b'56 RSV GENERAL AVIATION After Devastating Tornado, Crawford County Airport Rises from the Rubble Better Than EverBY KEN WYSOCKYFACTS&FIGURESJust before 9 p.m. on MarchAlthough there was no official estimate, 31, 2023, tiny Crawford Countythe storm easily caused millions of dollars Projects: New Terminal & HangarsAirport (RSV) stood just like itin damagea devastating loss for the Location: Crawford County Airport, in Palestine, IL always had since it was established as ansmall, close-knit town of Palestine, near Catalyst: Tornado leveled previous facilities in 2023 auxiliary military airfield in 1943. the Indiana border. With about 200 Rebuilding Period: March 2023-Oct. 2024 But minutes later, the 432-acre generaloperations per month, RSV provides a NEW TERMINAL/HANGAR aviation facility in southeastern Illinoisvital transportation link for businesses Cost: $5.6 million literally ceased to exist. and medical facilities in the area and also Funding: FAA; IL Dept. of Transportation serves as a social hub for local aviation A powerful tornado, rated EF-3 onenthusiasts, May explains.Size: 7,331 sq. ft. terminal, 2,550 sq. ft. hangar the Enhanced Fujita scale of zero to five, Amenities: 2-story, vaulted-roof concourse/atrium;barreled through the area and leveledThe airport resumed full function by pilot lounge; flight planning room; public lounge;the facilities at RSV. Two rows of airport- the end of 2024, complete with an eye-offices; bathrooms; kitchenette; communications room;owned T hangars, two corporate hangarscatching $5.6 million terminal designed hardened storm shelter room by White & Borgognoni Architects. And Construction: Oct. 2024-Oct. 2025and a small office building that served as a lounge for pilots were reducedto top it all off, the Illinois Department of Engineering Consultant: Hanson Professionalto twisted piles of rubble. In addition,Transportation named RSV the states 2024 Services Inc. Small General Aviation Airport of the Year. Architect: White & Borgognoni Architects 19 small airplanes and several airport General Contractor: K. Wohltman Construction Inc. vehicles were demolished.The story of how the small airport went Everything wasfrom a debris-strewn airfield with only Wall & Roof Panels: Dimensional Metals Inc. its two runways left intact to an award-Key Benefit: Larger, more modern facilities gone, says Vicki May, a member ofwinner just 20 months later is a testament NEW HANGARS the Crawford Countyto the power of resiliency, teamwork and Type: 10 T hangars; box hangars for 10 aircraft; 1Airport Authoritycommunity spirit. corporate/maintenance hangar board of directors. To Cost: About $2.1 million see this airport, whereTiming is EverythingFunding: Property insurance settlement weve spent so muchVICKI MAY Theres obviously no good time for a Pre-engineered Hangars: R & M Steel Co. time with friends,tornado to hit, especially a brute like the On-Site Contractor: Dyer Family Fabricationtotally destroyed was pretty staggering. one that destroyed RSV and extensively Construction: Sept. 2023- April 2024 for T & boxdamaged nearby communities. The hangars; April-July 2024 for stand-alone corporateThe Piper Warrior she and her husbanddestructive storm packed winds up to 165 hangar had owned for 25 years was among themiles per hour, traveled nearly 41 miles Benefits: Newer, significantly improved facilities;airplanes that were destroyed. It was likein 21 minutes and measured a little more better aircraft traffic flow on apron a death in the family, May recalls. January | February 2026AirportImprovement.com'