiway. These buildings may be 5‐8,000 square feet in area, with rectangle configurations of 90 feet to 100 feet wide and 60 feet to 80 feet deep. At the intersection of Peace Road and Pleasant Street is a 2.97 acre parcel that the City has planned for mixed use as a convenience store and gas station, possible hotel and restaurant site, and/or a site for office uses related to aviation or non‐aviation activities. Hospitality use is seen as a means of generating more visibility for commercial use of the Airport. Planning would permit the construction of a new terminal facility (up to 60,000‐80,000 square feet), a fuel farm and over 30 corporate and cargo hangar facilities that would be served by ramps to the Taxiway along Runway2/20 (in the range of 10,000 square feet to over 30,000 square feet or larger in combinations of sites). DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Page 6 Long term, with construction of an access road along the southern boundary of the Airport, land exists for construction of 12 additional corporate and T‐Hangar facilities south of Runway 9/27. These hangars are envisioned to be in the same size range as those buildings north of Runway 9/27. Land is owned or controlled by the City and the Airport at the existing Runway approaches that provide protection from building obstructions that may hamper aircraft operations, and that provide for landing signal and lighting systems. Part of the Airport is located in the City’s Central Area Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District, which may be able to provide financing for site improvements and infrastructure for public and private development. (Areas in the TIF include the FBO and nearby hangars and land, and the facilities at the intersection of Peace and Pleasant; many of the undeveloped sites are outside the TIF.) The Airport is located within the city limits of DeKalb. The area immediately east of the Airport is incorporated into the Town of Cortland. The Airport perimeter is completely fenced for security and to prevent trespass. The City has a policy that it will rent land in the Airport based on fair market values that are subject to periodic evaluation by the Federal Aviation Administration regarding any land purchased with its funding. Frontier Communications owns a building near the Peace Road and Pleasant Street intersection that may be available for sale. The site is approximately 6 acres, and contains a 36,000 square foot industrial and service building. Consideration may be given to use of this facility to airport related maintenance, and freight storage. The land may offer a couple more sites for airport hangar facilities and sites for smaller airport related freight, hospitality and other services. Market Assessment Following is a comparison table of the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport operating characteristics and statistics with those of other airports within a 50‐60 mile radius of DeKalb. Airports with  Page 7 DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Airport Name Location R/W L 1 R/W L 2 R/W L 3 #Planes Annual Ops. DeKalb Taylor DeKalb, IL 7,025 4,201 67 74/day Aurora Aurora, IL 6,501 5,503 3,198 284 206/day DuPage West Chicago, IL 7,571 5,101 4,750 365 273/day Rockford Rockford, IL 10,004 8,200 114 212/day Rochelle Rochelle, IL 4,226 26 33/day Dixon Dixon, IL 3,899 2,803 28 110/day Sterling/Rock Same 6,498 3,900 34 90/day Falls Polar Grove Belvidere area 3,773 2,709 451 181/day Ottawa Same 4,500 1,785 45 20/day Peru Same 6,000 32 57/day Lake in the Hills Same 3,058 102 93/day Schaumburg Same 3,800 69 99/day Morris Same 5,000 69 116/day Lewis Romeoville, IL 6,500 5,696 168 285/day Bolingbrook Same 3,362 86 137/day Source: AirNav.com and IDOT 2010 Illinois Airport Inventory Report shorter runways, or inferior paving and facilities are excluded from the comparison. These airports are displayed in a map contained on Page 16. A second comparison table illustrates other exurban airports that are similar to the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport operating characteristics and statistics with those of airports located in the exurban areas of other larger metropolitan areas. Airports with shorter runways, or Airport Name Location R/W L 1 R/W L 2 R/W L 3 #Planes Annual Ops. West Bend Milwaukee area 4,494 3,897 103 153/day Middleton Madison, WI 4,000 2,000‐T 61 111/day Newman Coweta Atlanta (26 miles south 5,500 133 71/day Co. of Hartsfield) Gwinnett Co. Lawrenceville, GA (NE of 6,000 252 228/day Airport Briscoe Atlanta) Field Morristown Morristown, NJ (West of 5,998 3,997 189 361/day Municipal NYC) Dutchess County Poughkeepsie, NY 5,001 2,743 108 163/day Orange County Montgomery, NY 5,002 3,664 170 329/day Frederick Frederick, MD (w of 5,220 3,600 226 372/day Municipal Baltimore/Washington) Hagerstown – Hagerstown, MD 7,000 3,165 128 121/day Richard Henson (northwest of Field Baltimore/Washington) Source: AirNav.com DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Page 8 inferior paving and facilities are excluded from the comparison. A third comparison table illustrates other university community airports that are similar to the Airport Name Location R/W L 1 R/W L 2 R/W L 3 #Planes Annual Ops. Coles County Mattoon/ 6,501 5,799 1,080 60 90/day Charleston, IL Macomb Macomb, IL 5,101 3,719‐T 26 25/day Southern Illinois Carbondale, IL 6,506 4,164 3,498 89 212/day Ames Ames, IA 5,701 3,491 70 92/day Iowa City Iowa City, IA 5,004 3,900 78 53/day La Crosse La Crosse, WI 8,742 6,050 5,199 84 83/day Lynchburg – Lynchburg, VA 7,100 3,386 89 219/day Preston Glenn Field Kalamazoo/Battle Kalamazoo, MI 6,502 3,438 2,800 143 139/day Creek Int’l Porter County Valparaiso, IN 7,001 4,001 148 191/day Municipal Delaware County Muncie, IN 6,500 5,197 47 62/day Regional Monroe County Bloomington, IA 6,500 3,798 92 140/day Columbia Regional Columbia, MO 6,501 4,401 41 70/day Source: AirNav.com DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport operating characteristics and statistics. Airports with shorter runways, or inferior paving and facilities are excluded from the comparison. Population The population of the area is growing. Following is a table showing growth of DeKalb compared with surrounding counties. The DeKalb area has generally grown at the same rate as the County 2000 2010 Change DeKalb 88,975 105,160 18.2% McHenry 260,094 308,760 18.7% Kane 404,119 515,269 27.5% Kendall 54,563 114,736 110.3% LaSalle 111,546 113,924 2.2% Lee 36,062 36,031 ‐0.1% Ogle 51,032 53,497 4.8% Winnebago 278,422 295,266 6.1% Boone 41,784 54,165 29.6% Region 1,326,597 1,596,808 20.4% State of IL 12,419,658 12,830,632 3.3%  Page 9 DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan average in the region, though more slowly than the fastest growing areas in nearby Boone, Kendall and Kane Counties. Business and Economy Following is a table comparing total companies in the Fourth Quarter in each of the surrounding counties and DeKalb County and changes in the past 5 years. Businesses paying unemployment insurance have generally begun to recover from the recession, though the pace County 2006 Q4 2007 Q4 2008 Q4 2009 Q4 2010 Q4 DeKalb 2,107 2,097 2,116 2,111 2,086 McHenry 8,072 8,283 8,397 8,408 8,480 Kane 12,134 12,490 12,626 12,747 12,923 Kendall 1,542 1,741 1,832 1,928 2,017 LaSalle 2,702 2,757 2,750 2,746 2,707 Lee 719 720 715 723 724 Ogle 1,025 1,042 1,049 1,059 1,062 Winnebago 6,737 6,757 6,840 6,809 6,743 Boone 793 822 846 862 875 Source: Illinois Department of Employment Security, Unemployment Comp Quarterly Reports, Fourth Quarter in DeKalb County indicates a slower recovery. Following is a table showing the employment for each county surrounding DeKalb County. County 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 DeKalb 53,226 55,923 56,492 54,079 54,245 McHenry 167,352 171,687 170,649 162,999 163,497 Kane 246,893 254,121 253,725 242,645 243,387 Kendall 48,018 53,489 56,332 54,121 54,287 LaSalle 54,129 55,281 54,520 52,017 52,501 Lee 17,573 17,552 16,976 16,337 16,462 Ogle 25,780 26,278 25,785 24,003 24,137 Winnebago 136,199 139,258 135,286 122,769 124,134 Boone 24,115 24,822 24,269 22,014 22,258 Source: Illinois Department of Employment Security DeKalb and the other surrounding counties are still about 4‐5% lower in total employment measured by unemployment taxes. Airport Operations Business use of the Airport has recently been impacted by the location of major facilities DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Page 10 owned by public and private organizations. 3M, Target, and CST (Harvestore) use the Airport periodically for executive visits. Johnson Controls has been using the Airport for expedited delivery of time sensitive cargo. Companies such as Upstaging and Nocturne have used the Airport for key customer visits regarding the products that they produce for the entertainment industry. The increase in location of national retail businesses in local shopping areas has generated more visits from key executives of those retail companies, including Target, Wal‐Mart, Lowes, Menard’s, Barnes and Noble and others. Recently, Hy‐Vee has been a regular user as executives were working with training and preparations for opening the new Sycamore store. Traditional users are Monsanto, Pioneer and other agriculture oriented businesses. Airport operations for crop spraying also generate summer and spring visits – that will continue to grow in the future if commodity prices support management of crops. Local health care organizations use the Airport for facilitating organ harvesting and transplant operations, here or elsewhere. Helicopter transfer of patients is accommodated at the hospital’s helicopter pad, but other transfers also use the Airport. Many visits to the Airport are confidential or arranged through the use of charter passenger and cargo organizations. Outside of DeKalb and DeKalb County, the Airport serves visitors to the Rochelle intermodal facility and visits to other neighboring businesses – due to having a longer runway for larger executive aircraft. A number of tenants at the Airport are active in using their personal aircraft for business trips and to entertain business clients for recreational excursions. The University generates visits, especially from visiting colleges, with sports events on Campus at Northern Illinois University. Many companies report that nearly all business travel uses traditional commercial aviation carriers to O’Hare and Midway, and occasionally the Chicago‐Rockford commercial Airports.  Page 11 DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Leisure travel seems similarly influenced by close by and inexpensive travel options. The Airport is occasionally used for expedited cargo activities, and perhaps more can be encouraged with greater familiarity of the Airport’s loading and unloading resources by local warehousing and transportation companies. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Strengths: 1. Runway length and width for landing commercial, corporate and cargo aircraft 2. Light airport traffic – no congestion 3. Reasonably priced fuel 4. Instrument approaches (ILS minimums: 200’ ceiling/½ mile visibility) 5. Reasonable highway and interstate access to the Chicago Metro area 6. Basic infrastructure, utilities and parking in good condition 7. Excellent equipment and facilities for routine maintenance, including fire, rescue, snow removal, etc. 8. Good public perception 9. Plentiful land for new and expanded aircraft facilities 10. Reasonably accessible to business, industry, and all users within a 30 – 40 mile radius 11. Northern Illinois University generates use for business, academic and athletic activities 12. A larger number of pilots, mechanics, and former military aviation personnel live in the region 13. Strong locally based high school and community college career program in aviation based at the Airport 14. Three (3) aircraft maintenance businesses Weaknesses 1. Airport lacks an on‐site commercial charter operator for passenger and cargo 2. Business and population growth are good in the region, but not locally 3. Hangars are nearly completely occupied, creating barriers to immediate expansion of Airport‐based aircraft 4. Difficulty of financing new hangars at competitive lease rates 5. Airport costs are becoming a burden for the City of DeKalb 6. Little knowledge of the capacity and capability of the Airport to meeting business needs exists among key decision makers 7. Located close to strong, larger business airports nearby, such as Aurora, Rockford and DuPage 8. Limited aviation products and services Opportunities 1. Good sites for new hangars and maintenance facilities easily accessible to the Airport taxiway and local street and highways DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Page 12 2. Good light industrial sites for immediate development 3. Good visibility on a major local highway 4. Potential commercial sites for retail and hospitality development to serve aviation and non‐aviation commercial needs 5. Strong business participation in the use of the Airport 6. Strong potential for attracting business, charter, cargo and general aviation 7. Capacity for a significant increase in operations Threats 1. Local government deficits and financing create challenges for maintenance and to fund expanded facilities 2. Competition from other airports that are stronger and better financed airports in the region 3. Local business has little capability to fully sustain the Airport, and growth may need to come from outside the City of DeKalb 4. Conflicts between some Airport users and Airport management 5. Demographics that project limited population growth, and general aging of pilots in general aviation that are current dominant users Proposed Airport Goals 1. Financial sufficiency from Airport operations, fuel sales, hangar rents, land rents, taxes, grants and a potential non‐profit to establish revenue management, cost controls, and elevate recognition of business service capabilities to minimize or eliminate the deficits of the Airport. 2. Strengthen the Airport role in local business activities, including: manufacturing, distribution, transportation, national retailers, agriculture, healthcare and other users to identify and open up new passenger and cargo use. 3. Sustain the Airport role regarding its service and support of general aviation clients and customers. 4. Strengthen Airport opportunities for non‐aviation facility development that would include: a. Retail and restaurant uses on the frontage of Peace Road and Pleasant Street, b. Make an effort to attract manufacturing, freight, warehousing and transportation uses that would also make greater use of Airport based passenger and charter capabilities, c. Establish recreational uses for the non‐aviation perimeter of the Airport.  Page 13 DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Marketing Recommendations Activities that should enhance greater use of the Airport are discussed in the following section. This includes recommendations for marketing and promotion of the Airport. 1. Install attractive Airport signage that identifies aviation and non‐aviation capabilities on Peace Road (approximately 2,000 feet frontage). Multiple signs spread out in a tasteful manner may promote different services and products. Fabric banners may be able to produced locally, and would be changed as information changes. Additional banners may be erected for airport based events, such as Corn Fest and other community events. Banners may also be suitable in connection with the entry or gateway signs for the community. Signs like the one at the Airport cost $400‐500 per face, and $300‐400 for posts and installation. Banners cost approximately $6/ square foot. Activities to promote in signage includes: a. Charter use b. Hangar facilities c. Aviation fueling d. Commercial and industrial development e. Community events and activities 2. Solicit proposals from air charter companies in their region or by meeting them at regional or national aviation conventions to solicit the basing of aircraft and crews to secure business in the region. A number of large charter companies have the majority of the fleet in one airport, but also locate a few aircraft in key regions to facilitate availability for time sensitive operations. Crew recruitment, rent and fuel cost concessions may be attractive in DeKalb. The Chicago region is one of the largest warehousing and distribution hubs in the world. As an alternative, the Airport should select one or two passenger and air cargo operators that would be preferred vendors to fulfill charter opportunities. Potential incentives may be TIF assistance for eligible building remodeling, and job training grants. 3. Web site should contain information about current events and activities, and should incorporate social media to identify comings and goings, and community events and to express recognition for business and general aviation use. 4. Add web site links to the external aviation programs, such as the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and the Kishwaukee Education Consortium and Kishwaukee College aviation training programs. 5. Solicit a joint DeKalb/Sycamore/DCEDC “business after hours” event at the Airport annually, and incorporate a testimonial from a local business or industry the helps participants understand the business value and return on investment that the Airport generates. 6. Public relations – City should incorporate statements about news at the Airport in public appearances with the Chamber, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Re:New DeKalb, other government organizations, and business, veterans and social service clubs. 7. Use social media to highlight Airport events and activities, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn based on a general public relations effort to sustain publicity DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan Page 14 for the Airport. 8. Investigate the purchase of the Frontier Communications building to create maintenance, warehousing, and assembly space to facilitate air cargo operations, and to create an Airport Incubator. Frontier may be willing to lease part of the facility as a transition plan to scale down operations. The property has an EAV of $442,000, or a current market value of $1,326,000, or $37/Sq. Ft. including land. 9. Promote the former DeKalb Ag/Monsanto and Maintenance Building for a return to use for corporate aviation use, to generate Airport income (charter air passenger and cargo facility – to generate more fuel sales). (A replacement building will be necessary for the equipment and activities in the Maintenance Building.) 10. Airport capabilities should be summarized for each potential audience in the community, including: f. Industry – for incoming or outgoing visits by executive teams, for management activities and marketing activities, and for consideration of expedited shipping or receipt of time critical parts and materials (Johnson Controls, Anderson Machine, GIC, etc.). g. Warehousing – for visits by key executive management teams and for consideration of expedited shipping or receipt of time critical parts and materials (Target, Panduit, Nestle, 3M, etc.). h. Entertainment companies – for visits by entertainers to view and plan sets and production shows, i.e.: Upstaging and Nocturne. i. Transportation and Trucking – for shipment or receipt of time sensitive and critical parts and materials; or key executive teams (Union Pacific RR). j. Retail businesses – for visits by executive management teams in regional or national retail stores (Wal‐Mart, Menards, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Target, Hy‐Vee, etc.) k. Business Services – for existing and nearby business owners that are pilots and use the Airport to facilitate business and consulting activates, such as Agri‐Bio, and GIC. l. Agriculture – for agricultural spraying operations, and for visits by agricultural research and development and marketing visits (Monsanto, Pioneer, Growmark, etc.). m. Healthcare – for visits by medical teams involved in organ harvesting and transplant operations and the shipment of organs, and for patient movements, if the hospital heliport is unavailable. n. Education – for visits by visiting school university athletic teams and sports booster organizations to the extent that Part 139 Certification is not needed; for promotion of the Airport based high school and community college aviation training programs; for support of trips by key university executive teams coming or going to a specific location. o. Real Estate – for visits and entertainment for real estate development site location visits; and for developers to entertain clients. 11. Direct marketing to pilots and aircraft owners. An effort should be undertaken to obtain a list of pilots and aircraft owners within 40 miles of the Airport. Mail solicitations  Page 15 DKB—DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Marketing Plan should be sent a couple times per year to encourage owners to explore local aircraft rental, hangar leases, maintenance services and fueling opportunities. Direct Mail marketing should also encourage recipients to register their email addresses and then should receive periodic newsletters and announcements of developments at the Airport, and opportunities to participate in Airport events. Consideration of a budget of $2‐4,000 at least twice per year is suggested. 12. Consider advertising in the nearby Elgin, Fox Valley areas in business publications including the Daily Herald Business section, the Business Ledger, Elgin and Fox Valley Sun‐Times news media, and the Shaw news publications in Kane and southern McHenry County. 13. Develop alliances in the local transportation and hospitality businesses. The Airport has courtesy cars, but some guests may prefer to rent private autos – through Hertz, Enterprise, or a local car dealer. The Airport should contact Voluntary Action Center to examine the price and availability of bus and driver services. This may be a courtesy function to shuttle visitors that isn’t suited to rental and courtesy cars. Local hotels arrangements should be pre‐negotiated for overnight rooms and meeting rooms for crew and visitors. Restaurants should also be identified for catering services in the event an on‐airport meeting arrangement is useful. Finally, reach out to local trucking companies and offer to arrange for charter companies to cooperate for expedited delivery of air cargo. The trucking companies can market that service on behalf of the Airport. 14. Consider instituting customer appreciation events at the Airport – steaks for pilots that fuel planes; a reception or steak fry as part of hosting Airport tenants and regular visitors at Corn Fest or EAA events during the year. 15. Subject to FAA approvals, security, safety, and other considerations, consider making non‐aviation areas of the Airport available for operation of compatible recreational uses such as a golf driving range, softball and tennis practice cages and facilities, and an outdoor seasonal picnic area to watch activities of the Airport similar to the Rochelle Railroad Fan shelter. 16. Consider incentives to make the cost of constructing new T‐Hangar spaces at competitive market rents with Tax Increment Financing assistance, including eligible site preparation, interest subsidy on the financing of new construction. Taxes on the existing commercial twin engine hangar are $7,000/year. 17. Long term, consider developing a railroad trans‐loading facility that would allow local companies to receive local rail car shipments, and to use the community loading dock for unloading and loading of railroad cars along the south boundary of the Airport. Business, Charter and General Aviation Airports in the Region of the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport — Page 16 DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport Layout Plan — Page 17